Disclosure Quality Check
A self-check before you hand off your disclosure — catches the common gaps that make a disclosure harder to work with. Free checklist for inventors.
A disclosure is only as useful as it is complete. This self-check catches the gaps that most often make a disclosure harder for an attorney to work with — before you hand it off.
Each item is your own self-check, not a platform grade and not a readiness verdict (that is counsel's call). It is not legal advice.
The Template
Quality Self-Check
Enablement Self-Check
Read your disclosure as an engineer in your field trying to build it from scratch. Could you? What's missing — wiring diagram, parameter values, materials, algorithm steps? Write each gap as a sentence. And: does it cover the broader idea, not just one embodiment?
Limiting-Language Check
Scan for "must," "always," "only," "required," "essential," "the invention." Each can narrow scope — e.g. "the invention always uses a hash function" usually should be "one embodiment uses a hash function." List any, or "none."
Claim-Shape Check
Did you accidentally write claim-shaped sentences? "A method comprising," "wherein," "characterized by," "said component." Claim drafting is a separate step; claim language in the disclosure can constrain it. List any, or "none."
Figures
All figures present and labeled / some present, gaps known / no figures yet. For software, flowcharts and system diagrams count.
Inventorship Self-Check
Each named inventor contributed conceptually to at least one part of the invention (not just funding, management, or testing). Yes / No.
Outside-US Protection?
US-first or US-only / plan to pursue outside the US too / no outside-US plans / unsure. Surface early so counsel can flag related obligations.
Public-Disclosure Dates
Any part publicly shared — talk, blog, GitHub release, demo, paper, public alpha? If yes, what date and where? Capture facts; counsel uses them for filing timing.
Ownership Chain
Employer/inventor agreement signed and unambiguous / solo inventor, no employer claim / mostly clear, paperwork pending / multiple parties may have an interest.
Outstanding Questions
Anything else to flag before review. Optional.
Use it in the platform (coming soon)
Our platform will let you fill this in interactively straight from a code scan and export a finished document. Until it launches, use the template above.
See the Concept Scanner or how to write a strong disclosure.
Disclaimer (subject to final review by IP counsel). This template is used solely to document, organize, and describe a technical idea. It and any output are for informational and technical-documentation purposes only and are not a substitute for advice from qualified intellectual property counsel. Use of this template does not constitute legal services or legal, patent, patentability, inventorship, ownership, claim-drafting, filing-strategy, deadline, or freedom-to-operate advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship with Obviously Not. Intellectual-property protection can be time-sensitive: public disclosure, product release, open-source publication, sale, offer for sale, demo, or other external sharing may affect available rights. You are solely responsible for promptly consulting qualified intellectual property counsel about any legal or IP issue.