We are here to assist WSU inventors in protecting their technology, and in the licensing of technologies to existing companies and startups. This website provides information relating to our process and downloadable forms for reporting your invention.
Overview of the process of legally protecting Intellectual Property.
The Washington State University Research Foundation ("WSURF"), in close coordination with the WSU Office of Intellectual Property Administration ("OIPA"), protects and commercializes intellectual property produced by Washington State University ("WSU") and its employees.
What is Intellectual Property?
The term "Intellectual Property" refers to any product of the human mind, such as an idea, invention, unique name, business method, or anindustrial process, etc. that has commercial value. Intellectual property can be protected in many different ways generally these forms of protection fall into one of the following categories:
Patents
Copyrights
Trade Secrets
Process of Protecting Intellectual Property
The entire process of protecting an invention can be complex and litigious. OIPA/WSURF utilizes the expertise of experienced licensing professionals both within and outside the office and various reputable attorneys to manage intellectual property in an efficient and competent manner.
This section of this web site gives an overview of how OIPA/WSURF protects an invention. Generally, this is a multi-step process:
Once the Office of Intellectual Property Administration ("OIPA") has received an invention disclosure form, OIPA evaluates the technology for commercial potential and determines whether legal protection can and should be obtained for the intellectual property.
In addition to the novelty/patentability of the invention, OIPA generally bases this decision on several factors, such as:
- the commercial value of the intellectual property,
- the costs of legal protection,
- the likelihood that commercially valuable protection can be obtained,
- the ability to enforce protection.
Once OIPA has determined that legal protection is justified, it takes the appropriate steps to obtain protection.
If OIPA determines that obtaining protection is not justified, and the invention development was federally funded, then OIPA offers the rights to the invention to the federal agency that funded its development. The federal agency may then choose to protect the invention or return the invention to the inventor. If the invention was not federally funded, then OIPA may return the invention directly to the inventor.
You can search for technologies or the capability to develop a technology at the:
WSURF web site: http://www.wsurf.org/technologies
Washington State University web site: http://www.wsu.edu
Or you can contact WSURF directly to discuss your needs and interests.
You can search for technologies or the capability to develop a technology at the:
WSURF web site: http://www.wsurf.org/technologies
Washington State University web site: http://www.wsu.edu
Or you can contact WSURF directly to discuss your needs and interests.
You can search for technologies or the capability to develop a technology at the:
WSURF web site: http://www.wsurf.org/technologies
Washington State University web site: http://www.wsu.edu
Or you can contact WSURF directly to discuss your needs and interests.
