Author Archives: Gerald Barnett

A Fine Overview of Corporate Sponsored Research

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Gerald Barnett

In 2008 Roger L. Geiger  prepared this report on corporate-sponsored research for Penn State.  It’s the best discussion of the subject I’ve come across.  I have been involved in or closely followed a number of the programs–the Intel lablets (some … Continue reading →

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It’s not a change in policy, it’s not a change in policy…

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Gerald Barnett

Well, I guess the UC present assignment doesn’t have to be, technically,  a change in policy.  It could be simply a violation of policy.  Note that in the UC Patent Policy, we have this: An agreement to assign inventions and … Continue reading →

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7 Points on the UC Present Assignment Requirement

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Gerald Barnett

There has been some discussion going on about the recent UC requirement that everyone sign a new patent acknowledgement, this one with a present assignment in it, with the claim that this change is needed to respond to the Stanford … Continue reading →

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Oh, to be the happy dog again

Posted on January 15, 2012 by Gerald Barnett

There has been a lot of bad advice for universities out there in the wake of Stanford v Roche.   It almost appears to be orchestrated talking points on the need for universities to implement present assignments to prevent another outcome … Continue reading →

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What "of the contractor" teaches us about "subject inventions"

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Gerald Barnett

[In a previous essay, I worked through problems with “of the contractor” and argued that the interpretation had to include employees who invent even if they had not assigned to the contractor.  Here, I explain in more detail how this … Continue reading →

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Theory Failure in Technology Transfer

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Gerald Barnett

Chris Newfield underscores some of the points I make about the linear model from a different direction in an essay he wrote recently for the Remaking the University blog. If the US can’t get over the hump and start spending … Continue reading →

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Explaining an Emblem of the Linear Model

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Gerald Barnett

Gene Quinn at IP Watchdog posted last October a nice essay (h/t to François Stofft at the Linkedin International Technology Transfer Professionals group) on the problems of accelerating technology transfer by federal fiat. The new programs that have been announced … Continue reading →

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Limits of Causation Models in Technology Transfer

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Gerald Barnett

There is an article by Jonah Lehrer in the latest Wired magazine that is worth the read. It’s called “Trials and Errors” with the subtitle “Dead-end experiments, useless drugs, unnecessary surgery. Why Science is Failing Us.” Lehrer discusses the growing … Continue reading →

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Compulsory IP Taking and Public Universities

Posted on December 30, 2011 by Gerald Barnett

Personal ownership of inventions is a matter of federal common law and a personal right to a patent on that invention is established in the US Constitution. The Bill of Rights also provides that the government cannot take property without … Continue reading →

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The Effect of University Monopoly Licensing in 3d Printing

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Gerald Barnett

Inkjet powder 3d printers provide a useful case study for the effects of university exclusive patent licensing.  In the early 90s, MIT researchers developed inkjet 3d printers. They built off much of the technology platform used for selective laser sintering … Continue reading →

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