Patent-related tools and methodology for use in research and development projects

The present invention is related to patent-related tools, and methodologies involving those tools, for assisting in all stages of research and development (R&D) projects. The IPAM server may be used in conjunction with the tools and methodologies to aid in R&D projects. These tools or methods include, but are not limited to, a topographic map, a top company table, a top inventor table, a inventors by company table, a features grouping, a technology classification, a Standard Industrial Codes (SIC) classification, a patent citation tree, a patent count/year, an application count/year, a nested patent citation tree, a product/patent/revenue table, a patent/months to issue chart, and a document/annotation chart.