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Non-classified Archive Texts For the last few years the European Patent Office has, contrary to the letter and spirit of the existing law, granted about 30000 patents on computer-implementable rules of organisation and calculation (programs for computers). Now the European patent movement wants to change the law so as to legalise this practise and remove all barriers to patentability. Programmers are to lose their freedom of expression and the control over their copyrighted work. Citizens are to be barred from independently developping their preferred forms of communication. As a compensation for this "intellectual expropriation" we are offered ... less innovation, less competition, less good software.

Treaty of Rome Industrial Property Unit Industrial Property Unit European Commission Software Patentability Project Directory European Commission Software Patentability Project Europäische Kommission / Generaldirektion Binnenmarkt / Dienststelle für Geistiges Eigentum und Gewerblichen Rechtschutz Commission Européenne / Directorat Général pour le Marché Intérieur / office pour la propriété industrielle Europäische Kommission / Generaldirektion Binnenmarkt / Dienststelle für Gewerblichen Rechtschutz European Commission / General Directorate for the Internal Market / Industrial Property office Commission Européenne / Directorat Général pour le Marché Intérieur / office pour la propriété industrielle Utility Models Directive Gebrauchsmuster-Direktive Utility Models Directive Directive Certificats d'Utilité DGIM on Electronic Commerce Lettera al Commissario Europeo Mario Monti Prosa: Contro Gli Brevetti Software Firma la tua adesione list of signatures to Prosa's petition No-Patents Logo Paolo Didone Treaty on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Übereinkommen über handelsbezogene Aspekte der Rechte des geistigen Eigentums Texte définitif de la Loi de l'Internet Software Patents - League for Programming Freedom Internet Patent News Service Professional Services for Busting Bad Patents Gregory Aharonian: The Patent Examination System is Intellectually Corrupt IBM Patent Policy Consumer Project on Technology: Public Policy Issues Related to Intellectual Property DPMA: Hinweise zur Anmeldung von Computerprogrammen UKPTO 1998-03-23: Conference on Software Patentability in Europe The only hearing ever conducted at the EU level on the question of software patentability. The speakers were mainly patent lawyers from governmental bodies and patent departments of large companies. John Mogg from the European Commission showed a strong determination to expand patentability, saying that intellectual property in general and patents in particular are a key factor in enhancing innovativity in general. The only software developper present, Ron McQuaker, explained why patents are bad for innovation in the software area. He remained the only developper to ever have been heard at a meeting of this kind, but his warning had no noticeable impact on the position of the UK/EU patent family. Hartnack Statement at UK Patent Office Conference on Software Patenting Paul Hartnack, Comptroller General of the UK Patent Office, explains that TRIPS does not require an extension of patentability to software digital tech law journal, agnostic's commentary on UK swpat conference John Mogg: The importance of software patents for the European Commission Arno Koerber: What do Software Patents mean to European Industry Ron McQuaker: A Software Developper's View Speech of Ron McQuaker, Director of Exxel Consultants Ltd, Immediat Past Chairman of the British Computer Society, explains why software patents are a bad idea. Quaker is the only software developper ever heard at the only hearing the EU ever conducted before decidng to move ahead and make software patentable. Europäisches Patentamt European Patent Office Office Européen de Brevets EPC en EPC en EPC de Convention Européennes de Brevets EPC §52 EPÜ §52 CEB §52 EPC §172 Right of Governments to Act against EPO EPÜ §172 Einspruchsrecht CEB §172 droit de protester contre les dérives de l'OEB EPC EPC en EPC de Wired: Patently Absurd EPO requires proprietary software for access Polémiques de Breese protecting competition against the abuse of software patents 11 Industry Leaders Speak Out Against Software Patents Contradictions of Software Patenting with the