3 Annual Report 2017 3 Intellectual Property The Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio for INL includes invention disclosure records, patent applications, issued patents and copyright assertions. INL’s IP portfolio provides a basis for collaboration with commercial enterprises, academia and other parties, both domestic and international. INL’s science, engineering and technical IP portfolios provide the opportunity for the laboratory to deploy its creative, meaningful research. Technology Deployment (TD) works closely with INL management and researchers to identify and pursue opportunities for technology commercialization and business development. In FiscalYear 2017, INL inventors submitted to Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA) 56 invention disclosure records (IDR) and 15 software disclosures (SDR). In FY 2017, 20 U.S. patents were issued to either INL or the DOE based on the inventions of INL scientists and researchers. Since the commencement of BEA’s contract to manage INL, laboratory researchers have generated 995 IDRs.These IDRs have resulted in more than 470 issued U.S. patents. BEA has IP rights under its contract with DOE and can elect to retain title to inventions and seek patent protection, subject to some exceptions.The decision of whether or not to seek patent protection is based on market and technical assessments of the technology and its subsequent programmatic value. Market assessments inform a recommendation presented to a committee composed of department or project managers, an assistant laboratory director or designee, market analysts, commercialization managers, and patent attorneys.TheTD director makes a final decision to elect or decline the technology for patent protection. Generally, 150 120 90 60 30 0 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 IDR SDR 50 40 30 20 10 0 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Chemical and Molecular Science 3 Chemical Engineering 5 Applied Materials Science & Engineering 2 Cyber and Information Sciences 3 Mechanical Design and Engineering 3 Nuclear and Radio Chemistry 4 System Engineering and Integration 5 Nuclear Engineering 1 Biological and Bioprocess Engineering 5 Disclosure records received FY 2012–2017 U.S. patents issued FY 2012–2017 Core competencies associated with FY 2017 patents if the invention is judged to be commercially valuable, crucial to a primary mission, or valuable in terms of motivating further research funding, it is elected. If BEA decides to decline title, DOE can seek patent protection in its own name. If DOE decides not to seek patent protection, the inventor(s) may petition to have the title assigned to them by DOE with the expectation that they will pursue patent protection using their own resources.