Guide for Inventors

Your guide from start to finish. Your discovery is in good hands. Illinois Tech’s Office of Technology Management and Licensing (TML) can help you through the invention disclosure process, develop potential Intellectual Property (IP) strategy, protect and licensing University IP.

Invention Disclosure

Do you have an invention and want to protect it?
Learn about what a partnership with Illinois Tech means for you.

Disclosure Assessment

Ready to tell us about your research?
Discover the patenting process and how your research is protected.

Marketing and Licensing

Interested in licensing your research to others?
Determine if it is eligible and apply for assistance.

Invention Disclosure

Take the first step in
protecting your invention

Understanding the Invention Disclosure

Submitting an Invention Disclosure Form is the first step. Find answers to your questions about what a disclosure is, why it is required and when it should be submitted.

Have an idea? Submit an Invention Disclosure Form!

Top 10 Questions for Inventors

  • You may have an invention if you have developed a new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof. If you're unsure, TML can help assess whether your idea qualifies as an invention. 

  • As a researcher or inventor at our university, you are required to disclose your invention to TML by submitting an invention disclosure form. Intellectual property (IP) arising from university research, including sponsor research, is owned by Illinois Tech. Disclosing your invention ensures that the university can protect and manage the intellectual property. Inventors share in the revenue generated by IP from their inventions.

  • Generally, inventions created using university resources or within the scope of your employment at the university are owned by the university. This allows the university to manage and protect the intellectual property effectively.

  • You should fill out an invention disclosure form as soon as you believe you have made an invention and before publicly disclosing or publishing any information about it. Early disclosure helps in protecting your intellectual property rights.

  • An inventor is someone who has made a significant intellectual contribution to the conception of the invention. This can include individuals who have contributed to the idea, design, or development of the invention. TML can help determine inventorship.

  • After you submit an invention disclosure, TML will evaluate the invention for its patentability and commercial potential. This may involve market research, patent searches, and discussions with potential licensees or industry partners.

  • Not all invention disclosures result in a patent application. The decision to file a patent application is typically made within 60 days of the invention disclosure. The decision is based on the invention's commercial potential, patentability, and strategic value to the university. TML will keep you informed throughout this decision-making process.

  • Yes, inventors typically receive a share of the net income generated from the commercialization of their inventions. The specific terms are outlined in the university's revenue-sharing policy, which ensures fair distribution among the inventor(s) and the university.

  • To protect your invention during collaborations, you can use confidentiality agreements (NDAs) and carefully manage the sharing of information. TML can help draft and review these agreements to safeguard your intellectual property.

  • If you have additional questions, please contact TML directly. Our staff are available to assist you with any inquiries about the invention disclosure process, patenting, licensing, and other related matters. You can find contact details on our Contact Information page.

Disclosure Assessment

Guiding your invention from
disclosure to patent

The Disclosure Assessment Process

After submitting your Invention Disclosure Form, the TechForward team will evaluate your invention. See the steps that ideally conclude with filing a provisional patent application and our commitment to transparency and timeliness in our communications.

The decision to file for intellectual property protection is based on many factors including, but not limited to: feasibility, novelty, potential market applications, limitations, risks, safety, prior public disclosure, competitive landscape, and prior art. If our team does not recommend filing a patent application, the inventor may still have other options. TML will discuss these options with you.

We aim to notify you of the University’s decision within 60 days from receipt of disclosure whether or not the university will file for intellectual property protection. If the evaluation needs more time, we will notify you of the extension of the time. 

The timeline for the technology transfer process varies. Initially, it involves evaluating the invention, its applications, prior art, patent potential, and market viability. Patent issuance typically takes 18 to 36 months, but licensing and marketing efforts can proceed concurrently.

Understanding the Patenting Process

    • Stage: Early filing stage application 

    • Purpose: Establishes an early filing date and allows the use of "patent pending."

    • Outcome: Does not undergo examination and does not result in a granted patent unless followed by a non-provisional application within 12 months.

    • Stage: Formal application stage application following a provisional application or as the initial filing.

    • Purpose: Provides complete details of the invention.

    • Outcome: Subject to examination by the patent office to determine patentability.

    • Stage: International stage, usually after or in place of a national application.

    • Purpose: Allows for a single international application that provides a preliminary examination and defers national phase entry decisions.

    • Outcome: Does not directly lead to a granted patent but simplifies the process of filing in multiple countries.

    • Stage: Post-filing, during examination.

    • Purpose: Official communication from the patent office examiner regarding the application's status.

    • Outcome: Can include rejections, objections, or requests for amendments or clarifications that the applicant must address to move the application towards grant.

    • Public Disclosure (0-12 months): A non-confidential presentation or publication that describes your idea in detail

    • Provisional Filing (0 months): Placeholder for date of invention. Innovation landscape analysis four months before one-year deadline.

    • Non-Provisional Filing (12 months): Needs to be fully described and enabled. Drafted by outside counsel.

    • Application Examination (~18-36 months): Usually multiple office actions.

    • Application Allowance & Issuance (~36+ months): PTO issuance fees. Continuations and Divisional Applications ("children" applications) may be filed.

    • Patent Term (20 years post filing): Post issuance PTO maintenance fees at 3.5 years, 7.5 years, and 11.5 years.

Marketing and Licensing

Monetize your innovation
while leasing it out for use

Marketing and Licensing Your Invention

Licensing involves granting outside partners the rights to use and commercialize intellectual property (IP) created within the university. This arrangement allows the monetization of innovation while enabling the licensee to benefit from the IP without having to own it outright. Licensing can involve patents, trademarks, copyrights, or trade secrets.

TML manages and commercializes the university's IP, which includes facilitating licensing agreements. By doing this, TML helps bring academic innovations to market, generating revenue for further research and fostering industry collaboration. 

Key functions of the TML licensing process include:

  • Assessing the commercial viability of inventions to determine their potential for successful market entry and profitability. This includes market analysis, patentability assessments, and understanding the competitive landscape.

  • Working with inventors to protect IP through patents and copyrights. This involves coordinating with patent attorneys to file and prosecute patent applications.

  • This includes creating marketing materials, attending industry conferences, and leveraging industry contacts to find interested parties.

  • You should fill out an invention disclosure form as soon as you believe you have made an invention and before publicly disclosing or publishing any information about it. Early disclosure helps in protecting your intellectual property rights.

  • Overseeing these agreements to ensure compliance with the terms and maximizing benefits for the university.

  • After you submit an invention disclosure, TML will evaluate the invention for its patentability and commercial potential. This may involve market research, patent searches, and discussions with Managing the net income from licensing and distributing according to university policies. This typically involves sharing proceeds with inventors, departments, and the university.

Illinois Tech Startup Express License Program

In an effort to spur translational research and entrepreneurship efforts at Illinois Tech, TML is offering a simple, ready-to-use license agreement for certain start-up companies based on the University intellectual property. Illinois Tech Startup Express License is an optional, standardized, non-negotiable license agreement between the University and a startup founded by an Illinois Tech researcher that is seeking to commercialize University technology and it is an addition to the standard licensing at Illinois Tech. 

About Startup Express License

    • Licensing Illinois Tech IP (solely owned by Illinois Tech) and Illinois Tech IP is the key business for the company

    • Not suitable for software license or therapeutics license

    • Have at least one Illinois Tech faculty, student, or staff member as a founder of the company and is also an inventor on the Illinois Tech IP

    • Be incorporated at the time the license application is submitted

    • Have at least two team members