If it has nothing to do with the position, employees can apply for a patent.
There is no way to negotiate direct court prosecution.
patent law
Article 6 Inventions and creations made by performing the tasks of the unit or mainly using the material and technical conditions of the unit are service inventions and creations. The right to apply for a patent for a service invention-creation belongs to the unit; After the application is approved, the entity shall be the patentee.
The right to apply for a patent for a non-service invention-creation belongs to the inventor or designer; After the application is approved, the inventor or designer shall be the patentee.
Where an invention-creation completed by making use of the material and technical conditions of the entity has a contract with the inventor or designer to stipulate the right to apply for a patent and the ownership of the patent, such agreement shall prevail.
Article 7 No unit or individual may suppress an inventor or designer's application for a patent for non-service invention-creation.