Rome Treaty French State Secretary of Industry stresses necessity to study impact before any reform European Parlament and others have endorsed Patent inflation Breese sur les effets pervers des logiciels libres World Trade Organisation World Intellectual Property Organisation WIPO discussions on harmonisation The status quo where Europe would grant patents only for technical solutions of technical problems in software does not seem to satisfy US representatives who are calling for an extension of patents to business methods. Organisation Mondiale de la Propriété Intellectuelle Trilateral Web site of US, Japan and European Patent offices Japan's Ministry for Trade and Industry (Tsûsanshô/MITI) Trilateral Web site of US, Japan and European Patent offices Oracle against software patentability WIPO Update WIPO Patent Database TRANSPATENT.COM Deutsches PatentGesetz Prüfungsrichtlinien des Deutschen Patentamtes Merkblatt fuer Patentanmelder Slashdot: Oracle's policy statement on software patents Base.Com Software Patents Documentation Adobe Statement against Software Patenting Oracle Statement against Software Patenting Borland Statment against Software Patenting Wired 199909: Net Overloads USPatent Office Wired 1999-09: Patent's Net Result: Nothing? OpenPatents Patent Nonsense and Collective Security in the Age of Software Patents Mutual Defense Against Software Patents (LPF) EU report on competitiveness of European industry Free Software developper forced to remove GIF support MPEG patent issues Preparing for the intellectual-property offensive The Microsoft Antitrust Trial and Free Software RMS calls for boycott of Amazon L'AFUL s'oppose à la brevétabilité des logiciels AFUL, FFII et Breese 1 AFUL, FFII et Breese 2 Springorum Folgemaßnahmen zum Grünbuch Ausarbeitung eines Rili-Vorschlags aufgrund EG-Vertrag §100a Follow-up Paper to the Greenpaper Nouveaux Droit pour les Auteurs Freetype Patent Warning TrueType Patents Eine Welt ohne Softwarepatente? IPIX vs The International VR Community Patents and the IPIX case Offene Standards in Gefahr W3W says free standards are in danger Heise-Verlag Software muss frei sein! Stallman wird durch Preis geehrt Patentfluten - Zerstört die Sicherung Geistigen Eigentums das Internet? IBM Patent Server The Software Patent Institute Microsoft P3P Patent Microsoft P3P Patent Claims BeFree User Profile Patent BeFree User Profile Patent Claims Microsoft Electronic Asset System Patent uspat Katzentrainingspatent Katzentraining InfoSpinner patent for generating dynamic Web pages may ruffle feathers Unisys Web Site LZW license LPF on the GIF case University of Michigan Media Union Library: Software Patents World Intellectual Property Organisation Save The Web Microsoft-Betriebssysteme mit eingebauter Hintertür Andreas Kleinert tw rupp Auslegung/Biopatente Art 33 neue Ausfuehrungsordnung Ausfuehrungsordnung Greenpeace-Studie USPAT No. 5991735 Benutzerprofile Computerwoche: BeFree erhält Patent auf Benutzerprofile Computerwoche: OpenSource von der Justiz bedroht Law News Network: Amazon gets it, Wired didn't UNPO UNDP, United Nations Development Program, «Human Development Report» 1999, Oxford University Press, 1999. European Software Patent Caselaw us-professor who is claiming to use his right on free speech to publish source of strong cryptography. LPF Survey DPatAmt befasst sich mit MIPEX / SGML-Einreichung DPatAmt befasst sich mit MIPEX / SGML-Einreichung Burn All Gifs The Atlantic: Hey Ho, Gifs must Go Heise zu Gif 1 GIF-Bilder sollen aus dem Web verschwinden ESR on GIF Brevets Français Windowing Patent IRIS IRIS Suite Munich ZDNET-Artikel de Patente, die die Welt erschüttern EPO Guidelines EPO Guidelines EPA Prüfrichtlinien EPA Richtlinien: Inhalt EPA Richtlinien Kapitel 4 Smets Munich J.P. Smets: Software Useright: Solving Inconsistencies of Software Patents J.P. Smets: Software Useright: Solving Inconsistencies of Software Patents J.P. Smets: Software Useright: Solving Inconsistencies of Software Patents Sen Charles Schumer calls US Patent Office expansive Peter Deutsch on copyright. Patenting would have made Deutsch's economic model impossible eine diplomarbeit ueber open source licensen, hat aber eine gute erklaerung von "geistigem eigentum" Intellectual Property Rights and the Dissemination of Research Tools in Molecular Biology MKoek Thesis MIT professors go afer Ask Sleeve life decision life