Q: Can someone else take/steal the idea and patent it themselves once
the inventions have been presented?
A: In the United States only an inventor can patent his or her idea.
One cannot patent the idea of someone else claiming it is their own. Title 35,
United States Code Section 102(f) provides that "[a] personal shall be entitled
to a patent unless ... he did not himself invent the subject matter sought to be
patented..." However, inventions that are not patented often become "discharged"
into the public domain for anyone to use. If a contest applicant believes their
invention to have commercial value then it would make good sense to consult a
patent attorney. As Smith & Hopen is a sponsor and judge of the contest, we
cannot assist the participant due to a conflict of interest. However, registered
patent attorneys and agents can be found at the
U.S. Patent & Trademark Office Website.
Q: Can kids submit a project together, as a two-person team?
A: Unfortunately no. All submissions must be made individually for the
purposes of this contest.
Q: If a child, after submitting the form, transfers schools, will the
child still be eligible for the contest?
A: The child must be enrolled or home-schooled within Hillsborough,
Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Manatee, Sarasota or Polk Counties between
the date of the invention submission and February 11, 2010. Should the
child win their division, the school prize will be awarded to the school they
attended at the time of the invention submission.
Q: Can I turn in a previous assignment or science fair experiment?
A: Yes, provided the assignment or science fair experiment is less than one year
old.
Q: Where can I drop off or mail my submission?
A: Innovation Express Corporation
c/o USF Young Innovator Competition
180 Pine Avenue North
Oldsmar, Florida 34677
OR
Fax to: 813-925-8525
OR
OR
Q: Will you patent, trademark or copyright the idea for me?
A: No. However, contestants are free to consult their own intellectual property
attorney. Smith & Hopen cannot represent a contest participant while the contest
is ongoing due to a conflict of interest in judging. Registered patent attorneys
and agents can be found at the U.S. Patent &
Trademark Office Website.
Q: Do I need to build a prototype?
A: Prototypes are not necessary for the initial submission. However,
finalists are encouraged to build a prototype or presentation to explain their
invention to the judging panel. Prototypes may be exhibited at the University of South Florida for several weeks after the February 11, 2011
finalist presentations.
Q: My big brother helped me invent an improvement to my original design.
Can I submit that?
A: You may only submit the material that you alone invented for the purposes of
the contest. Your brother (if eligible) may submit only his material (excluding
yours).
Q: Will I get a plaque or trophy?
A: Yes, awards will be provided to the five (5) finalists in each division. All
participants will receive a certificate of participation.
Q: I am home schooled. Can I participate? Where does the $1,000 school
award go?
A: Home-school children are encouraged to participate and are fully eligible.
The $1,000 school prize goes to the
Florida Parent
Educator Association.
Q. The lines in the entry form are difficult to write in. What can we
do?
A. Staple a separate sheet of lined paper with the student answers. It is
important that the student writes out his or her answers. The contest is
intended to encourage development of fundamental skills (i.e., handwriting) in
addition to creativity and imagination.
Q. So all
we have to do is fill out the entry form with detailed invention descriptions
before January 27,2011, send it to the address, then come to the finalist
judging at USF on February 1, 2011, and lastly to the finalist competition on
February 11, 2011?
A. Yes and No.
The entry forms are due January 27, 2011. However, there are no presentations
on February 1, 2011. The National Academy of Inventors will select the top ten
(10) finalists from their paper submissions. Only those top ten finalists will
advance to the presentation competition at USF on February 11th.
Q. Who owns the intellectual property rights to submissions?
A. There is no transfer of intellectual property rights of inventions
submitted. Participants continue to "own" their inventions. However,
participants do authorize the reproduction of the contest entry forms for
promotion of the event and evaluation by judges.
Additional Questions?
Please email them to
info@innovationexpress.org. Please note
that all legitimate questions and answers will be posted here for other
contestants to review.