Who can work with WiSys?

Anyone affiliated with the Universities of Wisconsin.

When should I submit my disclosure?

As soon as possible, ideally at least 9 weeks before any public disclosure.

Who is an inventor on my disclosure?

Inventorship is not the same as authorship. Inventorship is not determined by the inventors, or by WiSys. External patent attorneys determine inventorship based on the claimset being pursued in the patent application.

What if I am working with someone at another institution who is an inventor on my technology?

You should include them on the disclosure. We will reach out to their organization and put an Inter-Institutional Agreement (IIA) in place to govern the IP and licensing rights.

What is Prior Art?

Any patent or publication that predates your priority date (patent application filing date).

How long do patents last?

20 years from the date of filing.

How much do patents cost?

The average US patent costs around $25,000. WiSys covers all of the costs involved.

What is a provisional patent application?

A provisional patent filing is a 1 year placeholder. It can be filed more quickly, with less details, and gives researchers another year to develop their technology prior to filing an official patent application. Before the end of that 1 year time period, it needs to be converted from a provisional application into a standard utility patent application.

Does WiSys work with external patent attorneys?

Yes, all patents are drafted and prosecuted by expert external patent attorneys working at some of the top IP law firms in Wisconsin and around the world.

When do I get paid if my technology is licensed?

All payments to inventors are made bi-annually. Keep in mind, it may take several months from the date a sale is made by a company, to payment due date to WiSys, to final payment to inventors.

Does WiSys file foreign patents?

WiSys does file foreign patents when the market justifies it. It is very expensive however, into the hundreds of thousands of dollars depending upon the number of countries and type of patent, so there needs to be a substantial commercial interest for WiSys to justify foreign patents.

What constitutes a public disclosure?

Any enabling disclosure that describes your invention:

  • Published manuscripts
  • Public presentations
  • Presentation abstracts
  • Poster presentations
  • Funded grants
  • Open thesis defenses
  • Campus talks
  • Etc.