Computer Law 484 Professor Richard H. Stern Course Syllabus

Chapter 1: Relation of Proprietary Rights in Software to Intellectual Property Law

A. What Are Intellectual Property Rights?

B. Whence Intellectual Property Rights?

C. Are There Difficulties of "Fit" Between Computer Programs and Traditional Intellectual Property Law?

D. Case Studies in Whether Patents Are Property Rights

Chapter 2: Copyright Protection of Software: "Writings of Authors" and "Original Works of Authorship"

Chapter 3: Copyright Protection of Software: Reproducing "Copies" of Works

Chapter 4: Copyright Protection of Software: Functionality, Constraints, and Merger of Idea and Expression

Chapter 5: Copyright Protection of Software: Noncode and Nonliteral Aspects of Computer Programs--When Does One Computer Program Infringe the Copyright in Another Computer Program Even Though the Codes Are Different?

Chapter 6: Copyright Protection of Software: Derivative-Work Versions of Code of Computer Programs

A. Derivative Works Issues Other Than in Reverse-Engineering

B. Reproduction of Code and Preparation of Derivative Works in Reverse-Engineering

Chapter 7: Patent Protection of Software: Introduction to Software-Patent Cases

Chapter 8: Patent Protection of Software: Statutory Subject Matter in the Supreme Court and the Federal Circuit

A. The Supreme Court Trilogy on Statutory Subject Matter

B. The Analysis of Statutory Subject Matter in the First Decade After the Trilogy

C. Statutory Subject Matter in and After 1994, the Year of the Algorithm in the Federal Circuit

D. Statutory Subject Matter in Computerized Methods of Doing Business

Chapter 9: Patent Protection of Software: Issues Other Than Statutory Subject Matter

Chapter 10: Patent Protection of Software: Infringement Issues

Chapter 11: Preemption of State Law Protection of Software by Federal Intellectual Property Law

Chapter 12: Limitations on Rights, Misuse, and Abusive Enforcement of Rights

Chapter 13: Sui generis Protection of Software

Chapter 1: Relation of Proprietary Rights
in Software to Intellectual Property Law

A. What Are Intellectual Property Rights?

U.S. Constitution, Art. I, § 8, cl. 8

1976 Copyright Act, §§ 102, 201(d)(1)

1952 Patent Act, §§ 101, 154, 261

Baker v. Selden, 101 U.S. 99 (1879)

Excerpt from Gottschalk v. Benson, 409 U.S. 63 (1972)

B. Whence Intellectual Property Rights?

D.M. Walker, Oxford Companion to Law (Property, etc.)

Bentham on Personal Property

Locke on Personal Property

P. Newman, Some Theories About the Basis of Patent Rights

United States v. Willow River Power Co., 324 U.S. 499 (1945)

Kaiser Aetna v. United States, 444 U.S. 164 (1979)

Ruckelshaus v. Monsanto Co., 467 U.S. 986 (1984)

Dowling v. United States, 473 U.S. 207 (1985)

San Francisco Arts & Athletics, Inc.. v. United States Olympic Committee, 483 U.S. 522 (1987)

Excerpt from Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1 (1966), and Jefferson's letter to Isaac MacPherson

Wheaton v. Peters, 34 U.S. (8 Pet.) 591 (1834)

White-Smith Music Pub. Co. v. Apollo Co., 209 U.S. 1 (1908)(concurring opinion of Justice Holmes)

International News Service v. Associated Press, 248 U.S. 215 (1918)

Legal Mythology, IEEE Micro, Feb. 1987

C. Are There Difficulties of "Fit" Between Computer Programs and Traditional Intellectual Property Law?

General comparison of intellectual property rights--patents, copyrights, and trade secrets--what about software? [Excerpt from Stern, The Bundle of Rights Suited to New Technology, 47 U. Pitt. L. Rev. 1229 (1986)]

