A legally protectable trade secret is secret information which is applicable in trade or industry, in respect of which the owner has the will to keep it secret, which has economic value, and which is concrete enough to be embodied in a tangible form and to exist separately form its owner. A comparative study reveals that while trade secrets can be infringed in three ways - namely unauthorized acquisition, use and disclosure - contemporary legal systems differ in respect of both the ambit and juridical bases of protection against such infringing conduct. The legal protection of trade secrets is promoted by the recognition of a subjective right to the trade secret. This right is an intellectual property right independent of statutory intellectual property rights like patent rights and copyright, the common law intellectual property right to goodwill, and the personality right to privacy. In South African private law, trade secrets can be adequately protected by the application of general delictual and contractual principles. Delictual wrongfulness of trade secret misappropriation is constituted by an infringement of the right to the trade secret. Thus any act that interferes with the powers of use, enjoyment and disposal exercised by someone with a subjective right to that trade secret, is, in the absence of legal grounds justifying such interference, wrongful. Patrim·onial loss caused by both intentional and negligent infringement of trade secrets should be actionable under the actio legis Aquiliae. Wrongful trade secret infringements can - also in the absence of fault on the part of the infringer - be prevented by an interdict. Protection of trade secrets is not restricted to the contexts of either unlawful competition, or fiduciary relationships. Trade secret protection is on a sound footing in South African law, compares favourably with the position in other legal systems, and is in step with the international agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights to which South Africa is a signatory nation. / Private Law / LL.D. (Private Law)

Thesis (M.Tech.: Library and Information Studies)-Durban University of Technology, 2006. xii, 210 leaves. / This study was aimed at investigating the digital scanning of photographs in archival collections with a view to highlighting some of the key issues in the provision of a digital imaging service.

This thesis investigates the potentially complex power effects generated in Online Social Networking Sites (‘OSNS’), such as YouTube and Facebook, when legal values, such as copyright and personal data, are protected and/or violated. In order to develop this analysis, in Chapter Two, I critically analyse key academic writings on internet regulation and argue that I need to move away from the dominant ‘regulatory’ lens to my Actor-Network Theory-Foucauldian Power Lens (‘ANT-Foucauldian Power Lens’) in order to be able to capture the potentially complex web of power effects generated in YouTube and Facebook when copyright and personal data are protected and/or violated. In Chapter Three, I develop my ANT-Foucauldian Power Lens and explore how key ANT ideas such as translation can be used in conjunction with Foucauldian ideas such as governmentality. I utilise my ANT-Foucauldian Power Lens in Chapters Four to Seven to analyse how YouTube and Facebook are constructed as heterogeneous, contingent and precarious ‘actor-networks’ and I map in detail the complex power effects generated from specific local connections. I argue five key points. Firstly, I suggest that complex, multiple, and contingent power effects are generated when key social, legal, and technological actants are locally, contingently, and precariously ‘fitted together’ in YouTube and Facebook when copyright and personal data are protected and/or violated. Secondly, I argue that ‘materialities’ play key roles in maintaining the power effects generated by specific local connections. Thirdly, I argue that there are close links between power and ‘spatialities’ through my analysis of the Privacy Settings and Tagging in Facebook. Fourthly, I argue that my relational understandings of YouTube and Facebook generate a more comprehensive view of the power effects of specific legal elements such as how specific territorial laws in YouTube gain their authority by virtue of their durable and heterogeneous connections. Finally, I argue that we can extrapolate from my empirical findings to build a small-scale theory about the power effects generated in OSNS when legal values are protected and/or violated. Here I also consider the contributions made by my research to three distinct fields, namely, internet regulation, socio-legal studies, and actor-network theory.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Technology: Public Management, Durban University of Technology. Durban, South Africa, 2016. / Globally, commercialization of university innovation has increased and gained in interest by universities, industry and politicians. The idea of marketing innovation produced by universities is the practice embraced in most advanced economies. However, government’s investment in R&D have not generated the anticipated return. A gap has been identified between innovation developed from publicly financed research and the failure to convert these findings into tangible outcomes. This thesis reports on an investigation of the reasons for the current low rate of commercialization of innovations at South African universities, with a view to increasing this rate. From a survey of intellectual property and technology transfer (IP&TTO) managers and interviews with individual innovators, the main contributory factors were found to be a lack of support from university management, insufficient incentives for innovators, limited access to funding opportunities, institutional bureaucratic regulations and an inefficient system of decision making with regards to intellectual property. Accordingly, the critical measures which can be modified in order to build university IP&TTO success are senior executive support for innovation and commercialization activity, a greater share of financial rewards to individual innovators and a streamlined decision making procedures concerning intellectual property assets. University, government and industry executives need to demonstrate genuine support for research and innovation development activity over the long term, allocate the necessary resources required for its success, and implement a long term strategy for intellectual property.

Thesis (LLM)--Stellenbosch University, 1989. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: English abstract not available / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die tradisionele opvatting was dat Outeursreg gemoeid is met die beskerming van die materiele vorm waarin idees vasgele is. Sedertdien het die klem egter verskuif na die beskerming van die idee self mits dit egter in stoflike vorm vervat is. In hierdie tesis word ondersoek ingestel na wat presies die objek van Outeursreg is en watter rol stoflike aanbieding in Outeursreg sped. Ter aanvang word gekyk na die ontstaan en ontwikkeling van Outeursreg. Daar word gekyk na die pick wat Outeursreg in die regsisteem beklee met spesifieke verwysing na die tradisionele indeling van subjektiewe regte. Dit blyk hieruit dat Outeursreg, as bestaandeel van Immaterieel goedereg, 'n onstoflike regsobjek het nl. die produk van die outeur se geestesarbeid of dan sy idee. Die verwysing na die vereiste van stoflike aanbieding van idees verg egter nadere ondersoek. Die Wet op Outeursreg 98 van 1973 word ontleel met betrekking tot die aard van beskermde werke; vereistes vir Outeursregbaskerming; definisies van terme soos "outeur" en "maak" asook die van die onderskeie werke; die eiendomsregterminologie en skendingshandelinge. Regsvergelykend word oorsigtelik ook na die Amerikaanse Reg verwys. Uit hierdie ontleding blyk stoflikheid vir doeleindes van die tradisionele Outeursregwerke te verwys na tasbare aanbieding daarvan, mar dat sb 'n eng definisie nie gehandhaaf kan word ten opsigte van moderne tegnologiese ontwikkelings soos uitsendings en programdraende seine nie, aangesien hierdie werke van sä 'n aard is dat tasbare vasle:gging daarvan nie noodwendig altyd plaasvind nie. Onder die skrywers wat hierdie probleem bespreek is professors Copeling en Van der Merwe wat aan stoflikheid 'n alternatiewe, wyer betekenis toedig nl. kommunikeerbare of sintuiglik waarneembare aanbieding. 'n Botsing tussen die tradisionele en aanbevole definisie van stoflikheid in die regspraak word ook uitgewys. Ten einde tegnologie te akkommodeer word die wyer definisie van stoflikheid in hierdie tesis voorgehou. Die implikasies van hierdie wyer definisie van stoflikheid is egter verreikend. Professor Copeling bevestig dan ook dat dit die moontlikheid van Outeursreg in mondelinge kommunikasies inhou. Gevolglik word daar veral gekyk waarom idees as sulks beskerm word deur Onregmatige Mededinging, maar nie deur Outeursreg nie - 'n vraag wat beantwoord word met verwysing na die invloed van moderne tegnologie op die tradisionele indelings van die Immaterieel goederereg. Uit hierdie ondersoek blyk dit dat Onregmatige Mededinging berus op die Immaterieel goederereg in plaas van die Deliktereg. Die uitgebreide definisie van stoflikheid veroorsaak dat die bestaande indelings van Immaterie61 goedereregte versmelt. Dit ruim ook die huidige konflik rondom die vereiste van stoflikheid in die Wet op Outeursreg 93 van 1973 uit die weg. Laastens word kortliks gewys op die drastiese veranderinge in die spelreels vir inligtingsprodukte wat nodig sal wees om die balans tussen die aansprake van Outeursreghebbendes en die gemeenskap te handhaaf indien die uitgebreide definisie van stoflikheid aangewend word. Uiteindelik dien stoflikheid ook in sy uitgebreide vorm steeds die tradisionele doe om die werk af te skei van die maker se persoonlikheid en dit sodoende buite die mens gelee te maak.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Ethical decision making in business, the manifestation of business ethics in the individual, is influenced and shaped by various factors, including the external environment, organisational factors and society. In China business ethics, and consequently ethical decision making has emerged and developed mainly as a response to the economic reforms in response to globalisation. Globalisation, a product of the interaction of political and predominantly economic liberalisation, largely brought about by technological change, has become a household word since the last decade of the twentieth century. It is hailed by its advocates as a way to spread cosmopolitan values as well as better employment conditions and standards of living. Its critics, however, see it as a new wave of colonialism imposed by developed countries and multinational companies on poor countries, a synonym to exploitation and impoverishment of both people and nature. A contested issue on globalisation is concerned with its consequences as to the convergence of societies toward a uniform pattern of economic, political, and even cultural organisation, and thus to the formation of a global ethic. A change in approach towards intellectual property and the trends observed in patent applications indicate to what degree various countries have embraced the opportunities presented by globalisation. China is a prime example of a country that embraced the opportunities, and also made the required changes in policies and behaviour. Globalisation has changed the environment in which everyone is competing forever. International institutions play a significant role, and being part of treaties is paramount if countries want to play in the global market. Thus, globalisation changed the external environment that has an important influence on ethical decision making by individuals. These changes are followed by changes in countries' legal environments. As a result the rules by which companies have to play are also influenced, changing the way management should and eventually do behave, which will ultimately change the work experience gained by an individual. A change in individual factors will eventually change the ethical philosophy and the decision ideal of an individual, which also have an impact on ethical decision making. The end result is that globalisation has a profound influence on every factor that influence an individual making ethical decisions. However, these changes can take very long to start to manifest, a fact seen in the lag between policy changes and observing tangible changes in approach to intellectual property rights, as observed in China. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Etiese besluitneming deur die individu word beinvloed deur 'n wye verskeidenheid faktore, waaronder die eksterne omgewing, die organisasie waarvoor die individu werk, en ook die kultuur gemeenskap. Sake etiek in China, en dus ook etiese besluitneming het ontwikkel as die resultaat van ekonomiese beleidsveranderinge wat teweeg gebring is deur globalisering. Globalisering is die produk van die grootskaalse liberalisering van ekonomiee, aangehelp deur tegnologiese vooruitgang. Voorstanders van globalisering glo dat dit die verspreiding en groei van kosmopolitaanse waardes tot gevolg het, en uiteindelik lei tot beter werksomstandighede en lewensstandaarde vir almal. Die kritici meen egter dat dit 'n nuwe vorm van kolonialisme is waardeur ontwikkelde lande en internasionale besighede die ontwikkelende lande uitbuit. Die mate waarin globalisering lei tot die konvergensie van gemeenskappe na 'n uniforme ekonomiese, politiese en kulturele entiteit, word egter betwis. Gevolglik word daar ook gevra of globalisering lei tot die totstandkoming van 'n globale etiese kode. Lande benader die geleenthede wat globalisering bied op verskillende maniere. Hierdie verskille is duidelik sigbaar in die benadering wat gevolg word met intellektuele eiendom. Die tendense oor die afgelope paar jaar in die aantal aansoeke om patente te registreer, verskil dramaties van land tot land. China is 'n goeie voorbeeld van 'n land wat die geleentheid met beide hande aangegryp het. Nie net is beleid aangepas om voordeel uit die geleentheid te trek nie, maar mense se houding het ook dienooreenkomstig verander. Globalisering het die omgewing vir kompetisie dramaties verander. Internasionale organisasies speel 'n belangrike rol, en die ondertekening van verskeie ooreenkomste is