decision 991220 Entscheidung Leben Décision Vie epo updates The Register: Nader slams MS pricing, licenses, demands Office ports UCITA Report Markengrabbing Patent auf Cookie-Technik Amazon-Patent Volltext Amazon-Klage techweb on Amazon case Search for EPO decisions EPO decision IBM computer program product EPA-Entscheidung T 1173/97: IBM computer program product Décision OEB T 1173/97: produit programme d'ordinateur IBM Décision OEB pour produit programme IBM Les arguments "se fondaient sur des critères techniques, des considérations économiques et des developments internationaux, ce derniers particulièrement avec reference à Article 27 de TRIPS et les directives d'examination des États Unis" EPA Entscheidung für IBM Programmprodukt Argumente stützen sich auf technische Kriterien, wirtschaftliche Überlegungen und internationale Entwicklungen stützten, letztere insbesondere unter Verweis auf Art 27 TRIPS und die Prüfrichtlinien der Patentämter Japans und der USA EPO TBA decision for IBM program product IBM's arguments before the examining division were based on technical criteria, economic considerations and international developments, the latter in particular with reference to Article 27 of TRIPS and the guidelines for examination of the United States and Japanese patent offices. EPO TBA decision: Exclusion of computer program product from patentability --- not under all circumstances EPO TBA decision in favor of IBM "computer program product" EPO decision in favor of IBM "Method of document definition utilizing a list directed expression architecture" EPO decision in favor of IBM "Method of document definition utilizing a list directed expression architecture" EPO decision in favor of IBM 'Method of document definition utilizing a list directed expression architecture' gilcd non-gilc Norway cracks down on DVD interoperability web poisioning patent Lemuria Software Lemuria Bundespatentgericht Entscheidungen des BPatG Grundsatzurteil, das den Weg fuer Geschaeftsideenpatente ebnet USPTO Examiniation Guidelines for Computer-Related Inventions, available only in proprietary formats Examiniation Guidelines for Computer-Related Inventions Commission Approves Greenpaper Grünbuch über das Gemeinschaftspatent und das Patentschutzsystem in Europa Greenpaper on the Community Patent and the Patent System in Europe Livre Vert sur le Brevet Communautaire et le Système de Brevet en Europe Commission outlines ambitious series of measures Kommission kündigt anspruchsvolles Patentschutzprogramm an Follow-up Paper to the Greenpaper Folgemaßnahmen zum Grünbuch Ausarbeitung eines Rili-Vorschlags aufgrund EG-Vertrag §100a Les suites a donner au Livre vert CEC-BSA 2002-02-20: Software Patent Directive Proposal CE-BSA 2002-02-20: Propos de Directive Brevets Logiciels EUK-BSA 2002-02-20: Richtlinienvorschlag Softwarepatente CEC-BSA 2002-02-20: Frequently Asked Questions CEC-BSA 2002-02-20: Frequently Asked Questions CEC Directorate for the Internal Market EurKom - Generaldirektion Binnenmarkt ComEur - Direction Générale du Marché Intérieur La Commission annonce un Système ambitieux de Protection de Brevet examples of European Software patents Smets Presentation inflation of contributory infringement problems with Internet patents Lessig on Amazon and Business Method Patents I'm going to sue your ass Software Patents Tangle the Web Just because software hasn't experienced a cyber-Bhopal doesn't mean it won't ever happen. Indeed, the noxious clouds of litigation now gathering around e-commerce are renewing industry fears. ... There's ample historical evidence that overly broad patents have stifled innovation in emerging industries. ... In the early years of aviation in the United States, Orville and Wilbur Wright fought a largely successful nine-year campaign to enforce their broad patent on the airplane. While innovators helped aviation thrive in Europe, the Wright brothers' patent crippled American industry until the outbreak of World War I, when the U.S. government forced the Wrights to license their technology so that planes could be built more expeditiously for the war effort. Techreview Patent Scorecard 2000 regular report on patent strategies of various corporations, here: AT&T, 3M. AT&T IP vice president Jeff George explains: "We want to build picket fences around the technologies that we think are most important for the future." LAMY Droit de