Protection of Computer Software Code [Excerpt from U.S. Cong./ Off. Technol. Assessment, Finding a Balance: Computer Software, Intellectual Property, and the Challenge of Technological Change, ch. 4 (1992)]

Software Patent Policy Issues [Excerpt from U.S. Cong./Off. Technol. Assessment, Finding a Balance: Computer Software, Intellectual Property, and the Challenge of Technological Change, ch. 4 (1992)

D. Case Studies in Whether Patents Are Property Rights

Hartford Empire Co. v. United States, 323 U.S. 386 (1945)

Keystone Bituminous Coal Ass'n v. DeBenedictus, 480 U.S. 470 (1987)

Carl Schenk, A.G. v. Nortron Corp., 713 F.2d 782 (Fed. Cir. 1983)

Sears, Roebuck & Co. v. Stiffel Co., 376 U.S. 225 (1964)

[Chapters 2-6 are omitted from the editions in odd numbered years]

Chapter 2: Copyright Protection of Software: "Writings
of Authors" and "Original Works of Authorship"

Article I, Section 8, Clause 8, U.S. Constitution

1976 Copyright Act, Section

Introduction to Materials on Writings, Authors, and Originality/Authorship

The Trade-Mark Cases, 100 U.S. 82 (1879)

Burrow-Giles Lithography Co. v. Sarony, 111 U.S. 53 (1884)

Magic Marketing, Inc. v. Mailing Services of Pittsburgh, Inc., 634 F. Supp. 769 (W.D. Pa. 1986)

Toro Co. v. R & R Prods. Co., 787 F.2d 1208 (8th Cir. 1986)

West Pub. Co. v. Mead Data Central, Inc., 799 F.2d 1219 (8th Cir. 1986), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 1070 (1987)

Feist Pubs., Inc. v. Rural Tel. Serv. Co., 111 S. Ct. 1282 (1991)

Tutorial on Code Generators

Machine Authorship [Excerpt from U.S. Cong./Off. Technol. Assessment, Finding a Balance: Computer Software, Intellectual Property, and the Challenge of Technological Change, ch. 4 (1992)]

White-Smith Music Pub. Co. v. Apollo Co., 209 U.S. 1 (1908)

Taylor Instrument Co. v. Fawley-Brost Co., 139 F.2d 98 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, 321 U.S. 785 (1943)

Brown Instrument Co. v. Warner, 161 F.2d 910 (D.C. Cir.), cert. denied, 332 U.S. 801 (1947)

Apple Computer, Inc., v. Formula International, Inc., 725 F.2d 521 (9th Cir. 1984)

Neural Networks [Excerpt from U.S. Cong./Off. Technol. Assessment, Finding a Balance: Computer Software, Intellectual Property, and the Challenge of Technological Change, ch. 4 (1992)]

Reiss v. National Quotation Bureau, 276 F. 717 (S.D.N.Y. 1921)

Brief English System v. Owen, 45 F.2d 555 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 283 U.S. 858 (1931)

Lotus Development Corp. v. Borland Int'l, Inc., 49 F.3d 807 (1st Cir. 1995), aff'd by an equally divided Court, 116 S. Ct. 804 (1996)

Lotus Development Corp. v. Borland Int'l, Inc., 116 S. Ct. 804 (1996)

Mitel, Inc. v. Iqtel, Inc., 1997 WL 583327 (Sept. 22, 1997)

Chapter 3: Copyright Protection of Software:
Reproducing "Copies" of Works

Baker v. Selden, 101 U.S. 99 (1879)

White-Smith Music Pub. Co. v. Apollo Co., 209 U.S. 1 (1908)

Muller v. Triboro Bridge Authority, 43 F. Supp. 298 (S.D.N.Y. 1942)

LB (Plastics) Ltd. v. Swish Products Ltd., [1979] F.S.R. 145 (H.L.)

British Leyland Motor Corp. v. Armstrong Patents Co., [1986] 1 All Eng. Rep. 852 (H.L.)

