Protecting inventions and know-how
Recognizing and protecting intellectual property (IP) such as inventions and know-how as assets is the task of the patent team at KIT. The patent professionals are each responsible for a subject-related specialist unit. They advise inventors on all matters relating to intellectual property, work with them and the KIT institutes to secure intellectual property rights and manage this process until it is granted in the name and at the expense of KIT.
Our IP services for employees
You can find the contact person responsible for your institute via the specialist units. They will provide you with information on all questions relating to intellectual property.
- Advice for inventors
- Receipt and processing of invention disclosures
- Registration of patents and utility models in Germany and abroad
- Advice on setting up a property rights portfolio
- Defense of patent applications in the case of oppositions by third parties
- Advice on the protection of know-how and non-technical property rights such as trademarks and designs
- Advice on the protection of software
- Strategic support for institutes in property rights issues
Consultation opportunities for students without an existing employment relationship at KIT can be found at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Karlsruhe (IHK Karlsruhe).
Information on inventions
Comprehensive information on technology transfer at KIT, on dealing with intellectual property and inventions and on invention royalties can be found in the “Guidelines on technology transfer at KIT”.
According to the Employee Inventions Act (Arbeitnehmererfindergesetz, ArbnErfG), inventions must be reported to KIT. Our patent team then checks whether the invention is free or a service invention.
In order not to compromise the protectability of your developments, you should disclose inventions to KIT as inventions before publication. In this way, a patent can be applied for at the patent office in good time.
A successful application for an intellectual property right is a team effort involving scientific and patent expertise, for which short communication channels are crucial.
