Intellectual Property Information
Ontario Tech University is an
The IP created by non-academic personnel employed by the university is owned by Ontario Tech U. The implications of this are that individuals such as technicians and contract employees do not own the IP. Ideally, this is clearly specified in the employment contract.
Since IP consists of tangible forms of creations of the mind, ideas are not IP. Examples of IP include, but are not limited to:
- drawings
- industrial designs
- inventions
- written works
Like all forms of property, national laws and acts of federal governments dictate the ownership and rights associated with IP.
- They allow for a business monopoly.
- They are a right granted by a local government.
- They may be co-owned, and co-owners each have equal rights.
- The right granted requires the owner to protect it.
- They may be sold (like physical property), given away, licensed or ignored.
- They must be defended to be of value. If another party infringes (or uses inappropriately) someone's IP, the onus is on the owner to protect their rights.
- They may be stopped by court order, or awarded damages based on lost revenues, because of infringement.