It is the purpose of the regulations in this subpart to secure for the people of the United States the full benefits of Government research and investigation in the Department of the Interior (a) by providing a simple procedure under which the public may obtain licenses to use patents and inventions in which the Secretary of the Interior has transferable interests and which are available for licensing; and (b) by providing adequate protection for the inventions until such time as they may be made available for licensing without undue risk of losing patent protection to which the public is entitled.

Patents in which the Secretary of the interior has transferable interests, and under which he may issue licenses or sublicenses, are classified as follows:

(a) Class A. Patents, other than those referred to in paragraph (c) of this section, which are owned by the United States, as represented by the Secretary of the Interior, free from restrictions on licensing except such as are inherent in Government ownership;

(b) Class B. Patents in which the interest of the United States, as represented by the Secretary of the Interior, is less than full ownership, or is subject to some express restriction upon licensing or sublicensing (including patents upon which the Secretary of the Interior holds a license, patents assigned to the Secretary of the Interior as trustee for the people of the United States, and patents assigned to the Secretary of the Interior upon such terms as to effect a dedication to the public);

(c) Class C. Patents and patent rights acquired by the Secretary of the Interior pursuant to the Act of April 5, 1944 (58 Stat. 190; 30 U.S.C. 321-325), and any amendments thereof.

The Secretary of the Interior may also have transferable interests in inventions which are not yet patented. In order to protect the patent rights of the Department, for the eventual benefit of the public, a license may be granted with respect to such an invention only if (a) a patent application has been filed thereon; (b) the invention has been assigned to the United States, as represented by the Secretary of the Interior, and the assignment has been recorded in the Patent Office; and (c) the Solicitor of the Department is of the opinion that the issuance of a license will not prejudice the interests of the Government in the invention. Such licenses shall be upon the same terms as licenses relating to patents of the same class, as described in § 6.52.

A license is not required with respect to the manufacture or use of any invention assigned or required to be assigned without restrictions or qualifications to the United States when such manufacture or use is by or for the Government for governmental purposes. A license or sublicense may be required, however, for such manufacture or use in the case of Class B patents or patent rights when the terms under which the Secretary of the Interior acquires interests therein necessitate the issuance of a license or sublicense in such circumstances.

(a) No license or sublicense shall be granted under any patent in which the Secretary of the Interior has transferable interests, except as set forth under these regulations, the terms and conditions of which shall be expressly stated in such license and sublicense. The terms of licenses and sublicenses issued under this subpart shall not be unreasonably restrictive.

(b) To the extent that they do not conflict with any restrictions to which the licensing or sublicensing of Class B patents and unpatented inventions may be subject, all licenses and sublicenses relating to Class A and Class B patents and unpatented inventions shall be subject to the following terms and provisions, and to such other terms and conditions as the Solicitor may prescribe:

(1) The acceptance of a license or sublicense shall not be construed as a waiver of the right to contest the validity of the patent. A license or sublicense shall be revocable only upon a finding by the Solicitor of the Department that the terms of the license or sublicense have been violated and that the revocation of the license or sublicense is in the public interest. Such finding shall be made only after reasonable notice and an opportunity to be heard.

(2) Licenses and sublicenses shall be nontransferable. Upon a satisfactory showing that the Government or public will be benefited thereby, they may be granted to properly qualified applicants royalty-free. If no such showing is made, they shall be granted only upon a reasonable royalty or other consideration, the amount or character of which is to be determined by the Solicitor. A cross-licensing agreement may be considered adequate consideration.

(3) Licensees and sublicensees may be required to submit annual or more frequent technical or statistical reports concerning practical experience acquired through the exercise of the license or sublicense, the extent of the production under the license or sublicense, and other related subjects.

(4) A licensee or sublicensee manufacturing a patented article pursuant to a license or sublicense shall give notice to the public that the article is patented by affixing thereon the word “patent”, together with the number of the patent, or when, from the character of the article, this cannot be done, by fixing to it, or to the package in which it is enclosed, a label containing such notice.

(c) Licenses and sublicenses relating to Class C patents and patent rights shall be granted upon such terms and conditions as may be prescribed pursuant to sections 3 and 5 of the Act of April 5 1944, and any amendments thereof.

(a) Any person desiring a license relating to an invention upon which the Secretary of the Interior holds a patent or patent rights may file with the Solicitor of the Department of the Interior an application for a license, stating:

(1) The name, address, and citizenship of the applicant;

(2) The nature of his business;

(3) The patent or invention upon which he desires a license;

(4) The purpose for which he desires a license;

(5) His experience in the field of the desired license;

(6) Any patents, licenses, or other patent rights which he may have in the field of the desired license; and

(7) The benefits, if any, which the applicant expects the public to derive from his proposed use of the invention

(b) It shall be the duty of the Solicitor, after consultation with the bureau most directly interested in the patent or invention involved in an application for a license, and with the Evaluation Committee if royalties are to be charged, to determine whether the license shall be granted. If he determines that a license is to be granted, he shall execute on behalf of the Secretary, an appropriate license.

At the request of the Solicitor, an Evaluation Committee will be appointed by the Secretary to recommend royalty rates with respect to any patents or inventions for which royalties may be charged.