(a) Government owned invention means an invention, whether or not
covered by a patent or patent application, or discovery which is or may
be patentable or otherwise protectable under Title 35, the Plant Variety
Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 2321 et seq.) or foreign patent law, owned in
whole or in part by the United States Government.
(b) Federal agency means an executive department, military
department, Government corporation, or independent establishment, except
the Tennessee Valley Authority, which has custody of a federally owned
invention.
(c) Small business firm means a small business concern as defined in
section 2 of Pub. L. 85-536 (15 U.S.C. 632) and implementing regulations
of the Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
(d) Practical application means to manufacture in the case of a
composition or product, to practice in the case of a process or method,
or to operate in the case of a machine or system; and, in each case,
under such conditions as to establish that the invention is being
utilized and that its benefits are to the extent permitted by law or
Government regulations available to the public on reasonable terms.
(e) United States means the United States of America, its
territories and possessions, the District of Columbia, and the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
[50 FR 9802, Mar. 12, 1985, as amended at 71 FR 11512, Mar. 8, 2006]