l'Informatique et des Réseaux Berliner Konferenz über wirtschaftspolitische Aspekte der Softwarepatentierung Members of the Trilateral Commission Themen der Konferenz über wirtschaftspolitische Aspekte der Patentierung von Software Einladungsschreiben des BMWi RMS on Software Freedom OpenSource EU-Interoperabilitätsdirektive EU Interoperability Directive Directive Interoperabilité UE EUR-LEX OSSLaw OSSLaw Texte définitif de la Loi de l'Internet linki do organizacji przeciwnych patentom software'owym The Game Anti Patent Ring The President's Information Infrastructure Task Force A Framework for Global Electronic Commerce Al Gore says E-Commerce needs Patents Themen der Konferenz über wirtschaftspolitische Aspekte der Patentierung von Software Robert Gehrings Berliner Ausweg aus dem Digitalen Dilemma BMWi-Presseerklärung nach der Konferenz PATOnline kommerzielle Patentrecherche-Datenbank der TU Ilmenau Sequential Innovation, Patents, and Imitation - MIT Department of Economics Working Paper by James Bessen and Eric Maskin European Trademark Office Europäisches Markenamt Urheberrechts-Dokumentation der Uni Saarbrücken Bolkenstein Speech on Community IP ORF-Gespräch mit Prof. Lawrence Lessig Lessig kritisiert Libertarismus der OS-Gemeinde Tod der Cyber-Innovation durch Software-Stalinismus Dilbert Comic: My Patent for No-Click Shopping was granted! HeiseNT: OpenSource-Videosoftware nur ohne Microsoft-Format Microsoft patents AFS media file format, stops reverse engineering VirtualDub Windows-based GPL video image capturring and conversion software VirtualDub news Support of MS-ASF format was removed on request of MS ZVEI fordert umfassenden Software-Patentschutz Zdnet: ZVEI für Softwarepatente LiVe argumentiert gegen ZVEI Zentralverband der Elektronischen Industrie Linux-Verband LiVe e.V. Slashdot: CNET Patents Banner Advertising Networks FFII als Aussteller auf dem Linuxtag 2000 LinuxTag Alan Cox ruft zum Kampf gegen Softwarepatente auf Martin Schulze wirbt für FFII-Stand auf Linuxtag J.P. Smets: Practical Software Patent Tactics for OpenSource Developpers J.P. Smets: The Hidden Agenda of the European Commission OpenSource-Software durch Patente gefährdet Softwarepatente: Verbiegung des Rechts? Telepolis-Interview mit Hartmut Pilch Liste de Signatures de la Pétition des Étudiants de l'Université de Louvain Positions of DG 15 Computer & Recht Juristische Monatszeitschrift, deren Autoren seit Jahren für Softwarepatente trommeln Eurolinux Petition for a Software Patent Free Europe Eurolinux Petition: Statements from Entrepreneurs, Programmers, Politicians, Intellectuals Eurolinux Petition für ein softwarepatentfreies Europa Pétition Eurolinux pour une Europe sans brevets logiciels Eurolinux Underskriftindsamling imod misbrug af software-patenter Abaixo assinado: Por Uma Europa Livre de Patentes para Software Peticion para una Europa Libre de Patentes para Software Petizione per una Europa Senza Brevetti Software Eurolinux File on Software Patents Dossier EuroLinux sur les brevets logiciels Eurolinux Letter Template Eurolinux Consultation on Patentability of Computer Programs On 2001-10-19 the European Commission's patent department announced a consultation on the question of software patentability in Europe. Little later, the Eurolinux Alliance of IT companies and non-profit associations calls on its members and friends to contribute papers to the consultation and, as a basis for the discussion, published a knowledge database containing references to important articles and studies on this subject. Approximately 1300 persons, mainly programmers and computer professionals but also scholars of various disciplines and normal citizens responded to the call and sent consultation submissions to the EC patent department via the gateway consultation@eurolinux.org. This gateway served to ensure that the results were published at least on the Eurolinux pages, in case the EC patent department could fail to publish them promptly. The WAP Patent Problem Eurolinux Petition Press Releases Presseerklärungen zur Petition für ein Softwarepatentfreies Europa Communiqués de Presse liés a la Pétition pour une Europe sans Brevets Logiciels Slashdot Search: Patents Tim O'Reilly Debates Patent Office Director 19 Patents Given To GPL Community GPL patent grant for 19 patents IBM PUBLIC LICENSE VERSION 1.0 - JIKES COMPILER bladeenc is having legal problems Slashdot: