Inventor's Corner:

Unleashing Your Innovative Potential

A Step-by-step Guide to Help You Navigate the Process

First, describe your Invention:

  1. Select New Disclosures to bring up a form for you to fill out.
  2. Give it a title, description, and keywords
  3. Indicate the date of first Public Disclosure (if any)
  4. Attach any relevant documents, such as figures, lab notes, etc.

Next, tell us about yourself:

  1. Enter your name, organization (i.e., School or Department), and email address.
  2. Click Add to List and from the Researcher鈥檚 List table, select your record and click Next Step

Next, identify your Funder:

  1. Enter your Sponsor鈥檚 name (organization), country, and Contract number.
  2. If the research did not have any external funding, check the box to indicate the disclosure used no external funding.
  3. Click Add to List and then click Next Step

The next page, Sponsored Projects and Compliance with the SMU Intellectual Property Policy, identifies the SMU Policy section on Intellectual Property Rights and has contact information for assistance.  Please read this page.

 

Describing Your Invention

A detailed disclosure helps avoid misunderstandings or disputes regarding the invention's origin, development, or ownership. It ensures all parties involved have a clear understanding of the innovation. 

Your Description serves as evidence of the invention's novelty, inventiveness, and utility – all crucial factors in obtaining patents or other forms of Intellectual Property Rights. Consider the following when you describe your invention in Sophia.

  1. Private Abstract – indicates not only the invention’s purpose and primary uses but also the details that make it novel and not apparent.
  2. Public Abstract – in contrast, identifies only the invention’s purpose and primary uses.
  3. Description – outlines how the invention works and may include a drawing or two.
  4. Short Description of Prior Art – by openly disclosing related information and inventions which provide similar functionality as your invention you facilitate patent prosecution.

 

Benefits of Disclosure Transparency

Transparency enables a thorough evaluation of existing knowledge and ensures compliance with disclosure obligations.  These include identifying publication dates and prior disclosures made to non-university personnel. 

Contact TechnologyTransfer@smu.edu if you have any questions, need assistance to fill out the form, or would like clarification on any of the form’s requested information.