The Map View tab displays the map.   Depending on the Zoom level selected there may be a Viewer-Navigation Window displayed in the upper left corner of the map.

• Viewer-Navigation Window: Left Click, hold and then move your cursor to bring different parts of the map into the right hand side of the Map View tab.   If the Viewer-Navigation Window is not displayed, simply select a higher Zoom level from the Map Action Menu.



• Map Action Menu: Use this menu work with items on the map.

The top portion of the Map Settings tab contains the following major features:

• Map Title: Change the title of the map here. Note: This will NOT change the name of the map file.
• Selected Items Color: Use this setting to highlight patents that you have Selected in the Map View tab.

The bottom portion of the Map Settings tab controls what legends are displayed on the Map:

• Show Statistics: Select one or more statistics categories. Each selected category will be displayed in a separate "statistics box" on the map.
• Color Keyed: Only one of the selected statistics categories can be "Color Keyed". The Color Keyed category will appear as the top statistics box on the map and the top of the individual patent or application boxes will be color coded by this category.

The File Menu contains the following options:

• Save File: Use this to save your map to an existing or new folder.


• Export Map as PDF: This menu item allows you to export the map into Adobe PDF format.


• Export Map as EMF: You can export the map into a Microsoft Windows Enhanced Metafile file.


• Create Map Thumbnail: This menu item allows you to create a thumbnail picture of the map by specifying the width desired in pixels.

Use the Select pulldown menu to Select items on the map and to create sublists:

• Select by Category: This option opens a new window where you can select items based on categories such as "Current Assignees", "Inventors" etc.
• Select by List: Use this option to select another patent or application list using File Explorer - any of the items on the selected list that are also on the map will be selected on the map.
• Select by ID: Use this option to select by one or more patent or application numbers.

• Select All and Unselect All: Self Explanatory
• Toggle Selections: This will switch between showing those Selected and those Unselected.

• Extend Selected Items Forward and Extend Selected Items Backward: Once you have selected one or more patents or applications you can "extend" the selection by following the citation links forward or backward.

• Create Sublist from Unselected: Use this option when you are selecting items that you do NOT want to keep.
• Create Sublist from Selected: Use this option when you are selecting items that you DO want to keep.

Use the Hilite menu to "flash" or "blink" the patents and/or applications selected.   This is a helpful feature when dealing with large maps where you have selected patents using the "Select by Category" method.

The Zoom menu resizes the map in your browser.   The range of Zoom is determined by the size of the map.   The Viewer-Navigation Window will appear or disappear depending on the Zoom level selected.   NOTE: The "Zoom" setting does NOT control the size of what is exported when you Export a Map using the File Menu - that exports the entire map.

The Analytics Menu on the Map Action Menu provides the means to analyze the patents on the map along the following dimensions:  

• Agent Analysis: Groups by the Agent/Attorney on the patent/application.
• Assignee Analysis: Groups by the Front Page Assignee/Owner (at time of issue/publication).
• Current Assignee Analysis: Groups by the current Assignee/Owner of record at the USPTO.
• Examiner Analysis: Groups by the Primary Examiner of the patent/application.
• Inventor Analysis: Groups by the Inventor(s) listed on the patent/application.

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• Application Date Analysis: Groups by the U.S. Application Date.
• Publication Date Analysis: Groups by the Application Publication Date or Patent Issue Date.

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• US Class Analysis: Groups by the primary Main Class under the U.S. Patent Classification System.
• US Class Pair Analysis: Groups by the primary Class/Subclass Pair under the U.S. Patent Classification System.