KING’S HOW-TO GUIDES
Invention disclosures
What is an Invention Disclosure?
An Invention Disclosure Form is a written description of your invention or discovery that is provided
to King’s’ IP & Licensing (IP & L) Team. It should list all collaborating sources of support and include
as much information as possible to enable the IP & L team to begin assessing protection, marketing,
and commercialisation activities. This document will be treated as ‘King’s Confidential’. Based on
the Invention Disclosure, your assigned IP & Licensing Manager may generate a non-confidential
description of your invention in order to assist in marketing the technology. Once potential partners
have been identified, and confidentiality agreements have been signed, more detailed exchanges of
information can be made. To download an Invention Disclosure Form please go to
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/innovation/business/academics/forms/index.aspx
Why should I submit an Invention Disclosure Form?
When you disclose your discovery or invention to King’s’ IP&L Team, it starts a process that could
lead to the commercialisation of your technology. This may involve beginning the legal protection
process and working to identify outside development partners. Research sponsors such as Research
Councils and charities may require reporting or disclosure in future. If government funds were used
for your research, you are required to file a prompt disclosure, which will be reported to the
sponsoring agency. Similar requirements may exist for other sponsored projects.
How do I know if my discovery is an invention?
You are encouraged to submit an Invention Disclosure Form for all inventions and discoveries that
you feel may solve a significant problem and/or have significant value. If you are in doubt, contact
your assigned IP & L Manager to discuss the discovery or invention and strategies for
commercialisation, www.kcl.ac.uk/innovation/business/contactus
When should I complete an Invention Disclosure Form?
You should complete an Invention Disclosure Form whenever you feel you have discovered
something unique with possible commercial value. This should be done well before presenting the
discovery through publications, poster sessions, conferences, press releases, or other
communications. Once publicly disclosed (i.e. published or presented in some form), an invention
may have restricted or minimal potential for patent protection. Differences exist between the UK,
the US and other countries on the impact of early publication on a potential patent. Be sure to
inform your assigned IP & L Manager of any imminent or prior presentation, lecture, poster,
abstract, website description, research proposal, dissertation/masters thesis, publication, or other
public presentation including the invention.
Should I disclose research tools?
Yes, if your new tools would benefit other researchers and you are interested in providing them to
those researchers and other third parties you must contact the IP & L Manager with responsibility
for your Division. Typically, research tools are materials such as antibodies, vectors, plasmids, cell
lines, mice, and other materials used as “tools” in the research process. Most research tools do not
necessarily need to be protected by patents in order to be licensed to commercial third parties
and/or generate revenue for your laboratory.
• If you have research tools that you believe to be commercially valuable, King’s IP&L team will work
with you to develop the appropriate protection, licensing, and distribution strategy.
• If you wish to provide your research tools to other parties or are approached by other parties who
wish to receive your research tools, you must contact the College’s Research Grants and Contracts
office who will work together with King’s’ IP&L team to ensure the agreements are put in place to
enable the College to share these research tools with other parties.
How do I submit an Invention Disclosure?
You
can
download
a
disclosure
form
and
simple
instructions
from
www.kcl.ac.uk/innovation/business/academics/forms/InventionDisclosureForm.doc.
Invention
Disclosures are assigned to a IP & L Manager with responsibility for your particular Division. For the
contact
details
of
your
assigned
IP
&
L
Manager
please
see
www.kcl.ac.uk/innovation/business/contactus
OWNERSHIP OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
What is “intellectual property”?
Intellectual property is inventions and/or material that may be protected under the patent,
trademark and/or copyright laws, design rights and sometimes by contract.
Who owns what I create?
Ownership depends upon the employment status of the creators of the invention and their use of
College facilities. Considerations include:
• What is the source of the funds or resources used to produce the invention?
• What was the employment status of the creators at the time the intellectual property was made?
• What are the terms of any agreement related to the creation of the intellectual property?
As a general rule, the College owns inventions made by its employees while acting within the scope
of their employment or using College resources. The College’s Code of Practice for IP,
Commercialisation and Financial Benefits describes the applicable rules for intellectual property
(www.kcl.ac.uk/college/policyzone). In some cases, the terms of a Sponsored Research Agreement
or Materials Transfer Agreement may impact ownership. When in doubt, it is best to call the IP & L
Manager responsible for your Division for advice.
What is the King’s College London policy on ownership of inventions?
The policy is stated in the Code of Practice for IP, Commercialisation and Financial Benefits at
www.kcl.ac.uk/college/policyzone
Who owns rights to discoveries made while I am consulting?
The ownership of inventions made while consulting for an outside company depends on the terms of
your consulting contract. It is important to clearly define the scope of work within consulting
contracts to minimise any issues with ownership of inventions created from College research. For
further information about consultancy at King’s please review the consultancy How to Guides.
Who owns rights to discoveries made while on sabbatical?
Generally, if you are on a sabbatical paid by the College, the College still retains rights to any
discoveries connected to your scope of employment. Contact King’s’ IP&L team before your
sabbatical to ensure that considerations relating to the ownership of IP are documented.
Should I list visiting scientists or scientists at other institutions on my Invention Disclosure?
All contributors to the ideas leading to a discovery should be mentioned in your disclosure, even if
they are not College employees. IP & L staff, along with legal counsel, will determine the rights of
such persons and institutions. It is prudent to discuss with the IP & L Manager responsible for your
Division all working relationships (preferably before they begin) to understand the implications for
any subsequent inventions.
Can a student contribute to an invention?
Yes, many students work on inventions at King’s College London under a wide variety of
circumstances. Typically, the College will own rights to intellectual property created by a student
where that intellectual property arises in the normal course of studies of that student. The College’s
Code of Practice for IP, Commercialisation and Financial Benefits provide more details,
www.kcl.ac.uk/college/policyzone.
ASSESSMENT OF AN INVENTION DISCLOSURE
How does King’s assess Invention Disclosures?
IP & L staff examine each invention disclosure to review the novelty of the invention, protectability
and marketability of potential products or services, relationship to related intellectual property, size
and growth potential of the relevant market, amount of time and money required for further
development, pre-existing rights associated with the intellectual property (IP), and potential
competition from other products/technologies. This assessment may also include consideration of
whether the intellectual property can be the basis for a new business start-up.
If the inventors believe that all IP should be licensed non-exclusively to all potential users for the
public good, will the College honour our request?
IP & L staff will work with you to develop the appropriate commercialisation strategy for the
invention. Some technologies lend themselves to non-exclusive licensing (licensing to multiple third
parties), while others will only reach the commercial marketplace, and therefore the public, if they
are licensed on an exclusive basis. We will try to accommodate inventors’ commercialisation wishes.
However, the final decision will be determined by our assessment of which strategy will produce the
most benefits for the College and the general public, consistent with governmental or institutional
policies and other obligations.
Is an invention ever assigned to an Inventor?
If King’s decides not to pursue continued patent protection and/or chooses not to actively market a
previously protected invention, the College may agree to transfer ownership to the inventor(s).
However, the College is under no obligation to do so. The College is also under no obligation to
assign IP to staff in circumstances where IP&L have determined that seeking patent protection for a
discovery is not an appropriate route forward.
Contacts
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/innovation/business/contactus/ip/index.aspx