Research & Innovation
- What is technology transfer, and what does it mean to me?
- How do I know if I should secure IP protection or technology transfer services?
- Okay, I have an invention. Now what?
- Patents, copyrights, trademarks... what does it all mean?
- Publishing: What are the issues?
- What services does OVPRI offer to help me protect and commercialize my invention?
- What is all of this going to cost me?
- Who should I contact for more information?
What is technology transfer, and what does it mean to me?
Technology transfer deals with the transfer of knowledge gained from your SRC (scholarly, research and creative) activities to the public at large, allowing society to benefit from the work you have done. This may be accomplished through the commercialization of a product you have developed, licensing of new manufacturing techniques or software for use in industry, or developing research partnerships that allow further study into your specific areas of research. Often, technology transfer includes protecting the intellectual property (IP) you have developed through patents, registered trademarks or copyrights, or other forms of protection. Technology transfer offers many potential benefits to the researcher, to industry, and to society at large. Timely dissemination of your research results can help solve problems that are faced by people today, and advance the knowledge in your field. You may benefit from additional research funding, income from licensing fees or royalties, and the satisfaction of knowing that you have made a significant contribution to your field of research.
Who should be interested? If you are involved in any project which may produce results that would be useful to academia, industry, or the public at large, you should be thinking about technology transfer. It could be a piece of software, a video tape, a printed work, a new or improved manufacturing technique, or a whole new invention.
How do I know if I should secure IP protection or technology transfer services?
The short answer: come and talk to us. We can help you decide if and when your IP should be protected, and we'll guide you through the process. Even if your SRC work is at an early stage, please feel free to contact us to discuss the issues surrounding IP protection and technology transfer. Please contact us at your earliest convenience.
Okay, I have an invention. Now what?
If you have an invention, or some other form of IP that may require protection and/or marketing (e.g., a guide you have written, a video you have produced, or a computer program you have written), come and talk to us. If you have not already done so, we will ask you to fill out an Invention Disclosure Form 
and will proceed to help you determine what form(s) of protection would best suit your needs. Please contact us at your earliest convenience.
Patents, copyrights, trademarks... what does it all mean?
There are five main categories of intellectual property (IP) protection available to researchers: patents, copyrights, trademarks, industrial designs, and integrated circuit topographies. The following paragraphs describe what type(s) of IP can be protected by each:
Patents:
Patents give the researcher the right to exclude others from making, using, or selling their invention. Things that may be eligible for a patent include processes (e.g., a new or improved manufacturing process), methods, machines (e.g., a new mouse trap or a new power generator for an electric car), manufactures, compositions, and improvements developed by the researcher. Computer software can be eligible for patents as well.
Things that are NOT eligible for patent protection include ideas, theories, and principles that have not been reduced to practice.
The three requirements for a patent are that your invention must be
(i) useful,
(ii) new, and
(iii) unobvious to someone who is skilled in the field of the invention.
Click here for more information regarding patents.
Copyrights:
Copyrights prevent others from copying or modifying a work that you have created. Things that can be protected include literary, artistic, musical and dramatic works, as well as sound recordings and computer programs. While registration of the copyright is not required, it can be helpful if you ever need to deal with someone whom you feel is infringing on your copyright.
Click here for more information regarding copyrights.
Trademarks:
Trademarks prevent others from using specific words, symbols and/or designs that are used to distinguish goods and services. Examples of well-known trademarks include Pentium, Just Do It (registered trademark of Nike, Inc.), an apple with a bite removed (registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.), and IBM (stylized letters). Trademarks need to be registered unless they are only used regionally.
Click here for more information regarding trademarks.
Industrial Designs:
Industrial designs protect features of shape, pattern and/or ornamentation. Examples include the distinctive shape of a Coca-Cola bottle, the shape of a table, or the ornamentation on the handle of a spoon. Industrial designs must be registered in order to be protected.
Click here for more information regarding industrial designs.
Integrated Circuit Topographies:
Integrated circuit (IC) topographies protect the surface configuration of the electronic circuits used in microchips and semiconductor chips. Your design must be unique in order to register. IC topographies do not protect the function of the chip, the methods of using the chip, or the structural features of the chip.
Click here for more information regarding integrated circuit topographies.
For more information about any of these forms of IP protection, please see the Canadian Intellectual Property Office web site: http://cipo.gc.ca
Publishing: What are the issues?
Publishing is a form of technology transfer, in that it transfers the knowledge gained from your research to the public at large. However, if your research involves something which might have commercial value, it may be wise to come and talk to OVPRI before publishing your research, since public disclosure can severely limit your ability to protect and benefit financially from your IP. This does not mean that there will be long delays before you are able to publish; often just a few weeks is all that's needed to protect your ability to commercialize your technology down the road.
What services does OVPRI offer to help me protect and commercialize my invention?
OVPRI offers a full range of services, including evaluation of the technology, preliminary patent searches, studies to determine market potential, assistance with applications for patents and other forms of IP protection, execution of confidentiality agreements, marketing inventions, and negotiating licensing agreements. We can also help you obtain funding for proof-of-concept studies that may be needed to make your technology more appealing to the market, or to find industrial research partners who share an interest in your technology. We work closely with the Innovations Foundation at U of T to provide you with the benefit of their extensive experience in the field of technology transfer.
What is all of this going to cost me?
Nothing. If you are a member of the Ryerson community, and your research is being done at Ryerson, OVPRI will provide these services free of charge. If Ryerson decides that your technology is one that we would like to be involved in marketing, we will even cover the cost of protecting and marketing it. All we ask in return is to share in the benefits down the road if the technology is successful. Of course, you always have the option of pursuing commercialization on your own, in which case you are responsible for any fees that are incurred. Please note that even if you decide to do this, Ryerson policy still requires that you file an invention disclosure 
with OVPRI.
We regret that we are unable to offer these services to people outside of the Ryerson community at this time.
Who should I contact for more information?
For more information regarding Technology Transfer or IP-related issues, please contact us at your earliest convenience.
Intellectual Property
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