1980 Amendment to 17 U.S.C. § 101, Definition of "computer program"

Extended Notes on 1980 Amendment

NEC Corp. v. Intel Corp., 10 U.S.P.Q.2d 1177 (N.D. Cal. 1989)(microcode)

Note on copyright in layouts of semiconductor chip products

MAI Systems Corp. v. Peak Computer, Inc., 991 F.2d 511 (9th Cir. 1993)

Religious Technology Center v. Netcom On-Line Communications, Inc., 907 F. Supp. 1361 (N.D. Calif. 1995)

Central Point Software, Inc. v. Nugent, 903 F. Supp. 1057 (E.D. Tex. 1995)

Chapter 4: Copyright Protection of Software: Functionality,
Constraints, and Merger of Idea and Expression

Baker v. Selden, 101 U.S. 99 (1879)

Morrissey v. Proctor & Gamble Co., 379 F.2d 675 (1st Cir. 1967)

Data East USA, Inc. v. Epyx, Inc., 862 F.2d 204 (9th Cir. 1988)

NEC Corp. v. Intel Corp., 10 U.S.P.Q.2d 1177 (N.D. Cal. 1989)(constraints)

E.F. Johnson Co. v. Uniden Corp. of America, 623 F. Supp. 1485 (D. Minn.1985)

Discussion of human factors analysis, functionality, and standardization [Excerptfrom Stern, Legal Protection of Screen Displays and Other User Interfaces for Computers: A Problem in Balancing Incentives for Creation Against Need for Free Access to the Utilitarian, 14 Colum.-VLA J. Law & the Arts 283 (1990)]

Policy Issues Raised by Protection of User Interfaces (Incentives, Standardization) [Excerpt from U.S. Cong./ Off. Technol. Assessment, Finding a Balance: Computer Software, Intellectual Property, and the Challenge of Technological Change ch. 4 (1992)]

Digital Communications Assoc., Inc. v. Softklone Distrib. Corp., 659 F. Supp. 449 (N.D. Ga. 1987)

Gates Rubber Co. v. Bando American, Inc., 9 F.3d 823 (10th Cir. 1993)

Softel, Inc. v. Dragon Med. & Sci. Communications, Inc., 118 F.3d 955 (2d Cir. 1997)

Baystate Technologies, Inc. v. Bentley Sys., Inc., 946 1079 (D. Mass. 1996)

Chapter 5: Copyright Protection of Software: Noncode and Nonliteral
Aspects of Computer Programs--When Does One Computer
Program Infringe the Copyright in Another Computer
Program Even Though the Codes Are Different?

Preliminary Comment on "SSO"

Brown Bag Software v. Symantec Corp., 960 F.2d 1465 (9th Cir. 1992)

Pearl Systems, Inc. v. Competition Electronics, Inc., 8 U.S.P.Q.2d 1520 (S.D. Fla. 1988)

Languages and Other Weird and Wonderful Things 285

Department of Justice competitive impact statement regarding settlement of Borland case, 56 Fed. Reg. 56,098 (1991), 57 Fed. Reg. 8359 (1992) 286

Chapter 6: Copyright Protection of Software: Derivative-Work
Versions of Code of Computer Programs and Reverse Engineering

A. Derivative Work Issues Other Than in Reverse-Engineering

Blazon, Inc. v. De Luxe Games Corp., 268 F. Supp. 416 (S.D.N.Y. 1965)

Mirage Editions, Inc. v. Albuquerque A.R.T. Co., 856 F.2d 1341 (9th Cir. 1988), cert. denied, 489 U.S. 1018 (1989)

Midway Mfg. Co. v. Artic Int'l Inc, 704 F.2d 1009 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, 464 U.S. 823 (1983)

Annie Lee v. A.R.T. Co., 125 F.3d 580 (7th Cir. 1997)

