Inventor ownership facilitates open sourcing of computer software technology

[Martin, Donald, “Reconsidering the Bayh-Dole Act and the Current University Invention Ownership Model,” Research Policy 38, GDI-JCR] *TLO = technology licensing office

There are benefits beyond efficiency. In fields such as computer science software inventors often wish to place their programs into the public domain, but many TLOs demand that these programs be protected and licensed. In the inventor ownership model, the inventor would make the decision unfettered by institutional constraints. An inventor ownership model would relieve researchers of the affirmative obligation to assist in the patenting of inventions made in their laboratory, and to assist the university in prosecuting patents. Inventions could be dedicated to the public without violating employment contracts. This is important because often, a public domain arrangement would best serve the public good by rapidly diffusing the technology.