Patents
DESY employees who invent something can count on the support of the ITT department, which comprises several steps:
1. Examination of the invention
As soon as you report an invention to us, we first check whether it is actually new. Intellectual property rights can only be registered for inventions whose essential content has not previously been published. Then we clarify the applicability of the invention – at DESY and externally – as well as its potential marketability. If necessary, we consult external experts.
2. Determining the application area, submission to the board of directors
After examining the invention, ITT prepares a proposal for the Executive Board, in which the department proposes, if revelant, the area in which the application should be filed. Usually only one application is filed in Germany. The decision on applications in other countries can only to be made 12 months after the first filing.
3. Legal support during the patent application
The actual application for a patent is prepared by a patent law firm on behalf of DESY and the inventors jointly. You will also receive ongoing legal advice from the law firm during the patent process.
4. Calculation and payment of the inventor's compensation
After the application for an intellectual property right for an invention has been filed, DESY will pay you a one-off amount as a partial payment against possible future licensing income.
5. Marketing the invention
As a rule, DESY aims to license intellectual property rights and know-how to companies through multi-year contracts. ITT helps to find potential interested parties. You are entitled to a share of the licensing income in accordance with the Employee Invention Act (Arbeitnehmererfindergesetz).