Paramount Pictures Corp. v. Video Broadcasting Systems, Inc., 724 F. Supp. 909 (D. Kan. 1989)

Foresight Resources Corp. v. Pfortmiller, 719 F. Supp. 1006 (D. Kan. 1989)

Lewis Galoob Toys, Inc. v. Nintendo of America, Inc., 965 F.2d 965 (9th Cir. 1992)

On Add-On Programs

B. Reproduction of Code and Preparation of Derivative Works in Reverse-Engineering

Hubco Data Prods. Corp. v. Management Asst., Inc., 219 U.S.P.Q. 450 (D. Idaho 1983)

Sega Enterprises, Ltd. v. Accolade, Inc., 977 F.2d 1510 (9th Cir. 1992), cert. denied, 113 S. Ct. 1582 (1993)

Decompilation [Excerpt from U.S. Cong./Off. Technol. Assessment, Finding a Balance: Computer Software, Intellectual Property, and the Challenge of Technological Change ch. 4 (1992)]

DSC Communications Corp. v. DGI Technologies, Inc., 81 F.3d (5th Cir. 1996)

Reverse engineering under Semiconductor Chip Protection Act, text of 17 U.S.C. § 906(a)

European Community directive on software

How computer programs are reverse engineered [Johnson-Laird, Technical Demonstration of "Decompilation"]

Flowchart Tutorial

[Chapters 7-10 are omitted from the editions in even numbered years]

Chapter 7: Patent Protection of Software: Introduction to Software-Patent Cases

Economics and Legal Background of Patent Protection for Software-Related Inventions, Excerpt from 1993 PTO Materials

Software Patent Issues, Excerpt from U.S. Cong./Off. Technol. Assessment, Finding a Balance: Computer Software, Intellectual Property, and the Challenge of Technological Change, ch. 4 (1992)

Technology Background Tutorial--Excerpt from Government Brief in Dann v. Johnston, 425 U.S. 219 (1976)

O'Reilly v. Morse, 56 U.S. (15 How.) 62 (1853)

Sections 101 and 112 of Patent Act, 35 U.S.C. §§ 101 and 112 ¶¶ 1-2

Problems With Standards and Practices Used in Examination of Patent Applications for Software-Related Inventions - Excerpt from PTO Notice, 58 Fed. Reg. 66,347 (Dec. 20, 1993)

Chapter 8: Patent Protection of Software: Statutory
Subject Matter in the Supreme Court and the Federal Circuit

A. The Supreme Court Trilogy on Statutory Subject Matter

Gottschalk v. Benson, 409 U.S. 63 (1972)

Excerpt from Argument in Government Brief in Dann v. Johnston, 425 U.S. 219 (1976)

Parker v. Flook, 437 U.S. 584 (1978)

In re Bergy, 596 F.2d 952 (C.C.P.A. 1979)

Diamond v. Diehr, 450 U.S. 175 (1981)

B. The Analysis of Statutory Subject Matter in the First Decade After the Trilogy

In re Abele, 684 F.2d 902 (C.C.P.A. 1982)

In re Grams, 888 F.2d 835 ((Fed. Cir. 1989)

In re Iwahashi, 888 F.2d 1370 (Fed. Cir. 1989)

PTO Notice Interpreting Iwahashi, 1112 O.G. 16 (PTO 1990)

The Case of the Automated Substance Spreader

Arrythmia Research Technology, Inc. v. Corazonix Corp., 958 F.2d 1053 (Fed. Cir. 1992)

Ex parte Akamatsu, 22 U.S.P.Q.2d 1915 (BPAI 1992)

C. Statutory Subject Matter in and After 1994, the Year of the Algorithm

In re Schrader, 22 F.3d 290 (Fed. Cir. 1994)

Prefatory Notes on In re Alappat

In re Alappat, 33 F.3d 1526 (Fed. Cir. 1994)

In re Warmerdam, 33 F.3d 1354 (Fed. Cir. 1994)

