Invention Reporting

Overview
The Office of Technology Development (OTD), in support of the university's mission to encourage innovation and disseminate knowledge, serves the university and the public by licensing discoveries developed by faculty, students and staff. OTD also assists faculty in obtaining research support from corporate sponsors. We negotiate and create agreements, provide patent assistance, and assist in obtaining corporate sponsored research. A complete list of our services is available.

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Report an Invention
Inventions may be disclosed to OTD in one of two methods: the eROI Online Disclosure System, or by filling out the traditional, paper-based forms.

Report of Invention (ROI) Form
Submit a Report of Invention (ROI) Online
View My Invention Disclosures

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Frequently Asked Questions & Answers

General Information
Have I made an invention?
What is a patentable invention?
Is my invention worth patenting?
What is a patent?
What about publications and the one-year grace period for U.S. patent protection?
What about publications and foreign patent rights?
How does my invention get licensed?
What happens when the University is unsuccessful in marketing an invention?
Who are the members of the University Patent Committee?

Procedural Information
What should I do when I think I may have made an invention?
When should a Report of Invention be prepared and submitted?
How to submit a grant proposal that discloses a potential invention.
How much time is all this going to take?

Disclosure Information
What must I disclose to the University?
What about nonpatentable discoveries?
Do I have an obligation to disclose a useful discovery that may not be patentable?
Are there requirements for disclosing my invention as a consequence of the funding source?
Do I have to disclose "on the shelf" products of my research?
What if my invention is made on my own time?
Will the disclosure process interfere with my publication plans?

Co-inventors
What about co-inventors?
What are the rights of co-inventors who are outside the University?
What about co-inventors within the University?

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Policies related to Research and Technology at Carolina

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