1. A method for estimating the probability of a future event occurring relative to a particular identified intellectual property asset or group of intellectual property assets of interest, comprising: storing a first series of data comprising selected metrics identifying and/or quantifying certain selected characteristics of a first population of intellectual property assets for which the event has occurred; storing a second series of data comprising selected metrics identifying and/or quantifying said selected characteristics of a second population of intellectual property assets for which the event has not occurred or for which it is undetermined whether the event has occurred; constructing a predictive computer model or algorithm based on said stored first and second series of data, said algorithm being operable to retrieve said first and second series of stored data and to perform certain mathematical or statistical calculations thereon to generate an output score or estimated probability that is generally predictive of the event having either occurred or not occurred relative to each intellectual property asset in said first or second populations of intellectual property assets; and providing as input to said algorithm a third series of data comprising selected metrics identifying and/or quantifying certain selected characteristics of said particular identified intellectual property asset or group of intellectual property assets of interest and operating said computer model to calculate a relative ranking or estimated probability of the event occurring in the future relative to said identified intellectual property asset or group of intellectual property assets of interest.