Disclose Innovative Ideas

You should complete a Disclosure Form whenever you feel you have created or discovered something unique with possible commercial value. This should be done well before presenting the discovery through publications, poster sessions, conferences, press releases, or other communications. Once publicly disclosed (i.e., published or presented in some form to non-BGSU listeners), an invention may have restricted or minimal potential for patent protection.

Not necessarily.  Inventorship has a strict legal meaning under the laws and regulations of the U.S. Patent System.  The law specifies that ONLY those who have made independent, conceptual contributions to an invention are inventors.  It is, however, possible for an invention to be the work of two or more joint inventors, sometimes referred to as co-inventors. 

Please note that an individual who merely suggests an idea without the means of accomplishing the task is not a contributor to the conception of the invention. Additionally, an individual who has simply followed the instructions of another is not a contributor to the conception of the invention. These individuals may be included as authors of a journal article, but they are not inventors of the technology.  In many cases students that are working on projects are not inventors.

There are many potential benefits to you personally in working with RTT to commercialize your technology. Commercialization of your technology is a tangible way to achieve recognition of your scientific discovery or creation, and marketing your technology can increase your research opportunities via collaborations and strategic partnerships. But there is also the potential for significant personal income resulting from licensing, also the patents protected have the inventor name specified.

There are many potential benefits to you personally in working with RTT to commercialize your technology. Commercialization of your technology is a tangible way to achieve recognition of your scientific discovery or creation, and marketing your technology can increase your research opportunities via collaborations and strategic partnerships. But there is also the potential for significant personal income resulting from licensing.

RTT assists creators and authors in licensing software under a variety of distribution strategies. In addition to licensing software code for commercial development and distribution, the RTT can license research code for non-commercial and/or academic purposes and can assist creators in offering software via open source licenses.  If you have created software that you believe may have commercial potential, you should submit the BGSU Innovation Creation Form.

The novelty of your invention is only maintained as long as it is not disseminated publicly. Any public disclosure of the invention that provides information sufficient for an individual skilled in the relevant industry to reproduce the invention nulls the novelty requirement of patentability.

Under federal law, BGSU is required to report to the Government inventions created under sponsored research. If the University decides not to take title to such an invention (that is, decides not to keep it), then the Government has rights to it. If the Government doesn't wish to pursue it, the invention may be assigned back to the inventors. Non-Government sponsors may also have intellectual property clauses and obligations attached to such sponsorship with which RTT must comply.

As detailed as possible. All information provided to RTT will be kept confidential. Without adequate information, RTT cannot perform a complete evaluation of the invention's licensing potential, nor can we obtain an accurate legal opinion as to whether it is patentable. The first meeting with the RTT officer and the inventor(s) is a time when the invention may be discussed in detail.

As of March 16, 2013 the U.S. patent system switched to a "first-inventor-to-file" system. The dates of public disclosure are important because foreign patent rights are lost once an invention has been publicly disclosed. In the U.S. an inventor has one year from the date of public disclosure (this includes orally at a public meeting, in writing, or offering it for sale) in which to file a patent application, but it is best to file before the public disclosure. Once that year has passed, the invention cannot be patented.

We need your work address to contact you and your home address to mail royalty checks to you. Please keep us updated if either address changes.