Disclose an Invention
If you think you have an innovation or discovery that has commercial potential, call us. We are eager to discuss the possibilities.
When to Disclose:
Disclose your invention as soon as practicable but before you have presented it at any public forum including conferences and poster sessions and before it is published in any form including as an abstract or journal article. A publication or presentation can impact the legal status of your future patent.
Not sure if your invention has commercial potential? Call us to discuss your invention.
How to Disclose:
To disclose an invention, download the form below, fill it out and fax or e-mail it to a technology licensing associate.
Disclosure Form and Instructions (.doc)
To fill out the form, you'll need the following information:
Inventorship: List yourself and your co-inventors. Start by listing any major contributors including when appropriate post-doctoral researchers, graduate students, undergraduate students and colleagues at other institutions. A patent attorney will make the final determination of inventorship under U.S. patent law.
Sponsorship: Supply all contract numbers for any government, corporate or foundation support. Completing this form fulfills your responsibility of reporting the invention to government, foundation and corporate sponsors.
Publications, Oral Presentations, Poster Sessions, Web Postings: Provide key dates of any past or future disclosures of the technology. Filing a patent after publication will potentially impact your intellectual property rights. If you have questions, call us.
References: To the extent possible, include copies of any publications by you or your co-inventors relative to this invention. Include rough or first drafts of papers, experimental data sheets, and preprints.
What Happens Next?
Once we receive your disclosure form, we will call you to set up a one-on-one meeting to discuss the potential for patenting and commercialization. During the process, our staff will explore potential commercialization strategies for your technology and engage the services of an outside patent attorney as appropriate. Throughout the process, OTL will communicate with you the status of our evaluation and ensure that agreements comply with applicable laws regarding federally funded research.
For further reading on Princeton University's Patent Policy, please see the Faculty Rules and Procedures, Ch. VIII. D. Intellectual Property.
