Employee invention (bound invention):

• Created during the term of an employment contract.
• Results directly from the employee’s duties (work within the company).
• Is based primarily on the company’s experience or resources.

Independent invention:

• Although created during the term of the employment relationship, it has no connection to the employee’s professional duties.
• Developed in one’s free time without the use of company resources.

Important point to remember:

An invention is not automatically an independent invention simply because it was created at home at the weekend. The decisive factor is whether experience gained from the job or the company’s tasks led to the solution.