What types of inventions are subject to Department of Energy (DoE) ownership contests?

This page is an FAQ based on guidance from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only: it is not legal advice.

Department of Energy (DoE) ownership contests focus on specific categories of inventions related to the agency’s domain. The MPEP 2309 states that these contests apply to:

“inventions relating to special nuclear material or atomic energy”

This is based on the authority provided by 42 U.S.C. 2182. Inventions falling under these categories that were developed under a U.S. government contract with the DoE may be subject to ownership claims by the agency. Inventors and patent applicants working in fields related to nuclear materials or atomic energy should be particularly mindful of these provisions.