Frequently Asked Questions

Following are brief answers to important inventorship questions for employees of the University of Notre Dame. We encourage you to email Carrie Jennings, intellectual property manager at the IDEA Center, for more detailed answers to these or any additional questions.

How do I know if I have an invention?

What am I required to do with my invention?

When Should I Fill Out An Invention Disclosure Form?

Who Is Considered an Inventor?

What Happens After I Submit an Invention Disclosure?

Will my invention disclosure automatically result in a patent application?

Who owns my invention?

Will I receive any revenue from my invention’s commercialization?

Who do I contact with additional questions?

What are Notre Dame's policies regarding intellectual property?

What is a patent? How do I get a patent? What protection does a patent give me?

What is a provisional patent?

How much does a patent cost? Who pays for the patent on my invention?

What do I need to get a patent for my new invention?

How long does it take to get a patent?

My graduate student helped with the research that led to my invention. Is she an inventor, too?

What is the IDEA Center's Intellectual Property process?

What is a Material Transfer Agreement?

What is a confidentiality agreement? When is it used?

What is the Confidential Non-Disclosure Agreement Process?

Where can I go for guidance about drug development and discovery?

How can I advance medical software and device ideas?