Protect your inventions early

When it comes to intellectual property, it's never too early for faculty to think about protecting the inventions that grow from their research.

It can take four years or more from the time an invention is disclosed until a patent protecting it is issued. Having evidence to prove when an invention was conceived and reduced to practice is vital to obtaining both a patent and an early priority date.

Planning for future intellectual property during the research phase lays a solid foundation for eventual protection. For example, bound, dated, signed and witnessed laboratory notebooks provide the best evidence for proving when an invention was conceived. They also help substantiate that the inventor has been diligent in his or her efforts to continuously work to reduce the invention to practice.

Faculty are welcome to contact the Office of Technology Development at any phase of research for advice on strategies for protecting intellectual property. Information on protecting faculty inventions also is available on the OTD Web site.

For more information contact David Conrad, director of licensing, Office of Technology Development, dconrad2@unl.edu, 472-3902.


    




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