ononderhandelbaar om ten volle deel te wees van die globale ekonomie. Globalisering het die eksterne omgewing sodanig verander dat dit nie anders kan as om 'n impak te hê op die besluitneming van individue nie. Die veranderende eksterne omgewing het noodgedwonge gelei tot veranderinge in die wette van verskeie lande. Die reels waaraan besighede moet voldoen is dus ook beinvloed, en so ook die manier waarop bestuur moet optree. Uiteindelik sal hierdie ook die ervaring van werknemers verander, en dus 'n impak hê op etiese besluitneming. Die uiteinde is dat globalisering elke faktor wat 'n impak het op etiese besluitneming beinvloed. Hierdie veranderinge kan egter 'n lang tyd neem om gestalte te vind in die optrede van organisasies en indivdue. 'n Goeie voorbeeld word gevind in China. Dit het 'n geruime tyd geneem vanaf beleid ten opsigte van intellektuele eiendom ingestel is totdat organsiasies en individue 'n verandering in gedrag en optrede begin toon het deur patente ernstig te beskou.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The development of computer software is a complex and laborious task, further complicated by the fact that copyright legislation is vague, at best. If the software is being developed for commercial exploitation then speed to market is essential and, even then, there is little to prevent skilled competitors from copying or even cloning the model. During the course of the year 2000 a team of developers, c ompr t s tn g Phillip Munday, Chris Vietri and the writer, not only managed to develop and prototype a complex loan evaluation software model, but have carried it through to the initial stages of a phased implementation and are presently involved in negotiations to sell the intellectual property rights (IPR) to a firm which specialises in the marketing of software to the banking industry internationally. It is virtually impossible for a single person to develop a model of this nature as it requires a comprehensive skills asset, including broad-based financial knowledge, specialised banking skills as well as a sound knowledge of information systems architecture, not to mention software p rogramming skills. The implementation and subsequent sale of the model further required comprehensive project management skills as well as the human resources understanding required for the substantial change management involved. Each of these 3 parties brought not only their particular exp ert i se to the table, but also a holistic view of the final shap e and form of the model. As is the case with projects of this magnitude numerous difficulties were encountered. These were, however, all overcome, via a series of iterations, and the model was introduced to the business on schedule. The implementation itself was fraught with difficulty, but the combination of a phased approach, together with comprehensive training and support, has led to the acceptance of the model by business users. There remain some technical difficulties which require to be resolved, particularly the disappointing performance of the model over a wide area network and also its integration with existing systems, but the model itself has exceeded expectations. It is simple to use, allows for a comprehensive and focused loan assessment and offers the ability to perform sophisticated sensitivity analysis in a fraction of a second. The model is now in its final shape and has been formally named Version 1.0, yet a great deal of work remains. We, as a bank, are not ideally suited to become purveyors of software and need to expedite the transfer of the IPR to a neutral party, to avoid local banks who might wish to purchase it from viewing our involvement with suspicion. Once this has been done, and the final phase of implementation concluded in March 2001, we will be able to move on to the exciting task of creating derivatives of the model, aimed at meeting the needs of other elements of the industry. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die ontwikkeling van rekenaar-sagteware is 'n lang en intensiewe proses. Hierdie proses word voorts bemoeilik deur onvoldoende en ongetoetsde patentreg-wetgewing. Wanneer die doel van sagtewareontwikkeling winsbejag is, is leweringspoed na gebruikers van die uiterste belang aangesien menige mededinger die vermoë het om 'n model na te boots en te verbeter. Gedurende die afgelope jaar het 'n ontwikkelingspan bestaande uit Phillip Munday, Chris Vietri en die skrywer 'n werksmodel van 'n gesofistikeerde, krediet-evalueri ng sagteware modelontwikkel. Nie net is hierdie model deurgevoer tot 'n gefasseerde, interne implementering nie; dit is nou vêr genoeg ontwikkel om die intellektuele eiendomsreg te verkoop aan 'n groep wat toegespits is op die bemarking van bankgerigte sagteware op 'n wêreldwye basis. Dit is bykans onmoontlik vir een persoon om 'n soortgelyke model te ontwikkel weens die omvattende finansiëIe - en bankpraktyk kennis wat vereis word. Verdere vereistes is 'n deeglike kennis van sagteware argitektuur en programmering. Die implimentering en verkoop van die program vereis ook wye kundigheid op die gebiede van projekbestuur en vernuwingsbestuur weens die potensiële strukturele veranderinge in 'n nuwe gebruiker. Elkeen van die 3 partye het benewens sy eie kundigheid ook 'n oorsigtige bydrae gelewer tot die finale model. Soos met elke projek van hierdie omvang was daar groot struikelblokke. Die uitdagings is oorkom deur menige probeerslae en die model is betyds aan die besigheid bekendgestel. Die implimentering was moeiliker as verwag maar deur 'n gefasseerde proses en omvattende opleiding en ondersteuning is aanvaarding deur gebruikers verseker. Daar is enkele, onopgelosde tegniese probleme soos die swak werkverrigting oor 'n wye' area-netwerk en die moeilike integrasie met bestaande stelsels. Desnieteenstaande het die model die meeste verwagtinge oortref. Dit is maklik om te gebruik, dit verseker deeglike krediet-evaluering en dit skep die geleentheid om veelvuldige sensitiwiteitsanalises tegelykertyd te doen. Die modeI is nou in sy finale weergawe en is bekend as " Version 1.0 " maar dit vereis nog heelwat skaafwerk. As 'n bank is ons nie geskik om sagteware te voorsien nie en daarom moet die verkoop van die intellektuele eiendomsreg na 'n tussenparty bespoedig word. Dit sal verhoed dat ons bank se betrokkenheid met agterdog deur plaaslike banke bejeën word. Wanneer dit bewerkstellig is en die finale implimenteringsfase is voltooi teen Maart 2001, kan ons beweeg na die opwindende taak om afgeleide modelle te ontwikkel wat sal voldoen aan wyer sektor-behoeftes.

Thesis (LLD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The rationale for the legal protection of copyright works is based on the perceived need to encourage the creation of works which are considered to be socially beneficial. By awarding authors proprietary rights in their creations, copyright law allows authors the ability to earn direct financial returns from their efforts, and, thus, copyright law provides the required incentives for authors to create copyright works. Since the early days of commercial software development, copyright protection has been extended to computer programs; thus, by providing such protection it was assumed that their production should be encouraged, and that without such protection they will not be produced to the extent required by society. Comparatively recently, we have witnessed large-scale production of open-source software, which is licensed on generous terms, giving users the right to freely use, modify and redistribute such software. By adopting such licensing terms, the authors of open-source software are unable to charge licensees a fee for permission to use their software, which is the reward which copyright assumes authors seek to create such software. This development has made it necessary to re-evaluate the rationale for copyright protection of computer programs, and determine whether the continued protection of computer programs is justifiable. This study seeks to first establish a coherent theoretical justification for copyright protection, which it is submitted should be an economic justification, rather than a moral justification. The legal analysis in this work seeks to establish whether the copyright protection of computer programs is consistent with the economic justification for copyright protection. In particular, the analysis focuses on the current scope of copyright protection, and seeks to establish whether such protection is excessive, stifling creativity and innovation, and, thus, imposing too high a social cost. It is contended that copyright doctrine has generally sought to minimise these costs, and that current scope of copyright protection of computer programs leaves enough creative room for the production of new software. Despite the fact that the effect of open-source software licences is that authors are unable to earn the direct financial rewards which copyright enables authors to earn as an incentive to create such software, their authors continue to have financial incentives to create such software. Commercial firms who invest in open-source software do so because they seek to provide financially-rewarding related services in respect of software, or because it serves to promote sales in their complementary products. Similarly, the participation of individual computer programmers is largely consistent with the standard economic theories relating to labour markets and the private provision of public goods. Individuals are principally motivated by economic motives, such as career concerns. Copyright protection gives participants the choice to opt for the direct financial rewards which its proprietary protection enables, or the more indirect financial rewards of open-source software development. It is submitted within this research that rather than undermining the rationale for copyright protection of computer programs, the development of open-source software has illustrated that copyright protection allows for the emergence of alternative business models, which may be more economically advantageous to authors. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die rasionaal agter outeursregbeskerming wat deur die reg verleen word is gebasseer op 'n behoefte om die skepping van werke wat sosiaal voordelig geag word te bevorder. Outeursreg verleen aan outeurs direkte finansiële vergoeding vir hul inspanning deur die vestiging van eiendomsreg oor hul werke. Dus, outeursreg voorsien outeurs van die nodige insentiewe om sulke werke te skep. Sedert die begindae van kommersiële sagteware ontwikkeling, is outeursregbeskerming uitgebrei om aan rekenaarprogramme sulke beskerming te bied. Deur die bied van outeursregbeskerming word daar aangeneem dat die ontwikkeling van rekenaarprogramme aangemoedig word en dat sonder die genoemde beskerming programme nie geproduseer sal word tot in 'n mate benodig deur die samelewing nie. Onlangs egter, is daar 'n grootskaalse ontwikkeling van oopbronsagteware opgemerk. Hierdie sagteware word onder ruime terme gelisensieer en gee aan gebruikers die reg om die genoemde sagteware te gebruik, te wysig en vrylik te versprei. Deur sulke terme van lisensiëring aan te neem word outeurs verhoed om vanaf lisensiehouers 'n fooi te vorder vir die toestemming om die sagteware te gebruik. Outeursreg neem aan dat hierdie vergoeding die basis vorm waarom outeurs sulke sagteware ontwikkel. Hierdie ontwikkeling maak dit nodig om die rasionaal agter outeursregbeskerming van rekenaarprogramme te her-evalueer en ook om vas te stel of die volgehoue beskerming van rekenaarprogramme regverdigbaar is. Hierdie studie poog om, eerstens, 'n samehangende teoretiese regverdiging vir outeursreg te vestig. Daar word aan die hand gedoen dat hierdie beskerming 'n ekonomiese, eerder as 'n morele regverdiging as grondslag moet hê. Die regsontleding vervat in hierdie werk poog om vas te stel of die outeursregbeskerming wat aan rekenaarprogramme verleen word in lyn is met die ekonomiese regverdiging van outeursregbeskerming. Die analise fokus in besonder op die huidige bestek van outeursregbeskerming en poog om vas te stel of sodanige beskerming oormatig is, of dit kreatiwiteit en innovasie onderdruk en derhalwe te hoë sosiale koste tot gevolg het. Daar word geargumenteer dat outeursreg in die algemeen poog om sosiale koste te verlaag en dat die huidige omvang van outeursregbeskerming van rekenaarprogramme voldoende kreatiewe ruimte vir die ontwikkeling van nuwe sagteware laat. Die effek van oopbronsagteware is dat outeurs nie in staat is om direkte finansiële vergoeding te verdien, wat as insentief gesien word vir die ontwikkeling van sagteware, nie. Ten spyte hiervan is daar steeds voldoende finansiële insentiewe om sodanige sagteware te ontwikkel. Kommersiële firmas belê in oopbronsagteware om finansiëel lonende verwante dienste ten opsigte van sagteware te voorsien. Dit kan ook dien om verkope in hul onderskeie aanvullende produkte te bevorder. Eweweens is die deelname van individuele rekenaarprogrameerders oorwegend in lyn met die standaard ekonomiese teoriëe ten opsigte van die arbeidsmark en die privaat voorsiening van openbare goedere. Individue word gemotiveer deur ekonomiese motiewe, soos byvoorbeeld oorwegings wat verband hou met hul loopbane. Outeursregbeskerming bied aan deelnemers die keuse om voordeel te trek uit die direkte finansiële vergoeding wat moontlik gemaak word deur outeursregbeskerming of uit die meer indirekte finansiële vergoeding gebied deur die ontwikkeling van oopbronsagteware. In hierdie navorsing word daar geargumenteer dat die ontwikkeling van oopbronsagteware geillustreer het dat outeursregbeskerming die onstaan van alternatiewe besigheidsmodelle toelaat wat ekonomies meer voordelig is vir outeurs in plaas daarvan dat dit die rasionaal vir die outeursregbeskerming van rekenaarprogramme ondermyn.

Recent research approaches in semantics based video content analysis require shot boundary detection as the first step to divide video sequences into sections. Furthermore, with the advances in networking and computing capability, efficient retrieval of multimedia data has become an important issue. Content-based retrieval technologies have been widely implemented to protect intellectual property rights (IPR). In addition, automatic recognition of highlights from videos is a fundamental and challenging problem for content-based indexing and retrieval applications. In this thesis, a paradigm is proposed to segment, retrieve and interpret digital videos. Five algorithms are presented to solve the video segmentation task. Firstly, a simple shot cut detection algorithm is designed for real-time implementation. Secondly, a systematic method is proposed for shot detection using content-based rules and FSM (finite state machine). Thirdly, the shot detection is implemented using local and global indicators. Fourthly, a context awareness approach is proposed to detect shot boundaries. Fifthly, a fuzzy logic method is implemented for shot detection. Furthermore, a novel analysis approach is presented for the detection of video copies. It is robust to complicated distortions and capable of locating the copy of segments inside original videos. Then, iv objects and events are extracted from MPEG Sequences for Video Highlights Indexing and Retrieval. Finally, a human fighting detection algorithm is proposed for movie annotation.

本研究以實質選擇權的觀點出發，針對高科技產業中各家競爭廠商投入R&D費用所研發出的創新技術與所對應的專利權進行評價。由於企業在競爭的環境中可藉由R&D過程獲取生產新商品所需的關鍵技術，進而申請專利權以保護公司的研發成果，提昇經營與獲利能力。然而，在技術上的小幅領先並不足以擺脫競爭對手的威脅而獲取絕大部分的市場商機，唯有競爭環境中的領導廠商成功地在技術上明顯的領先其競爭對手，方能取得該產品利基市場的獨占地位，獲取市場的絕大部分的潛在商機。針對高科技產業中不斷研發出來的創新技術所帶來的價值，本研究將以實質選擇權的觀點出發，評價此類創新技術所帶來的專利權之價值與此類研發投資所帶來的企業價值增值。 論文中將針對高資本支出、研發時間具有高度不確定性以及未來產品價格波動性高的高科技產業作為研究目標。定義在市場競爭下的個別公司必須藉由領先競爭環境內的所有對手多達兩代的創新技術方能取得市場的獨占地位。如此一來，企業一開始面對一個潛在的市場需求時，由於投入的研發費用將會影響企業的研發速度、市場獨占地位取得的可能性以及此投資案所能帶來的預期報酬，因此企業應針對此投資計畫決定投入多少研發預算，才能達到最大的預期報酬。