Generating figures and their descriptions [+Drafting Option Only]


ClaimMaster includes patent application drafting tools that let you generate multiple figures and their descriptions from a predefined set of templates. All part numbers in the figures and corresponding descriptions (including rich text annotations, variables, and other fields) will be adjusted according to the specified figure number(s). To generate figures and corresponding descriptions, perform the following steps:



Getting Started

  • From the ClaimMaster Ribbon, click on the Patent Drafting Tools menu, then select Generate Figures + Descriptions:





Feature Options

Once you select the feature from the menu above, the patent drafting window will come up. It will be "docked" to the left side of your Word document when it launches, unless automatic docking of patent drafting windows is disabled in Patent Drafting Preferences (i.e., the "Dock drafting windows" checkbox is unchecked). The following operations are available for this feature:



    1. This table lists all of the available Figure generation templates configured in ClaimMaster.  Figure type (Visio, PPT, Word) is also listed next to the template name.  You can select
    2. Use the filter field to limit the list shown in Table 1 only to those templates that at least partially match the filter.  To remove the filter, click on the "Clear" button.
    3. Specifies the name of the previously saved group of figures (if any).  Use this to quickly select a desired group of figures for generation.
    4. Lists the group of figures selected for generation. Once a figure is added to this group, you will see a preview tab open up for this figure (item 8).
    5. Use ">>" button to add a figure template to the group of figures selected for generation.  Use "<<" button to remove a figure template from the group of figures selected for generation.  
    6. You can adjust the order of figures in the group to be generated using the "Up" & "Down" buttons next to the list.
    7. If you'd like to save your current group for quick reuse for the future, specify the group name here and press "Save".  It will become available for quick access in the group pull-down (item 3). Click "Remove" to delete an existing group name.
    8. Click this button to open settings for Figure generation templates.
    9. If you've selected to generate more than one figure, use tabs to navigate between all generated figures + descriptions. You can individually adjust settings for each generated figure + description, such as figure numbers.
    10. Use this field to specify the figure number. When you change this number, both brief and full figure descriptions (and all associated part #s) will be adjusted accordingly in the preview windows.
    11. Press +/- buttons to adjust the font size in the preview windows (items 12 and 13) for easier review.
    12. Shows a preview of the Brief Figure Description for the selected figure tab.  You can make edits directly into the preview window.  When you insert generated descriptions into the document (item 19), the text from the preview window will be used during insertion.  Note that re-selecting templates in a figure generation group (item 4) or changing template order or figure #  will reset the preview windows.
    13. Shows a preview of the figure to be generated for the selected figure tab. Click on the image to zoom. You can click on the "Open" button to open the actual figure. Note that numbering changes will not be applied for the preview, only when you actually click on the Generate Figure(s) button (item 20).  
    14. Shows the preview of the selected figure description (use tabs [item 8] to navigate between different generated figures + descriptions). You can make edits directly into the preview window.  When you insert generated descriptions into the document (item 21), the text from the preview window will be used during insertion.  Note that re-selecting templates (item 4) or changing template order or figure #  will reset the preview windows.
    15. Specify whether to insert the generated figure descriptions into the currently open Word document or into a new Word document (to be created when "Insert Descriptions" button is clicked).
    16. Specify whether to insert the generated figure descriptions into the document as part of the pre-defined section with a specific header (e.g., "Figures", etc.). 
    17. If checked, description of each figure will begin on a new page when inserted into the document. This may be helpful to simplify review when you are inserting many figures.
    18. Specifies the save location for the generated figures and descriptions. If specified, all generated figures and documents will be saved to this directory.
    19. Press this button to generate figures based on the specified settings. If a save directory is specified (item 15), figures will be saved there; otherwise, they'll be opened in the default program based on their file extension (PPT, Visio, Word).
    20. Press this button to generate full figure descriptions (and also brief description of figures) based on the specified settings. Use item # 14 to specify whether the descriptions are to be inserted into the open document or added to a new document. If inserting into a new document and a save directory is specified (item 17), the Word document with the generated descriptions will be saved to this directory.
    21. Press this button to dock/undock the patent drafting window to the left side of the open Word document. If the patent drafting window is already docked, it will be undocked from the Word document and will appear floating on top of it.
    22. When this button is pressed, you'll be presented with a workflow window that will let you quickly move on to the next patent drafting operation, such as shown below: