On March 16, 2013 U.S. patent law changed from first to invent, to, first to file. First to file means that the first person to file a patent application first will be granted regardless of inventorship.

Intellectual Property is any work or invention protected by law under a patent, copyright, trademark, or trade secret. 

A patent is a document issued through the patent application process by the United States Patent Office (USPTO), or its counterpart in a foreign country.

A public disclosure means revealing or sharing ideas through publications, seminars, symposiums, oral presentations in the classroom, or any other form of communication. Publications without prior disclosure to the Office of Innovation can nullify future patent rights. 

Substantial use consists of human resources, laboratories, or computational facilities in a way that is important for the creation or development of the intellectual property.