Patent Law News

EPA Scientists Share Patent Innovations With Public And Businesses

More than 130 EPA scientific patents of technologies that benefit the environment can now be viewed at the new EPA TechMatch web site. Under the Federal Technology Transfer Act (FTTA) of 1986, government agencies may patent and license inventions, which assist new ideas from government laboratories to enter the marketplace. Entrepreneurs can view and license EPA technologies to develop new products that offer both environmental protection and economic growth.

For example, EPA's National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Mich., has patented several inventions related to hybrid motor vehicles, that could result in greater fuel mileage in new vehicles manufactured in the U.S.

"EPA is fortunate to have some of the best scientists in the world who do cutting-edge environmental research," said Dr. George Gray, EPA assistant administrator for the Office of Research and Development. "TechMatch will encourage entrepreneurs to license technologies developed by EPA scientists for new products that both strengthen environmental protection and improve the growth of our economy."

TechMatch includes third-party independent analyses of the commercial potential of the technologies, information on in-house research, and links to the full U.S. Patent and Trademark Office description of each patent. Technologies that have been assessed to have particularly high market potential are also featured.

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	Did You Know?
	There is a time limit on patent protection. For applications filed on or after June 8, 1995, utility and plant patents are granted for a term which begins with the date of the grant and usually ends 20 years from the date you first applied for the patent subject to the payment of appropriate maintenance fees. Design patents last 14 years from the date you are granted the patent. Note: Patents in force on June 8 and patents issued thereafter on applications filed prior to June 8, 1995 automatically have a term that is the greater of the twenty year term discussed above or seventeen years from the patent grant.