Patent/Invention Disclosure Form

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THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS APPLY TO THE CORRESPONDING NUMBERED SECTIONS ON THE PATENT/INVENTIONS DISCLOSURE FORM

1. Enter a brief descriptive title to aid in identifying the technology.
2. In describing the technology, please provide (when possible) information covering the following points:
a. the general purpose;
b. a technical description;
c. the advantages and improvements over the existing methods, devices or materials; and,
d. the economic potential or commercial applications for the technology.
3. Include the names of any co-inventors. Co-inventors include any individual who has conceived or contributed to an essential element of the invention, either independently or jointly with others, during the evolution of the technology or reduction to practice.
4. Give the applicable research, contract or grant number(s) and the principal investigator(s) on the project if the invention was made in connection with any sponsored research.
5. In the United States, a patent application must be filed no later than one year after the public has access to a printed publication disclosing the invention in detail. In other countries, filing must take place before either oral or printed publication is made available to the public; however, where there has been a U.S. filing before any oral or printed publication, generally a one year grace period is granted for foreign filing. Complete all parts of section 5 in view of the following:
a Conception involves the formulation, in the mind of the inventor, of the complete means for solving a problem.
b. The term “first publication” means the first time any member of the general public or anyone outside the California State University, Fresno community (including faculty, staff, students), without restriction of confidentiality, would have been able to gain access to your written or printed enabling description of the invention.
c. The term “first public oral disclosure” is similar to the description for “first publication”, but only as to oral presentation(s) to the general public or professional groups, peers, and others outside the California State University, Fresno community.
d. The term “sale of invention” means the first time that the invention is offered for sale or sold to anyone.
e. The anticipated date of publication should be entered here, as well as the date any documentation was submitted for review for possible publication.
6. Reduction to practice involves actual and complete use of the invention for its intended purpose. It usually involves physical construction of the invention or application of a process and testing the physical embodiment or action to determine whether it performs as contemplated, but this is not always necessary if the invention can be fully described.
9. It is recommended that all lab books and/or other records of your technology be witnessed by a person who has read and understood your disclosure. If the principal/co-principal investigator is not an inventor/author, he/she is often the best witness.