Processes for disclosing inventions, and copyrighted software

The following is relevant to faculty, students, and staff that have questions about their rights and responsibilities in the creation of or created intellectual property, and the procedures for disclosing a patentable invention, tangible material, or copyrightable software, multimedia which includes software, or technical data, to our office.

• A patent protects novel ideas for useful products and methods. The UC Patent Policy (revised October 1, 1997) governs the ownership of patentable inventions at the University.
  
  If you believe you may have or are developing a patentable invention or wish to license tangible materials to someone, please see our Invention and Technology Disclosure Packet.
  
  A copyright, on the other hand, protects the expression of original ideas, but not the ideas themselves. Software may contain copyrightable or patentable material, or both.
  
  
• If you are an author of software, or multimedia which includes software, please read about our Software Development and Distribution Program, located in the Software Author's Packet.
  

University of California Technology Licensing Policies

• UC Patent Policy
• UC Copyright Policy
• UC Equity Policy
• UC Systemwide Policies and Guidelines (UCOP)
• Guidelines on University-Industry Relations
• Licensing Guidelines (UCOP)
• Conflict of Commitment - APM 025 [PDF] (UCOP)
• Other Useful Sites (at UCB and elsewhere)