Code of Federal Regulations Title 43. Public Lands:  Interior § 43.6.1 Definitions

(a) The term “Department” means the Department of the Interior.

(b) The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Interior.

(c) The term “Solicitor” means the Solicitor of the Department of the Interior, or anyone authorized to act for him.

(d) The term “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Patents, or any Assistant Commissioner who may act for the Commissioner of Patents.

(e) The term “invention” means any new and useful art, process, method, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, or any new variety of plant, or any new, original and ornamental design for an article of manufacture, which is or may be patentable under the laws of the United States.

(f) The term “employee” as used in this part includes a part time consultant, a part time employee or a special employee (as defined in 18 U.S.C. 202) of the Department insofar as inventions made during periods of official duty are concerned, except when special circumstances in a specific case require an exemption in order to meet the needs of the Department, each such exemption to be subject to the approval of the Commissioner.

(g) The term “governmental purpose” means the right of the Government of the United States (including any agency thereof, state, or domestic municipal government) to practice and have practiced (made or have made, used or have used, sold or have sold) throughout the world by or on behalf of the Government of the United States.

(h) The “making of the invention” means the conception or first actual reduction to practice of such invention.