What steps can be taken to protect an idea prior to patenting?
Do not publish (put into writing for others to read or make a speech or presentation) the invention until you are ready to disclose it to the university. Once “published,” an invention only has twelve months before an application must be filed. You should maintain a scientific journal in you lab or office in which you indicate dated entries with the information about what exactly was discovered. This journal should be kept in a secure location. It should be marked “Confidential, Trade Secret” and its contents should not be disclosed to others unless they have a need to know. The university considers ideas and inventions that arise from the use of university resources to be its trade secrets, which should be disclosed and assigned to the university pursuant to the Patent Policy.
