There are different processes used to assess whether the material disclosed in a Report of Invention is sufficient to define a unique technology, and whether that technology should be maintained as part of the institution portfolio with active patent protection.
- Within the Technology Case module, institutions can document a formal Technology Review process, which a technology may pass through as many times as necessary. The distribution lists can be individual technology managers or formal committees. Decisions out of each review are defined by the institution, but may include:
- instructions to pursue patent protection
- instructions to initiate market analysis
- decision to merge with an existing technology
- decision to waive rights back to the inventor
- Within the Protection Filings module, institutions can document a formal Patent Review process, which a filing may pass through as many times as necessary. Decisions out of each review are defined by the institution, however the original intent was to document instructions to continue/abandon patent maintenance.
While it is important to make sure that decisions are well informed and documented, it is also important to make sure that the review contributes to forward progress. By properly identifying who should be part of the decision, and the reasons for the decision, institutions can avoid:
- unnecessary reiteration of old issues
- questions regarding objectivity of decisions
- delays in getting useful technologies to where they can provide maximum benefit
- loss associated with technologies that were not in condition to be developed
- loss associated with technologies that should no longer be maintained
The formality of the process, and the amount of information captured, are dependent on the mandates of the individual office.
To learn more about InfoEd’s Technology Transfer module, contact Jeffrey Waldin, Product Manager, at jwaldin@infoed.org.