Division of University Communications and Marketing
Hi, Drupalites! We鈥檝e not sent any updates recently because we know everyone has been hard at work! We do have some updates and reminders to share. Website Name Updates and URL ChangesAs part of recent academic structure changes, several website names and URL paths are being updated to align with the university鈥檚 evolving organization.Department Name ChangesCollege of Honors and Global Education, formerlyHonors CollegeOffice of Global EducationCollege of Public Health and Health Sciences, formerly College of Public HealthCollege of Sciences and Humanities, formerly College of Arts an...
Flexible Spending Account Deadline ApproachingYou are receiving this email because you had a 2025 Flexible Spending Account (FSA). Please remember that reimbursement for expenses incurred using 2025 FSA funds must be filed by June 30, 2026.Things to keep in mindReview your 2025 and 2026 balances to ensure claims were processed for the correct year.Your PNC BeneFit Plus debit card could only charge expenses to the 2025 plan year if you had enough 2025 funds to cover the entire purchase.The system cannot split a single debit card transaction between plan years.If your purchase was more than your...
If the invention is disclosed through a publication or oral presentation before OTC files a patent application, are patent rights lost?
Public disclosure prior to filing may eliminate foreign patent rights immediately.
In the United States, inventors generally have one year from the date of first public disclosure or publication to file a patent application.
Should faculty and students refrain from publishing a paper or submitting an abstract/making an oral presentation of an invention before OTC has filed a patent application?
The one-year grace period under U.S. patent law may permit a later U.S. patent filing. However, inventors should disclose inventions to OTC well before any public disclosure in order to preserve potential foreign patent rights.
What is considered a public disclosure of an invention?
Almost any disclosure made without an obligation of confidentiality may constitute public disclosure.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
Why are the dates of conception and disclosure important?
On March 16, 2013, the U.S. patent system switched to a 鈥渇irst-inventor-to-file鈥 system.
Dates of disclosure are important because, in the United States, inventors generally have one year from the date of public disclosure to file a patent application. Once one year has passed from the public disclosure date, patent rights may be lost.
How detailed should the description of the invention be?
The description should be as detailed as possible. Without adequate information, OTC cannot perform a complete evaluation of the invention鈥檚 licensing potential or obtain an accurate legal opinion regarding patentability.