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Troubleshooting in iEdison

Below are some common error messages you may see while reporting in iEdison, what they mean, and how to address them:

 

Error Message

Reason

Remedy

“Value already exists in the system”

You have entered an “Invention Title”, an “Invention Docket Number”, or “Patent Docket Number” that already been entered in the iEdison system by your organization or a “Patent Application Number” that has already been entered by your organization or some other organization in iEdison.

In iEdison, the following rules apply:

  1. Invention titles and docket numbers (both invention and patent) must be unique under that organization’s accounts. In other words, one organization cannot have multiple Invention Reports with the same title or docket number or multiple Patent Reports with the same docket number. 
  2. Each patent application number may only be entered into iEdison once.  In other words, the same patent application cannot be entered in iEdison more than once (by the same or a different organization).

First, check to make sure you entered the correct “Invention Title”, “Invention Docket Number”, “Patent Docket Number” or “Patent Application Number”.

Second, check to make sure you haven’t already reported this invention or patent in iEdison. If this is a Patent Report and you have already reported it under another invention, you may need to move the Patent Report to another invention (see user guide instructions here) and/or create a parent/child invention relationship (see user guide instructions here and/or our demonstration video on “Parent-Child Inventions”).

Then, if the error appeared while entering an “Invention Title”, a “Invention Docket Number”, or a “Patent Docket Number”, enter a unique “Invention Title” or “Invention/Patent Docket Number” for this report. While some inventions may have similar or even the same titles, try to find some sort of way to distinguish this invention from previously reported inventions.  Maybe it just has a “2022 update” or “version 2.0”, but some way to have a unique title to your invention so that you can identify it and don’t end up with several inventions with the same name, which can be confusing. 

If the error appeared due to a patent application number already existing in the system, take the following steps:

  1. Check to see if this invention is jointly owned.  If so, contact your joint owner and ask if they have already reported the invention and/or patent in iEdison.  If they have reported the invention and/or patent, decide who should take the iEdison reporting lead.  NOTE: patents and/or inventions may need to be transferred to the reporting organization and the non-reporting organization may need to have duplicate records voided.  Both of these actions can be done using transfer and/or void requests in iEdison. 
  2. If the invention is not jointly owned, ask your funding agency or contact the iEdison administrator and they will reach out to the organization who originally reported the patent.

“PCT Application Number supplied does not correspond with the PCT Application Date indicated”

 

You entered a PCT application with an application number that indicates it was filed in a year that does not match the year you entered as the filing date of the PCT application. PCT application numbers have a specific format: “PCT/USFilingYear/6digits” ex: “PCT/US2020/123456”. The filing date in the application format must match the year listed in the application filing date in iEdison. 

Change either your application number or filing date in iEdison so that the filing year in the application number matches the filing date.

“CON (Continuation) patent must be a child patent”

 

Continuation applications cannot start a patent family in iEdison because they only contain matter included in a previous patent application.  They must have a parent application in order for the patent record to be saved.

Link the continuation application in iEdison as a child to the application to which it claims priority. This is done by clicking “Parent Patent” in the Patent Details section of the continuation application and selecting the patent to which it claims priority. For more information, see the iEdison user guide here or our demonstration video on “Linking Parent-Child Patents”. 

“Parent Patent Docket Number is not allowed due to cyclic parent-child link”

 

You have tried to link this Patent Report as a child to a Patent Report that lists THIS Patent Report as its parent. This create a cyclical relationship which is not allowed in iEdison. Instead, each patent should be linked as a child to the patent to which it claims the most direct priority.   

Unlink the patents and then accurately link the parent and child Patent Reports by listing the patent to which each claims direct priority in the “Parent Patent” field. For more information, see the iEdison user guide here or our demonstration video on “Linking Parent-Child Patents”.

“Target Invention {0} has same institution.  Please use Move to Another Invention instead”

 

You are submitting a patent transfer request but are trying to move this patent to another invention reported by your organization. You don’t need agency permission to move a patent between inventions under your own organization’s iEdison account. 

Instead of submitting a request, click the “Action” drop down menu at the top of the Patent Report and select “Move to Another Invention”. Then select the “Invention Report Number” for the invention to which you want to move the patent. 

NOTE:  If the funding on the new Invention Report differs from the previous Invention Report, you may need to re-upload Government Support Clause or Confirmatory License files.

“You are not allowed to create an assignment request for your own organization. Please use Move to Another Invention instead”

 

You are submitting a patent assignment request but are trying to move this patent to another invention reported by your organization. You don’t need agency permission to move a patent between inventions under your own organization’s iEdison account. 

Instead of submitting a request, click the “Action” drop down menu at the top of the Patent Report and select “Move to Another Invention”. Then select the “Invention Report Number” for the invention to which you want to move the patent.  For additional information, user guide instructions are available here.

NOTE:  If the funding on the new Invention Report differs from the previous Invention Report, you may need to re-upload Government Support Clause or Confirmatory License files.

“Subcontract UEI/DUNS must be different from institution”

 

You have entered your own organization name and/or UEI/DUNS as the Prime Contractor in the subaward section. If you are the prime awardee, you do not need to fill out the subaward section.  The subaward section is only required if the sub-awardee is reporting the invention.

Generally, in a subaward situation, the sub-awardee will report the invention in iEdison as the regulations require that the contractor include the Bayh-Dole “Standard Patent Rights Clause” in any subawards. The exception to this may be if the Prime awardee is also an owner because they also have inventors, in which case the parties should decide who will take the lead in iEdison reporting.  If you are reporting an invention as the sub-awardee, you should fill out the subaward section, but if you are reporting the invention as the Prime awardee, you do not need to fill out the subaward section. 

“Other is not allowed for Primary Agency”

 

You cannot list “Other” as the Prime Agency in iEdison. 

Change the Primary Agency to one of the agencies listed as participating in iEdison. If one or all of your funding agencies do not participate in iEdison, you should contact the agency(ies) to determine how to report your invention.

“Invalid file size InventionsPatents.xlsx 28.4 MB”

 

The maximum file size for upload in iEdison is 25MB.

If the file you are trying to upload is more than 25MB, try saving it as a “Reduced Sized PDF”.  If your file is still more than 25MB, try extracting figures or other pages containing large pictures as a separate document. Reupload the main document in the original section and upload the second document (with the figures/pictures) under “Other Documents”. You may want to include a note with the main document indicating that additional figures or pages are available in “Other Documents” for size limitation purposes so the funding agency is aware. 

 

 

Created August 6, 2022