In re Trovato, 42 F.3d 1376 (Fed. Cir. 1994), vacated, 60 F.3d 807 (Fed. Cir. 1995)

In re Beauregard, 53 F.3d 1583 (Fed. Cir. 1995)

PTO Press Release on Software Guidelines

PTO's Software Guidelines and Legal Analysis

Tutorial on Floppy-Disk Claims

Life After the Software Guidelines

D. Statutory Subject Matter in Computerized Methods of Doing Business

In re Schrader, 22 F.3d 290 (Fed. Cir. 1994)--Dissenting opinion of Newman, J.

E-Data Patent (Freeny U.S. Patent No. 4,528,643)

E-Data's Internet Sales Patent: Can You Really Have a Patent on Selling Things Over the Net? (IEEE Micro, Oct. 1996)

State Street Bank & Trust Co. v. Signature Financial Group, Inc., 927 F. Supp. 502 (D. Mass. 1995), appeal pending in Fed. Cir.

Patenting Computerized Methods of Doing Business (IEEE Micro, Dec. 1996)

Chapter 9: Patent Protection of Software: Patentability
Issues Other Than Statutory Subject Matter

Dann v. Johnston, 425 U.S. 219 (1976)

Northern Telecom, Inc. v. Datapoint Corp., 908 F.2d 931 (Fed. Cir.), cert. denied, 498 U.S. 920 (1990)

In re Oetiker (Concurrence), 977 F.2d 1443 (Fed. Cir. 1992)

In re Epstein, 32 F.3d 1559 (Fed. Cir. 1994) 930

In re Lowry, 32 F.3d 1579 (Fed. Cir. 1994) 936

Hughes Aircraft Co. v. United States, 717 F.2d 1351 (Fed. Cir. 1983) 943

Preemption Devices, Inc. v. Minnesota Mining & Mfg. Co., 630 F.Supp. 463 (E.D.Pa. 1985), modified on other grounds, 803 F.2d 1170 (Fed. Cir. 1986) 953

Pennwalt Corp. v. Durand-Wayland, Inc., 833 F.2d 931 (Fed. Cir. 1987)(en banc), cert. denied, 485 U.S. 961 (1988)

Lockwood v. American Airlines, Inc., 834 F.Supp. 1246 (S.D.Cal. 1993) - Lockwood I, 847 F. Supp. 777 (S.D. Cal. 1994) - Lockwood II, 877 F. Supp. 500 (S.D. Cal. 1994) - Lockwood III, Modified on other grounds, 50 F.3d 966 (Fed. Cir.), vacated, 116 S. Ct. 29 (1995

Markman v. Westview Instruments, Inc., 52 F.3d 967 (Fed. Cir. 1995), aff'd, 116 S. Ct. 1384 (1996)

Motorola, Inc.. v. Hitachi, Ltd., 750 F. Supp. 1319 (W.D. Tex.), vacated by stipsection 1 of the Sherman Asection 1 of the Sherman Act 923 F.2d 868 (Fed. Cir. 1990)

Chapter 11: Preemption of State Law Protection of
Software by Federal Intellectual Property Law

Gibbons v. Ogden, 22 U.S. (9 Wheat.) 1 (1824)

Capitol Records, Inc. v. Mercury Records Corp., 221 F.2d 657 (2d Cir. 1955)

Sears, Roebuck & Co. v. Stiffel Co., 376 U.S. 225 (1964)

Compco Corp. v. Day-Brite Lighting, Inc., 376 U.S. 234 (1964)

Lear, Inc. v. Adkins, 395 U.S. 653 (1969)

Goldstein v. California, 412 U.S. 546 (1973)

Kewanee Oil Co. v. Bicron Corp., 417 U.S. 470 (1974)

Aronson v. Quick Point Pencil Co., 440 U.S. 257 (1979)

Bonito Boats, Inc. v. Thunder Craft Boats, Inc., 109 S. Ct. 971 (1989)

