The disclosure forms for inventions, software and mobile applications, can be found here:
Software Disclosure Form
Mobile App Disclosure Form
It is important that each part of the invention disclosure form be completed and that all employees inventing within the scope of their employment sign the invention disclosure form with the original signed document sent to OTC. OTC will meet with researchers to discuss the appropriate form and assist in completing the requested information. Researchers may also contact the Office of Technology Commercialization to discuss other forms of intellectual property and formalize the university’s approach.
A common question is whether a technology or idea is ripe for disclosure. The US is now a first to file system for patent rights and OTC encourages early disclosure of inventions. The disclosure document itself is an internal document to UMKC and does not act as a publication.
Like most universities and technology generating companies, the university takes ownership of the inventions developed by its employees. Employee inventors will be required to assign their rights to the Curators of the University of Missouri. All inventions developed by university employees are to be disclosed to OTC, even if outside of the scope of the researcher’s employment. Once disclosed the information can be processed and a determination of rights can be reached. UMKC provides further guidance to student invention or co-invention, please review rule 100.020, below. Please contact OTC if you have questions or need further information.
Please see the University of Missouri System’s Collected Rules and Regulations regarding intellectual property, in particular:
https://www.umsystem.edu/ums/rules/collected_rules/business/ch100/100.030_copyright_regulations
Bayh-Dole Act
Enacted into law on December 12, 1980, the Bayh-Dole Act allows inventions that result from federally funded research to be owned and patented by universities rather than immediately passing into the public domain.
While the universities own the inventions and can exclusively license them, there are many reporting requirements implemented by Bayh-Dole to ensure that the university is protecting patent rights and making the technologies available to the public. These rights start with invention disclosure and federal oversight continues until the end of the agency funding project.