(a) Patent Compensation Board
The Commission shall designate a Patent Compensation Board to consider applications under this section. The members of the Board shall receive a per diem compensation for each day spent in meetings or conferences, and all members shall receive their necessary traveling or other expenses while engaged in the work of the Board. The members of the Board may serve as such without regard to the provisions of sections 281, 283, or 284 1 of title 18, except in so far as such sections may prohibit any such member from receiving compensation in respect of any particular matter which directly involves the Commission or in which the Commission is directly interested.
(b) Eligibility
(1) Any owner of a patent licensed under section 2188 or 2183(b) or 2183(e) of this title, or any patent licensee thereunder may make application to the Commission for the determination of a reasonable royalty fee in accordance with such procedures as the Commission by regulation may establish.
(2) Any person seeking to obtain the just compensation provided in section 2181 of this title shall make application therefor to the Commission in accordance with such procedures as the Commission may by regulation establish.
(3) Any person making any invention or discovery useful in the production or utilization of special nuclear material or atomic energy, who is not entitled to compensation or a royalty therefor under this chapter and who has complied with the provisions of section 2181(c) of this title may make application to the Commission for, and the Commission may grant, an award. The Commission may also, after consultation with the General Advisory Committee, and with the approval of the President, grant an award for any especially meritorious contribution to the development, use, or control of atomic energy.
(c) Standards
(1) In determining a reasonable royalty fee as provided for in section 2183(b) or 2183(e) of this title, the Commission shall take into consideration (A) the advice of the Patent Compensation Board; (B) any defense, general or special, that might be pleaded by a defendant in an action for infringement; (C) the extent to which, if any, such patent was developed through federally financed research; and (D) the degree of utility, novelty, and importance of the invention or discovery, and may consider the cost to the owner of the patent of developing such invention or discovery or acquiring such patent.
(2) In determining what constitutes just compensation as provided for in section 2181 of this title, or in determining the amount of any award under subsection (b)(3), the Commission shall take into account the considerations set forth in paragraph (1) of this subsection and the actual use of such invention or discovery. Such compensation may be paid by the Commission in periodic payments or in a lump sum.
(d) Limitations
Every application under this section shall be barred unless filed within six years after the date on which first accrues the right to such reasonable royalty fee, just compensation, or award for which such application is filed.
References in Text
Sections 281, 283, and 284 of title 18, referred to in subsec. (a), were repealed by Pub. L. 87–849, §2, Oct. 23, 1962, 76 Stat. 1126, except as sections 281 and 283 apply to retired officers of the Armed Forces of the United States, and were supplanted by sections 203, 205, and 207, respectively, of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedures. For further details, see "Exemptions" note set out under section 203 of Title 18.
This chapter, referred to in subsec. (b)(3), was in the original "this Act", meaning act Aug. 1, 1946, ch. 724, as added by act Aug. 30, 1954, ch. 1073, §1, 68 Stat. 919, known as the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 2011 of this title and Tables.
Prior Provisions
Provisions similar to this section were contained in section 1811(e)(1) to (3) of this title, prior to the general amendment and renumbering of act Aug. 1, 1946, by act Aug. 30, 1954.
Amendments
1974—Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 93–276 substituted "after consultation with the General Advisory Committee" for "upon the recommendation of the General Advisory Committee".
1961—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 87–206 added subsec. (d).
Transfer of Functions
Atomic Energy Commission abolished and functions transferred by sections 5814 and 5841 of this title. Patent Compensation Board established by this section transferred to Energy Research and Development Administration and functions of Atomic Energy Commission with respect thereto transferred to Administrator by section 5814(d) of this title. See, also, notes set out under sections 5814 and 5841 of this title. Energy Research and Development Administration terminated and functions vested by law in Administrator thereof transferred to Secretary of Energy (unless otherwise specifically provided) by sections 7151(a) and 7293 of this title.
Termination of Advisory Committees
Advisory committees in existence on Jan. 5, 1973, to terminate not later than the expiration of the 2-year period following Jan. 5, 1973, unless, in the case of a committee established by the President or an officer of the Federal Government, such committee is renewed by appropriate action prior to the expiration of such 2-year period, or in the case of a committee established by the Congress, its duration is otherwise provided for by law. See Pub. L. 92–463, §14, Oct. 6, 1972, 86 Stat. 776, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
Ex. Ord. No. 11477. Awards by Commission Without Approval of President
Ex. Ord. No. 11477, eff. Aug. 7, 1969, 34 F.R. 12937, provided:
By virtue of the authority vested in me by section 301 of title 3 of the United States Code, and as President of the United States, it is ordered as follows:
The Atomic Energy Commission is hereby designated and empowered, without approval, ratification, or other action by the President, to grant by the unanimous affirmative vote of all of its members not more than five awards in any calendar year, not exceeding the sum of $5,000 each, pursuant to the last sentence of section 157b(3) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2187(b)(3)) which authorizes the Commission to grant awards for especially meritorious contributions to the development, use, or control of atomic energy.
Richard Nixon.
Modification of Executive Order No. 11477
Ex. Ord. No. 11477, Aug. 7, 1969, 34 F.R. 12937, set out as a note above, when referring to functions of the Atomic Energy Commission is modified to provide that all such functions shall be exercised by the Secretary of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, see section 4(a)(1) of Ex. Ord. No. 12038, Feb. 3, 1978, 43 F.R. 4957, set out as a note under section 7151 of this title.
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