1976 Copyright Act, § 301

Dept. of Justice Letter on § 301 (July 17, 1976)

Vault Corp. v. Quaid Software, 847 F.2d 255 (5th Cir. 1988)

Computer Associates International, Inc. v. Altai, Inc., 982 F.2d 693 (2d Cir. 1992)

Gates Rubber Co. v. Bando Chem. Indus., Ltd., 9 F.3d 823 (10th Cir. 1993)

ProCD, Inc. v. Zeidenberg, 908 F.Supp. 640 (W.D. Wis.)(ProCD I) [rev'd, 86 F.3d 1447 (7th Cir. 1996)(ProCD II)]

ProCD, Inc. v. Zeidenberg, 86 F.3d 1447 (7th Cir. 1996)(ProCD II)]

Motorola, Inc. v. Varo, Inc., 656 F.Supp. 716 (N.D.Tex. 1986)

Chemtron, Inc. v. Aqua Products, Inc., 830 F.Supp. 314 (E.D.Va. 1993)

Cover v. Hydramatic Packing Co., 83 F.3d 1390 (Fed. Cir. 1996)

Chapter 12: Limitations on Rights, Misuse,
and Abusive Enforcement of Rights

Bobbs-Merrill Co. v. Straus, 210 U.S. 339 (1908)

Henry v. A. B. Dick Co, 224 U.S. 1 (1912)

Motion Picture Patents Co. v. Universal Film Mfg. Co., 243 U.S. 502 (1917)

Patent Code, 1988 Amendment to 35 U.S.C. § 271(d)

Mallinckrodt, Inc. v. Medipart, Inc., 976 F.2d 700 (Fed. Cir. 1992)

Lasercomb Amer., Inc. v. Reynolds, 911 F.2d 970 (4th Cir. 1990)

Triad Systems Corp. v. Southeastern Express Co., 64 F.3d 1330 (9th Cir. 1995), cert. denied, 116 S. Ct. 1015 (1996)

DSC Communications Corp. v. DGI Technologies, Inc., 81 F.3d 597 (5th Cir. 1996)

Digidyne Corp. v. Data General Corp., 734 F.2d 1339 (9th Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 473 U.S. 908 (1985)

Virtual Maintenance, Inc. v. Prime Computer, Inc., 957 F.2d 1318 (6th Cir. 1992) (Virtual I)

Eastman Kodak Co. v. Image Technical Services, Inc., 504 U.S. 451 (1992)

Virtual Maintenance, Inc. v. Prime Computer, Inc., 11 F.3d 660 (6th Cir. 1993) (Virtual II)

Tricom, Inc. v. Electronic Data Systems Corp., 902 F.Supp. 741 (E.D. Mich. 1995)

Professional Real Estate Investors, Inc. v. Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., 508 U.S. 49 (1993)

Lemelson v. Wang Laboratories, Inc., 874 F.Supp. 430 (D. Mass. 1994)

Prefatory Note

Kastenmeier, Chip Law Paradigm for Protection of New Technology [Foreword to R. Stern, Semiconductor Chip Protection (1986)]

Should We Consider Another Model for Industrial Property Rights in Software?, R.H. Stern, Address Before Technol. Workshop on Computer Software Protection, The Geo. Wash. Univ. School of Engineering and Applied Science, Oct. 1, 1993

Characteristics of a sui generis software law [Excerpt from R. Stern, On Defining the Concept of Infringement of Intellectual Property Rights in Algorithms and Other Abstract Computer-Related Ideas, 23 AIPLA Q.J. 400 (1995)

Portions of Draft Sui Generis Petty Patent Software Statute [Excerpted from R. Stern, On Defining the Concept of Infringement of Intellectual Property Rights in Algorithms and Other Abstract Computer-Related Ideas, 23 AIPLA Q.J. 400 (1995)

Click on Computer image to return to Computer Law Course Home Page