Intellectual Property Procedures

DISCLOSURE

1. Disclosure

Inventors are required to submit Invention Disclosure form form to the Research Compliance Officer for any type of invention. This form should be emailed to [email protected].

This disclosure requirement is consistent with the reporting requirements under the Bayh-Dole Act, which obligates a business or nonprofit organization to disclose each invention developed using government funds to the funding agency within two months after an inventor discloses it in writing to the contractor personnel responsible for patent matters, which for the University are the Research Compliance Officers.   

Additionally, the inventor must identify all co-inventors at the time of disclosure on the Disclosure Form setting forth the percentage of any potential revenue due to the co-inventors. In the event the co-inventors have not or are unable to agree to a division of revenue, the University will decide.

Disclosure to the University should be done as soon as reasonably practicable and before any public disclosure of the potential invention is made, whether via a publication, conference presentation or poster, website, email campaign or any other type of announcement, as this could interfere with the ability to patent the invention. If there’s a question as to whether something would be considered to be an invention, you are strongly encouraged to disclose.

2. UIPC Review

The University Intellectual Property Committee (UIPC), will then review the disclosure and determine whether the invention shall be classified as an incidental, supported, or an assigned invention.  Ownership will be dependent upon such classification. 

*For additional information and definitions, please read through the IP Policy.*