Patent Policy

While the creation or discovery of patentable materials and processes is not the primary objective of the University of North Texas, the Board of Regents has established this Patent Policy to (1) encourage creative endeavors by the UNT faculty, staff and students, and (2) ensure that the disposition of inventions and discoveries resulting from those endeavors will be made in the best interest of the public, the inventors and UNT. The policy is further intended to protect the respective interests of all concerned by ensuring that monetary and other benefits derived from inventions and discoveries are distributed equitably to the inventors, UNT and other appropriate parties.

This policy shall apply to all persons employed by UNT, to students using UNT facilities or other resources, and to post-doctoral and pre-doctoral fellows.

All discoveries, inventions, innovations and improvements, whether patentable or unpatentable, made by UNT personnel in the course of their employment or through the use of facilities or funds provided by or through UNT shall become the property of UNT, and all rights therein shall be assigned by the inventors to UNT for licensing or other disposition as determined by a duly authorized official of the university, unless such inventions are covered by a pre-existing agreement in accordance with this policy. Inventors who make inventions that become the property of UNT under this policy will share in the income derived by UNT from those inventions in accordance with the policy.

To review the comprehensive policy on patents and copyrights, refer to the UNT Policy Manual, Vol. III, #16.1.

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