Research Notebooks
Planning for the possibility of intellectual property creation at the research phase will lay a solid foundation for intellectual property protection later. Well-maintained laboratory and research records can document the date of conception of an invention and also can demonstrate that the inventor has continued to develop an original idea.
Laboratory and research notebook documentation will prove vital in the event questions are raised as to which inventor is entitled to pursue a patent. Thus, you should take a few common-sense steps to protect yourself and your work. These practices not only help to back up patent claims, but also ensure against loss of valuable data, provide proof of fulfillment of contracts, and protect against allegations of conflict of interest or research fraud.
