Home About Intellectual Property Intellectual Property Committee UNI Intellectual Property Policy Profiting from Intellectual Property How to Claim Intellectual Property Rights Technologies Available for Licensing Intellectual Property FAQ Contact Information      Site Map		How to Claim Intellectual Property Rights The first step in applying for a patent is to contact the Office of Intellectual Property, in order to sign a Confidentiality Agreement. This protects the discloser’s right to secrecy during disclosure and during pursuit of an intellectual property claim. After this, the creator must disclose the creation to the Intellectual Property Committee by filling out the Invention Questionnaire. This will require specific information about the creation such as function, novelty, sponsoring of development, and related issues. To patent an invention, the next step for the inventor is to prepare an oral presentation for the IP. This should be given at the first meeting that follows the submission of the Invention Questionnaire. The presentation should exhibit the invention and its proposed functions. It should demonstrate the unique nature of the invention and how it differs from current technologies. The IP will make a decision to pursue a patent within three months of the presentation by the inventor. A brief initial patent search should also be conducted. This can be managed by the inventor, or the IPC can commission a search. A search should result in a better knowledge of previously patented, related inventions. The search can also aid in avoiding infringement on other patents. The IPC will consider this information in the decision to pursue or forego a full patent application. If the IPC accepts the invention, the inventor will then assign the ownership rights to the University of Northern Iowa. The process is similar in the pursuit of copyright and trademarks. However, authors and designers should contact the members of the Permanent Standing Committee on copyrights and trademarks for more information directly related to copyright and trademark claims.

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