"Patents are a rich and increasingly important source of scientific and technical information, much of which is not published elsewhere. The patent literature is interdisciplinary and international, encompassing innovations in every field of technology during the last two hundred years. Patents contain solutions to technical problems and engineering challenges. Patents reveal the current state-of-the-art and provide vital information for making informed decisions" about patent rights in new research discoveries - from Queen's University Library guide on Patents and Designs.
It is important to search patent (and non-patent) literature to understand if a research discovery/invention is novel and/or inventive - two key criteria that govern whether an invention is a patentable invention.
If patented, no-one else may commercialise the same invention for up to 20 years. A patent is valid only in the territory under the jurisdiction of the granting government.
Try these tips:
Research and Enterprise staff and Otago Innovation Limited staff are your first point of contact if you are interested in research commercialisation, intellectual property, consulting or business opportunities. Alternatively, contact:
Research commercialisation and innovation in Health Sciences
University of Otago Intellectual Property Rights Policy
University of Otago Intellectual Property Rights of Graduate Students Policy