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Student Researcher Wins Patent Dispute

Matthew writes: "For years, student researchers at universities have alleged that the hierarchical system in academic research allows supervising PhDs to steal and patent inventions that were rightfully discovered by students. The Federal Circuit finally addressed these concerns by interpreting the law in a way that strictly protects the rights of student researchers. As such, student researchers will now be able to sue their supervising PhDs for any actions that are not in the best interests of the student researcher or the patent rights of the student researcher."

7 of 182 comments (clear)

  1. If PhD advisors can�t patent... by Karpe · · Score: 5, Funny



    ...their students inventions, they will not be motivated to have students to advice in the first place, and all innovation of the world, and civilization as we know it, will end.

    </sarcasm>

  2. Quote by Fromeo · · Score: 3, Funny

    Actual quote from a (weirdo) guy near N. C. State University:

    "People don't invent things. People pay college students to invent things."

    We ran into this guy at a chinese restaurant, where he was discussing his scheme to get a biochemistry major to develop implants for Marilyn Monroe (??)...

    He said that he'd have gone to UNC-CH (just around the corner), but there are too many, you know, actual doctors there, who'd have asked too many questions...

    There are plenty of weird people floating around colleges...

  3. is current patent law actually unconstitutional? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Patent law needs immediate reform.
    The money and patent mongers play in
    the equivalent of attack helliocoptors
    and the students and engineers are like
    the Afghans on the ground.

    We don't stand a chance.
    As a student one should focus on one's
    subject. Instead students are forced to
    learn arbitrary patent law.

    Patents should never be inforced to
    prevent others from using them unless
    the others refuse to pay resonable fees.
    In any case useful ideas should always be
    used regardless of Calvanistic fantasys of
    ownership. Yes, the ruling class of bankers
    and lawyers has done some things well.
    But in the case of patent law we see
    extreame greed. The policy that is
    foisted upon the rest of us by this power elite
    is short sighted and does not promote
    the free development of ideas.

    Thus is it technically unconstitutional?
    I must reread the constitutions statements
    about patent law because I think the right
    to do this was allowed for a reason.

    Does current patent law violate the
    constitutions reason for allowing it?

    We need a revolution in thought concerning
    patent law. We need honent people without
    money mongering interests to come up with this.

    But who?

  4. Smartass University Response to Losing this Suit by parliboy · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Congratulations, Mr. Jones, on your court victory. You now own the rights to the patent. Oh, by the way, here is the bill for all of your research time.

    "What? You want us to give you a free ride because you're student? Ah, but you see, you've imbalanced our entire relationship: You agree to enter into slave labor for us for several years, and in return, we get to keep the credit for anything you do.

    "But since you want to take this patent developed while using our equipment, and our labs, it only stands to reason that you're prepared to pay for it.

    "Let's see... you've got this judgement, and we'll subtract lab fees, utilities, maintenance (gotta pay the janitors to empty out the bit bucket)... hmmm... tell you what, just give us another $85,000 and we'll call it even.

    "You mean you can't afford that? Well, surely we can work something out. If you'd be willing to work here a couple of years, I bet -- Put down the laptop Mr. Jones, you're scaring me a little..."

    --
    "You're never ready, just less unprepared."
  5. This one time in grad school... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I was developing a 5 MW laser and my professor stole it to put onto a B-1 bomber. I had the last laugh though! I filled a huge aluminum foil bag with popcorn kernels and hacked the targetting system of the laser so that when it the laser was fired, it hit the popcorn kernels and filled my professors whole house with popcorn!

  6. Re:Why must it be about the money? by Hektor_Troy · · Score: 2, Funny

    Well ... let's hear you pronounce "Rødgrød med fløde". When you can do that, and construct a meaningfull correct two line sentence in danish - then we can talk :-)

    Until then, please settle with correcting my spelling and gramatical errors, and drop the snide remarks. They only costs karma (as will this post :-) )

    --
    We do not live in the 21st century. We live in the 20 second century.
  7. Re:A good thing. by testharness · · Score: 2, Funny

    Hey, I'm only the programmer...

    Dam right! It was probably the test / QA department that found all the bugs, and made you fix them, that made the customer impressed with the system.

    But hey, they're only testers!