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Full-Text Articles in Law
Computers, Copyright And Substantial Similarity: The Test Reconsidered, 14 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 47 (1995), Jeffrey D. Coulter
Computers, Copyright And Substantial Similarity: The Test Reconsidered, 14 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 47 (1995), Jeffrey D. Coulter
UIC John Marshall Journal of Information Technology & Privacy Law
Courts focus on the Substantial Similarity test to determine copyright infringement. They also use testimony from experts and lay people. As a result, there is a tension between preserving artist’s rights and preserving a competitive market. This tension is especially problematic in the context of copyright protection of computer software. Nonetheless, copyright law does protect computer software. Resulting amendments in the Copyright Act defined "computer program" and ensured that copyright protection was extended to all computer programs. The Substantial Similarity test applied to computer programs creates several concerns. Lack of access to expert testimony in the crucial second phase of …
Revising The Copyright Law For Electronic Publishing, 14 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 1 (1995), David J. Loundy
Revising The Copyright Law For Electronic Publishing, 14 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 1 (1995), David J. Loundy
UIC John Marshall Journal of Information Technology & Privacy Law
The Copyright Act has historically been amended to address technological changes. The Act has been shaped to apply to new situations not previously considered by the original authors. Rather than pass a new Copyright Act to address computer programs and technology, the current Act should be repaired. The changes made to the Copyright Act as a result of the CONTU report provide some necessary updating to the Act, but the increasing use of computer technology is demanding additional refinements to the Copyright Act. In order to amend the Copyright Act with the least amount of disruption, the definition of a …
A Lawyer's Roadmap Of The Information Superhighway, 13 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 177 (1995), Mark L. Gordon, Diana J.P. Mckenzie
A Lawyer's Roadmap Of The Information Superhighway, 13 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 177 (1995), Mark L. Gordon, Diana J.P. Mckenzie
UIC John Marshall Journal of Information Technology & Privacy Law
This article provides an interesting historical look at the early days of the Internet. Giving the article more of the feel of a business journal article than a legal analysis, it introduces the uninitiated to the legal framework surrounding the development of the Internet. The authors begin with a brief overview of the Internet's creation, from a decentralized military and scholarly network to the commercial entity it is today. Moving into a description of who is fueling the growth of the Internet as a commercial endeavor, the authors describe how several large telecommunications companies, including cable television and cellular telephone …
Reinventing The Examination Process For Patent Applications Covering Software-Related Inventions, 13 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 231 (1995), Alan P. Klein
UIC John Marshall Journal of Information Technology & Privacy Law
This article examines the issues inherent in patenting software-related inventions, particularly where mathematical algorithms are concerned. Software-related inventions are difficult to patent because they often contain mathematical algorithms, and mathematical algorithms are not patentable subject matter. The PTO recognizes that this approach -- simply identifying the algorithm-containing software as non-patentable -- precludes the need to address the more difficult test of whether software-related inventions are new or not obvious over prior art. The author proposes an improved examination procedure to replace the PTO's current three-step test. The existing PTO examination procedure entails determining whether the claim merely recites a mathematical …
Computer Software: Intellectual Property Protection In The United States And Japan, 13 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 245 (1995), Jack M. Haynes
Computer Software: Intellectual Property Protection In The United States And Japan, 13 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 245 (1995), Jack M. Haynes
UIC John Marshall Journal of Information Technology & Privacy Law
Software, and not hardware, forms the interface between computer users and the machines those users operate, thus allowing the users to accomplish their tasks. These software programs, no less than hardware, are in need of intellectual property (IP) protection. The process of creating new programs occurs only through extensive software development, which is often costly and time consuming. Therefore, the need for software IP protection is apparent. This comment helps readers to fully understand the ramifications of the presence or absence of software IP protection, by first examining the overall structure of a computer and the interplay between its various …
The Rodney King Beating: Beyond Fair Use: A Broadcaster's Right To Air Copyrighted Videotape As Part Of A Newscast, 13 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 269 (1995), Leslie Ann Reis
UIC John Marshall Journal of Information Technology & Privacy Law
This article discusses the copyright implications of news broadcasters using videotape and other images in their newscasts. News broadcasters obtain audio and video materials for use in their broadcasts, and on most occasions they obtain these materials from a variety of sources. The broadcaster cannot infringe on the copyright of the news source unless given permission by the source or decide to use it under the Fair Use Doctrine. However, a newscaster may also use the copyrighted material under a possible exception created by the First Amendment right to freedom of the press. The law that provides a creator with …
Don't Get Caught In The Net: An Intellectual Property Practitioner's Guide To Using The Internet, 13 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 373 (1995), Mark A. Kassel, Joanne Keane Kassel
Don't Get Caught In The Net: An Intellectual Property Practitioner's Guide To Using The Internet, 13 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 373 (1995), Mark A. Kassel, Joanne Keane Kassel
UIC John Marshall Journal of Information Technology & Privacy Law
The 'Net, AKA the Internet, has quickly become one of the most efficient and prevalent forms of communication. By linking through a common protocol, the Internet connects computer networks worldwide and provide seamless access to information. In this introductory guide to the Internet, the author takes readers -- IP practitioners, general legal practitioners, etc. -- on a tour of the Internet. The Internet began as part of the Defense Department's networking research in 1969 by the Advanced Research Projects Agency. In a program called ARPANET, the military attempted to design a interlinking computer networks that provides widespread connectivity without the …
In Re Warmerdam: When Is A Software Process Too Abstract To Merit Patent Protection?, 13 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 667 (1995), Steven M. Santisi
In Re Warmerdam: When Is A Software Process Too Abstract To Merit Patent Protection?, 13 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 667 (1995), Steven M. Santisi
UIC John Marshall Journal of Information Technology & Privacy Law
Unlike many foreign countries, the United States does not have an explicit rule that defines software as unpatentable subject matter. Despite the United States’ leadership position in patent protection, U.S. case law defining patentatble subject matter has evolved slowly and painfully. The legal controversy restricting software patentability stems from the principle that abstract ideas are not patentable. The Patent and Trademark Office remains uncomfortable in granting patents for inventions ideally embodied as software. Inventors’ attorneys continue to test these boundaries and the PTO continues to reject patent applications for software inventions based on the grounds that they constitute non-statutory subject …