To comply with the Bayh-Dole
Act, you need to report specific information to
the Federal government within a limited time. iEdison
helps you do this by providing the forms for the
data, confirming data appropriateness, and reminding
you to complete the information in a timely manner.
The information that you submit is stored in a dedicated
database.
When you log into iEdison
, you will be able to
If you need help while you
are working with iEdison, click the Help link at
the top and bottom of every page. This opens a new
Web page that explains each data field for the form
you are working on.
The New Invention Report
form (one of the three main iEdison data entry forms)
must be completed first. This applies whether you
are entering a new invention report or modifying
an existing invention report or its related patent,
licensing, and utilization data. The information
on this form formally establishes the relational
link in the database for this invention and for
all patents and licensing that follow from the invention.
When you submit the completed
Invention Report form, iEdison validates your submission
before accepting it into the database. You are presented
with a list of any problems that are found in the
data and are given a chance to correct them. When
there are no further problems with the data, you
will see an input verification page that is suitable
for printing. If you are adding a new report to
the database, an invention report number is assigned
to that invention. Make a note of this number so
that you can more easily complete future modifications
or additions to the invention, patent or utilization
information.
To modify any existing record
in iEdison, you must first perform a search to locate
the invention report in question. There are numerous
fields of data that can be used to search for the
invention report you wish to modify. The following
list shows examples of these fields, which can be
used alone or in combination:
iEdison searches the database
to find the invention report you described. If several
invention reports fit your search parameters (for
example, when two or more invention reports have
the same inventor), iEdison shows you all applicable
database records.
When you find the appropriate
invention, you can access the invention report form
and make modifications. You may do the same for
patent and utilization information related to that
invention. When you submit your changes, they are
checked against the reporting rules, then entered
in the database.
iEdison also lets you view
a report of your organization's data in the iEdison
database. This makes it eacy for you to make a comparison
with the data in records at your organization. These
reports may be displayed on the screen or put into
a comma- or tab-delineated text file that you can
store on your computer. Reports are particularly
useful for ensuring that the docket numbers in Edison
for inventions and patents correspond with your
own.
If your organization has
its own database you can submit information from
that database directly into iEdison without rekeying.
This is done via the ?binary upload? feature. iEdison
Help describes how to format data for binary upload.
Because it is difficult to
keep track of all the time-sensitive events associated
with each invention report and related patents,
iEdison includes a messaging system -- like a tickler
system -- that reminds you of reporting requirements
and decisions that you must make in a timely manner.
The system clock starts ticking upon submission
of the new invention report. Whenever you log in
to iEdison again, you are reminded of time-sensitive
events in the reporting process. You will also receive
periodic e-mail reminders from the system.
For example, you may be reminded
that you have only a certain number of days left
to elect title, based on the date you submitted
the invention report to the government. You will
continue to receive reminders until you have acted
on them (or until you ask that the reminder be removed
from automatic display).
