The Center for Research Innovation held a pilot session of its soon-to-be launched InnoEd series of innovation-minded seminars with “Crafting Invincible Disclosures.” The session provided an opportunity to bring together research faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and staff engrained in Northeastern’s flourishing innovation ecosystem for an enlightening presentation focused on one of the foundational aspects of the patent process: invention disclosures.
Deirdre Sanders and Mark Solomon, seasoned patent attorneys and Principals at the law firm Hamilton Brook Smith Reynolds, discussed the fundamentals and important nuances of drafting effective invention disclosures. As the audience learned, the benefits of obtaining patent protection are strengthened by a strong initial disclosure.
When drafting a disclosure, university inventors should always remember the four key questions that a patent should answer:
- What is the problem being solved?
- How are others solving the problem?
- How am I solving the problem?
- What are the advantages of my solution?
Inventors can benefit by using these four questions as a North Star when drafting their disclosures. A more focused and comprehensive disclosure allows an attorney to strengthen the resulting patent application by ensuring that the application can encompass as many different embodiments of the invention as possible. A stronger application drives stronger protection for the resulting patent.
Armed with enhanced knowledge and guided by the Northern Light of disclosures, we are confident that Northeastern innovators will be able to craft invincible patents through truly superior invention disclosures.
Be on the lookout for announcements regarding the official launch of CRI’s InnoEd program and for other innovative programing on our website.
Written by Roger McLaughlin.
Feature image by WabbyTwa. All rights reserved.
Copy image by Robert Björkén (Hobbyfotograf). Some rights reserved.