Univ., Diss.--Freiburg (Breisgau), 2007.

Software protection by patents is an emerging field and thus is not completely understood by software developers, especially software developers in a university setting. University inventors have to balance their publication productivity and the desire of their university to license inventions that could be profitable. This balance stems from the one-year bar on filing a U.S. patent application after public disclosure such as publications of the invention. The research provides evidence supporting the hypothesis that a university inventor can improve the protection of his or her software patent by applying certain information about patent prosecution practices and the relevant prior art. Software inventors need to be concerned about fulfilling the requirements of patent laws. Some of the methods for fulfilling these requirements include using diagrams in patent applications such as functional block diagrams, flowchart diagrams, and state diagrams and ensuring that the patent application is understandable by non-technical people. The knowledge of prior art ensures that the inventor is not "reinventing the wheel," not infringing on a patent, and understands the current state of the art. The knowledge of patent laws, diagrams, readability, and prior art enables a software inventor to take control of the protection of his or her invention to ensure that the application of this information leads to improvements during the application process.

Thesis (M.S.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Computer Science. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

This thesis proposes an exception to the common law efficiency hypothesis. In many cases, common law moves toward efficient legal rules through an evolutionary process of litigation incentives. Software patent law has departed from this trend, due to an asymmetric and unopposed set of litigation incentives by parties in precedent setting decisions. This paper evaluates the history of software patent legal rules, using an economic model of litigation incentives. It concludes that software patent law has been driven toward inefficiency due to an asymmetric set of interests between patent filers and administrative agencies.

Since the 80s, the growth of the Information Technology sector significantly challenged to create laws for the protection of computer programs. Which are considered an intangible asset and replicable, virtually no cost, it showed the difficulty in creating mechanisms to protect them properly. Thus, it has become evident the need for research aimed at creating efficient legislative frameworks of intellectual property protection for these assets, whether constituting them as a stimulus instruments to innovation, not allowing laws may create obstacles to the spread of knowledge in society. In this sense, the present study aimed to analyze the protection model adopted in Brazil, its evolution and the inherited influence of the United States and Europe. To this end, a historical review of international and Brazilian legislation was carried out, which showed complex dilemmas surrounding this issue in the framework of legality worldwide. Then a regulatory review was presented, addressing the software 'and' computer program, the types of software and legislation has been applied in the present scenario. Soon after, a detailed analysis of software registration by copyright and by industrial law was held. The first, contemplanado topics related to the computer program protection itself, the protection of literal and non-literal elements, protection documentation, term of protection, limits of protection and protection functionality. Subsequently, the work presented an overview of the use of the intellectual property system for computer program in Brazil and Sergipe. Finally, a case study related to the registration of software was presented in order to demonstrate how this mechanism in practice, since the prospect of technology, to the procedures to be followed for registration with the INPI. It was found in this work that national legislation has yet to move forward in order to properly organize the conflicts and the needs of the information technology industry. As a result, there was a practical process of disordered legal interpretations and inconsistent, showing that those involved in intellectual property issues, whether they are in academia, government institutions and companies, need to promote new studies and intensify this kind of debate, aiming harmonize common interests and enable the economic and technological development of the country. / Desde a década de 80, o crescimento do setor de Tecnologia da Informação desafiou significativamente a criação de leis para a proteção dos programas de computador. Sendo estes considerados como um bem intangível e replicável, praticamente sem custos, evidenciou-se a dificuldade na criação de mecanismos que os protejam adequadamente. Sendo assim, tornou-se notória a necessidade de pesquisas que visem criar estruturas legislativas eficientes de proteção à propriedade intelectual para estes bens, seja constituindo-os como instrumentos de estímulo à inovação, seja não permitindo que as leis venham a criar obstáculos à difusão do conhecimento na sociedade. Neste sentido, o presente trabalho objetivou analisar o modelo de proteção adotado no Brasil, sua evolução e a influência herdada dos Estados Unidos e Europa. Para tanto, foi realizada uma revisão histórica da legislação internacional e brasileira, a qual evidenciou dilemas complexos que envolvem essa questão no âmbito da legalidade em todo o mundo. Em seguida, foi apresentada uma revisão normativa, abordando os conceitos de software e de programa de computador, os tipos de software e a legislação que vem sendo aplicada no cenário atual. Logo após, foi realizada uma analise detalhada do registro de software pelo direito autoral. Contemplanado tópicos referentes à proteção do programa de computador em si, a proteção aos elementos literais e não literais, proteção à documentação, prazo de proteção, limites da proteção e proteção da funcionalidade. Posteriormente, o trabalho apresentou um panorama de uso do sistema de propriedade intelectual para programa de computador no Brasil e em Sergipe. Finalmente, foi apresentado um estudo de caso, relacionado ao registro de programa de computador, tendo em vista demonstrar como funciona esse mecanismo na prática, desde a prospecção da tecnologia, até os procedimentos que devem ser seguidos para registro junto ao INPI. Constatou-se, neste trabalho, que a legislação nacional ainda não conseguiu avançar de forma a organizar adequadamente os conflitos e as necessidades da indústria de tecnologia da informação. Em consequência, observou-se um processo prático de interpretações jurídicas desordenadas e pouco coerentes, demonstrando que os atores envolvidos nas questões de propriedade intelectual, estejam eles na academia, instituições governamentais ou empresas, precisam promover novos estudos e intensificar esse tipo de debate, visando harmonizar os interesses comuns e possibilitar o desenvolvimento econômico e tecnológico do país.

In writing this dissertation, the aim is to investigate the patentability of computer software - whether it is possible and legally advisable to make way for software patents in South Africa. This is an uncertain and highly debated area in our law. Ultimately, this study is aimed at checking the validity of proposed arguments and suggestions emanating from within the computer software patent debate itself. The Patents Act 57 of 1978 only excludes the patenting of computer software ?as such?. As a result, it is left open for interpretation what it is that the legislature meant by the phrase ?as such? and whether indeed computer software can be patented, since we lack case-law to clarify this point of law. Presently, there are arguments that software patents may possibly fall in line with the required growth and development for our country?s economy. The debate also revolves around the issue whether patents are better suited as legal protection for computer software in contrast to the protection offered under the Copyright Act 98 of 1978. This study will therefore be carried out with an aim to determine and recommend the suitable direction which our law should follow in order to have a competitive stance and facilitate economic growth for our country, specifically in the computer software industry. / Mini Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Mercantile Law / LLM / Unrestricted

Jahresbericht der Universitätsbibliothek Chemnitz - Berichtsjahr 2012 / Annual report of the University Library of Chemnitz in 2012