Protecting University IP
Faculty, staff, and students may receive support from experienced IP counsel engaged
by USC to help protect University-owned intellectual property. These attorneys represent
the University in IP matters and, when needed, prepares and manages filings with the
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and relevant foreign offices, including drafting
applications and responding to official communications.
IP Protection as a Commercialization Tool
IP protection is used strategically to support technology commercialization and adoption. Depending on the nature of the innovation and the market opportunity, types of IP protection may include:
Patents are government‑granted rights that provide exclusive use of an innovation for a limited time, generally 20 years, in exchange for publicly disclosing the innovation. Patent protection is available for innovations that are useful, novel, and non‑obvious.
Copyright protects original works of authorship that are fixed in a tangible medium. In the United States, copyright generally lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years. Copyright protection exists from the moment a work is created, even without formal registration, though registration provides additional legal benefits. Copyright may apply to scholarly works, software, instructional materials, and other original creative content.
A trademark or service mark identifies and distinguishes the source of goods or services. Trademarks apply to goods, while service marks apply to services. Protection may arise through use and may be enhanced through federal registration. Marks may consist of words, phrases, symbols, designs, or combinations of these elements and are used to establish brand recognition and prevent consumer confusion.
A trade secret is information that derives independent economic value from not being generally known and is subject to reasonable efforts to maintain its confidentiality. Trade secret protection may apply to innovations where secrecy can be maintained and may include formulas, methods, processes, data, or technical know‑how.
Data rights and proprietary know-how refer to the control of valuable data and the practical, experience-based knowledge behind an innovation; for example, a research team may own a unique dataset while also relying on specialized techniques to apply it—both of which provide a competitive advantage and require protection.
While not all innovations require formal IP protection to achieve impact or market success, TCO will work with you to determine the best path to protect the innovation.