IP Disclosure and Invention Procedure

Organization: Igzibo Engineering Solutions, Inc.
Version: 1.0
Status: Living procedure
Effective Date: September 16, 2026
Owner: Igzibo Engineering Solutions, Inc.
Review Cycle: At least annually and after material changes to intellectual property agreements, project structures, client requirements, technology practices, or applicable law.

1. Purpose

This procedure establishes the operational process for reporting inventions, discoveries, developments, improvements, and other potentially protectable intellectual property created or identified in connection with Igzibo work.

The procedure implements the disclosure and ownership concepts established by the Intellectual Property and Work Product Policy.

2. Scope

This procedure applies to:

• Employees.
• Contractors.
• Consultants.
• Interns and temporary workers.
• Other personnel performing work for Igzibo where applicable.

It applies to potentially protectable intellectual property created:

• For Igzibo.
• Using Igzibo resources.
• Within assigned work.
• Within an Igzibo project.
• For or in connection with a client engagement.
• In circumstances where ownership may be affected by an agreement or applicable law.

Client-owned work and third-party rights remain subject to applicable contracts and legal requirements.

Definitions

• Disclosure: A documented submission describing potentially protectable intellectual property to Igzibo for review.
• Invention: A potentially novel technical solution, process, method, apparatus, composition, improvement, or other development that may have intellectual-property significance.
• Igzibo: Igzibo Engineering Solutions, Inc.
• Intellectual Property (IP): Rights and interests associated with creations and works, including patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, and other protectable subject matter.
• Inventor: A person who may have contributed to an invention.
• Work Product: Deliverables, developments, materials, code, documentation, designs, inventions, discoveries, or other results created in connection with work for Igzibo or a client.

4. Core Requirements

Potentially protectable intellectual property should be disclosed promptly when there is a reasonable possibility that:

• The work may be protectable.
• Ownership may need to be determined.
• A client or third party may have rights.
• A filing, registration, publication, or other action may be time-sensitive.
• Confidentiality may need to be preserved.

Personnel should not assume that an invention is unprotectable or that ownership is obvious without review when the matter may be material.

5. Disclosure Timing

A disclosure should be submitted as soon as reasonably practical after identifying potentially protectable subject matter.

Before public disclosure, publication, open-source release, client delivery, or other external distribution, personnel should determine whether the material requires IP review.

Potentially relevant actions include:

• Public presentations.
• Publications.
• Public repositories.
• Product releases.
• Marketing materials.
• Conference submissions.
• Patent or other third-party filings.
• Open-source releases.

6. Disclosure Information

A disclosure should include, when reasonably available:

• Title or working name.
• Description of the invention or development.
• Problem addressed.
• Proposed solution.
• Technical details sufficient for review.
• Date or period of creation.
• Contributors.
• Relevant project or client.
• Resources or systems used.
• Related source code, designs, documentation, or other records.
• Known third-party materials.
• Known contractual restrictions.
• Known public disclosures.
• Relevant confidentiality obligations.

The disclosure should identify facts without making unsupported conclusions about ownership or patentability.

7. Client and Contractual Review

Before treating work as Igzibo-owned intellectual property, review applicable:

• Employment or contractor agreements.
• Statements of Work (SOWs).
• Client contracts.
• Intellectual property assignment provisions.
• Confidentiality agreements.
• Open-source licenses.
• Third-party licenses.
• Other binding restrictions.

Client requirements may establish ownership, assignment, license, confidentiality, or approval requirements that differ from ordinary Igzibo practices.

8. Preliminary Review

The designated reviewer should determine:

• Whether the submission is sufficiently documented.
• Who contributed to the work.
• Whether an invention or other IP issue may exist.
• Whether client or third-party rights may apply.
• Whether confidentiality must be preserved.
• Whether additional technical or legal review is appropriate.
• Whether any external disclosure may create time-sensitive concerns.

The reviewer should request additional information when necessary.

9. Ownership Determination

Ownership must be determined from applicable agreements, client requirements, applicable law, and the circumstances of creation.

