Intellectual Property - FAQs

1. What can be patented?

An invention must fulfill the following three criteria in order to be considered patentable:

a. Novelty: The invention must be new and original. An invention is not considered novel if it has been known, practiced, published, or disclosed by others anywhere in the world before the date the invention was filed by the applicant. 
b. Non-Obviousness: The invention must not, at the time it was filed, be considered obvious to a person of “ordinary skill” in the field of the invention.

c. Industrial Applicability: Any invention which is capable for industrial use and is useful; so that it has a practical application.

2. What does a patent protection grant the inventor?

Having a patent protection for your invention does not give you the right to exclude others from practicing the invention. During the time a patent is in place, a patent holder or licensee can exclude competitors from making and selling products similar to the patented idea of invention.

3. How long is a patent good for? 

The lifetime of a patent is mostly 20 years from the date of filing.

4. Can early disclosure of an invention compromise the right to protect my invention?

In most countries, the right of patent protection is lost or void if a public disclosure is made prior to the filing of a patent application.

A public disclosure is information about the invention that is freely available to the public and that is “enabling” – which means it describes the technology in enough detail that someone else in the field would be able to make and use the invention.

Common forms of public disclosure include: publications, lectures, published abstracts and posters, conferences and symposia, theses and dissertations.

Therefore, we strongly recommend you to contact our IP office once you become aware of an impending public disclosure. We will work with you to evaluate and protect your invention without affecting the timeline of your publication or conference proceedings.

5. How do I submit an invention to IPO at UAEU?

If you have an invention to disclose, please fill the UAEU IP Disclosure form on-line via the “Patent System”. 

Once your form is submitted to the system, it will be reviewed and the status of the application will be updated, and you will receive an email with that.

After conducting a review of the technology to determine the patentability and opportunity to commercialize your invention, we will provide a recommendation for the appropriate type of protection for your invention and delegate it to one of our outsourced patent attorneys who are specialized in the subject matter of your invention.

The technical background of the expert will help you to prepare state-of-the-art claims of the invention and file a strong patent application. Our team will also engage with you at a later stage to explore the potential market of your invention and the best strategy to commercialize it to industry.

Useful Resources:

For further details about patents protection and technology transfer, please visit the following sites:

• World Intellectual Property Organization [WIPO] comprehensive database of internationally filed patents.
• U.S. Patents and Trademark Office [USPTO] for information on the patenting process and filing applications in the United States.
• Association of University Technology Managers [AUTM] comprehensive information is an organization devoted to promoting technology transfer between universities and colleges and private enterprise and/or the government. Membership consists primarily of technology transfer professionals that work for universities.