Category Archives: IP

All your works are belong to USC

Here’s one for you, from the University of Southern California Intellectual Property Policy.  See if you can figure out what’s wrong untrue with this statement: Both California and federal law provide that the University owns all intellectual property created or … Continue reading

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Drafting the Unknown

As I’m reading through university IP policies, I’ve begun to notice how those drafting the policies are grappling with the unknown. There are a number of unknowns–many policies don’t evidence that the drafters know IP, and others work hard to … Continue reading

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The "Patent Problem" in 1948

I’ve been looking at university patent policies lately and came across this discussion of university patent policies by Archie Palmer from 1948, produced by the National Research Counsel and available through Google Books. The discussion is notable for the clarity … Continue reading

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Institutional IP Baksheesh

Here is perhaps the worst conceived and written paragraph in University of Washington policy history.   Seven sentences without the hope of connecting their subject and verbs into a coherent expression.  Read, enjoy.  I’ll work through the finer points in a … Continue reading

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Harmonizing with the Wrong Thing

Which is more important, to harmonize US patent law with that of other countries, or to keep it consistent with the insights expressed in the US Constitution, which supports progress through the personal rights of inventors? The Constitution allows the … Continue reading

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Is invent-for-hire coming to the US? Please, no.

Section 118 of title 35, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: § 118. Filing by other than inventor A person to whom the inventor has assigned or is under an obligation to assign the invention may make … Continue reading

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Cities of Innovation

Geoffrey West in Edge 343 (WHY CITIES KEEP GROWING, CORPORATIONS AND PEOPLE ALWAYS DIE, AND LIFE GETS FASTER): “Well, Google is a bit of an exception, because it still tolerates some of that. But most companies start out probably with … Continue reading

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Ten reasons universities should use outside IP counsel

I was commenting recently on the problems of bringing patent counsel into a university technology transfer operation.  Arguments in favor are cost savings, direct control over patent work, consistency, and convenience.   But the reasons for not doing so are stronger.  … Continue reading

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A Linear Model in the Wild

I came across a well developed instance of the Linear Model of innovation in a new RFP from USAID.  The diagram in the RFP wasn’t the best quality, so it’s not the crispest of images, but have a look anyway: … Continue reading

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University invention law in Ohio [updated with translations]

Here’s an interesting bit from the Ohio Revised Code (my emphasis in the text): 3345.14 Rights to and interests in discoveries, inventions or patents – establishment of rules. (B) All rights to and interests in discoveries, inventions, or patents which … Continue reading

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