Personnel must not represent that Igzibo owns a work solely because it was created during a work engagement.

Likewise, personnel must not release or transfer potentially organizational or client-owned intellectual property without authorization.

10. Legal Review

Qualified legal counsel should be consulted when appropriate, including when:

• Patent rights may be relevant.
• Ownership is disputed or unclear.
• Client ownership or license rights are unclear.
• Third-party rights may be implicated.
• A filing or registration may be appropriate.
• Public disclosure may affect potential protection.
• A material dispute exists.

This procedure does not determine patentability, copyrightability, trademark eligibility, trade-secret status, or other legal conclusions.

11. Confidentiality

Disclosures and related materials should be handled as confidential business information unless a different classification is established.

Personnel must follow the Data Classification and Handling Standard and applicable confidentiality agreements.

Potentially sensitive inventions should not be placed in public repositories, public presentations, or unapproved AI or external services before appropriate review.

12. AI-Assisted Development

When AI or automated tools contribute to potentially protectable work:

• The use must comply with the AI and Generative AI Usage Standard.
• Personnel must identify material AI involvement when relevant to IP review.
• Prompts or inputs must not disclose restricted client or organizational information to unapproved services.
• Ownership and licensing implications should be considered.
• Relevant records should be preserved when needed to establish the development history.

13. Open-Source and Third-Party Materials

Personnel must identify material third-party or open-source components that may affect ownership, licensing, distribution, or disclosure.

Open-source use must comply with applicable licenses and the Secure Software Development Standard where software development is involved.

14. Records

Disclosures, reviews, supporting materials, ownership determinations, approvals, and related correspondence should be retained according to the Records Retention and Disposal Standard.

Relevant records must be preserved when subject to legal hold, dispute, investigation, or other preservation requirement.

15. External Disclosure

Personnel must obtain required authorization before externally disclosing potentially protectable Igzibo or client intellectual property.

This includes disclosure through:

• Public repositories.
• Publications.
• Presentations.
• Marketing.
• Product documentation.
• Patent or other filings.
• Client communications outside the authorized project process.

16. Corrective Action

If unauthorized disclosure or transfer of potentially protectable intellectual property is identified, the matter should be reported promptly.

Igzibo should assess:

• What was disclosed.
• To whom.
• When.
• Whether confidentiality or ownership may be affected.
• Whether client notification is required.
• Whether legal review is necessary.
• Whether containment or corrective action is available.

17. Roles and Responsibilities

Inventor or Contributor

Promptly disclose potentially protectable subject matter and provide accurate supporting information.

Manager or Project Owner

Support timely review and preserve relevant project records.

IP or Governance Owner

Coordinate disclosures, ownership review, records, and escalation.

Legal Counsel

Provide legal advice when appropriate.

Client or Contract Owner

Identify and enforce applicable client and contractual requirements.

18. Designated Invention Disclosure Process

Igzibo must maintain a designated mechanism for submitting invention disclosures.

Until a dedicated technical intake system is established, the organization-designated reporting or governance channel may be used when authorized for IP disclosures.

The designated mechanism should capture the disclosure, date received, submitter, contributors, relevant project, supporting materials, review status, and disposition.

The designated mechanism must not expose confidential invention information beyond authorized reviewers.

19. Exceptions

Exceptions require documented authorization and must not conflict with applicable law, client requirements, confidentiality obligations, or binding agreements.

20. Relationship to Other Governance Documents

This procedure implements and complements:

1. Intellectual Property and Work Product Policy.
2. Code of Business Conduct and Ethics.
3. Data Classification and Handling Standard.
4. Secure Software Development Standard.
5. AI and Generative AI Usage Standard.
6. Client Data Processing Standard.
7. Records Retention and Disposal Standard.
8. Technology and Third-Party Service Security Standard.
9. Technology and Third-Party Service Approval Procedure.

21. Enforcement

Failure to follow this procedure may result in corrective action, contractual remedies, access restrictions, or other appropriate action, subject to applicable law and agreements.

Version History