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Disclosure
INVENTION DISCLOSURE
An Invention is any new article, machine, composition or process or new use developed by a human.
If you have discovered a new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture, composition of matter, or related improvement, you probably have made an invention. A work of authorship (including computer software) is also considered to be an invention under the Patent and Copyright Policy.
An inventor (faculty, staff, students and others) should complete an invention disclosure form in order to begin the technology transfer process.
An invention Disclosure is a written record of a complete description of the invention and how it is made and used containing sufficient detail to permit a skilled reader to duplicate the invention and to describe the basic nature of the invention to an inexperienced reader. The essential elements of a disclosure are a complete description of the invention, the inventor’s dated signature, and dated signature of witnesses who fully understand the invention.
A disclosure serves three different purposes:
- Serves as a vehicle for communication to the Innovation Partnership Services Office to describe the invention to initiate the evaluation process and for recommendations on ownership, patenting and licensing actions.
- Provides preliminary information to patent attorneys for a patent search and forms the basis of the patent application.
- Serves as a witnessed invention record to help establish date of conception and/or reduction to practice in the event of a patent interference action. Witnesses serve to corroborate the inventor in case of a patent interference action; the use of more than one person as a witness will be available if needed at a later date.
DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT
Click the link below to download a copy of our disclosure form:
INSTRUCTIONS
Download the Disclosure Form from our website (this form is also available in hard copy at the Innovation Partnership Services Office), print the blank form, complete it by hand (please print) and submit the complete document to the Innovation Partnership Services Office. Alternatively, you can download the form on your own computer, open it in the MS Word program, complete it, print the complete form out, put necessary signatures and submit to the office.
The form requests such information as a description of the invention, names and contact data for everyone involved in making the invention (the form must be signed by all of the inventors involved), funding sources for the research that led to the invention, prior publications or public descriptions of the invention, and commercial contacts in the field of the invention.
THIS INFORMATION IS CONFIDENTIAL. Do not send the Invention Disclosure Form to others, including your research sponsor, until the University has made a decision concerning the disposition of the invention.