Bladeenc Under Patent Attack Analysis of the DVD case OpenDVD Crackers and Crackdowns Internet Patents: Giving Away the Store DIZ MedienPort - Die Themen der Woche The competitiveness of European enterprises in the face of globalisation -- Opinion of the Committee of Regions warns against the danger of software patents Wettbewerbsfähigkeit europäischer Unternehmen im Angesicht der Globalisierung -- Stellungnahme des Ausschusses der Regionen warnt vor der Gefahr von Softwarepatentene Compétitivité des Entreprises Européennes en face de la globalisation -- Opinion du Committé des Régions avoue que la brevetabilité du logiciel serait dangéreuse pour l'Europe Competitivitá étitivité des Entreprises Européennes en face de la globalisation -- Parere del Comitato delle regioni la brevetabilita del software e pericolosa per l'Europ CdR Eagle Forum against rigid copyright plans Anarchism Triumphant: Free Software and the Death of Copyright Der Anarchismus triumphiert höchst lesenswerter Artikel des Rechtshistorikers Eben Moglen in sehr guter Übersetzung von Andreas von Bonin Workshop-Programm auf dem Linuxtag Informatikprofessor Clemens Cap warnt Ausschuss für Europäische Angelegenheiten Rechtsausschuss Ausschuss für Wirtschaft und Technologie Ausschuss für Bildung, Forschung und Technikfolgenabschätzung Unterausschuss "Neue Medien" Arbeit und Aufgaben des Unterausschusses "Neue Medien" MdB-Biographien der 14. Wahlperiode Comparative Study of Software Examination Practise of EPO, JPO and USPTO NSA Patents BGH-Urteil Sprachanalyse etc zu den neuesten BGH-Urteilen Intellectual Property Symposium of the Americas 2000 Imposing patent inflation on other countries via TRIPS consequences of differences in the scope of copyright protection on an international scale Hal Varian: Information Rules Gegen staatliche und kommerzielle Netzkontrolle O-Reilly collection of Internet patents BT claims ownership of hyperlinks Software-patenter Der BMBF Patentserver BMBF bietet Softwarepatent-Broschüre der Patentabteilung von Siemens an EPC revision conference announcement EPO on business method patents FFII Mailinglists Archive FFII SWPAT-Diskussion FFII Nachrichten Nack: Obviously you have a lot of time Margareta Wolf auf Unternehmensgründer-Tagung Lettre ouverte sur les brevets logiciels Bundesgerichtshof BGH-Patentsenat Basic proposal for revision of the European Patent Convention Basisvorschlag für die Revision des Europäischen Patentübereinkommens Proposition de Base en vue de la Révision de la Convention sur le brevet européen FICPI Vancouver Resolutions FICPI: Beschlüsse von Vancouver FICPI: Resolutions de Vancouver Opinions on Grace Period EU-Gründungsvertrag / Vertrag von Amsterdam §81.(1).b: Mit dem Gemeinsamen Markt unvereinbar und verboten sind [...] die Einschränkung oder Kontrolle [...] der technischen Entwicklung EPO says businesses are patentable if they have a technical effect Proposition Finale Brevet Communautaire Final Proposition on Community Patent Law Enquete sur la Protection du Logiciel Survey on Software Property GI Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. - Pressemitteilung Softwarepatentierung: Wissenschaftliche Leistung muss geschützt werden! International Patent Classification V 7 Amiga-Programmierer in Swpat-Panik FDP-Fraktion: Softwareschmieden nicht gefährden! Rapport Octrooiëring van Computersoftware Rapport Octrooiëring van Computersoftware Thomas Winischhofers Seite über Patente Report about Europarl Meeting Stimulating Competition and Innovation in the Information Society Interim Report by a research group at the Corps des Mines, an organisation of the French administration which is concerned with industrial policy and is continuing to study this subject. Available in French and English. In its initial chapters, the report gives a very reader-friendly introduction to the various means of investment protection available to software companies, introduces some example software patents and analyses their micro- and macro-economic effects. Chapter 4 analyses the legal situation, starting from the European Patent Convention and French court decisions of the 1970s, all of which rejected the patenting of methods of calculation embodied in software while showing some ambiguity in cases where this calculation was used for controlling industrial processes such as oil-drilling. The study procedes to show how the caselaw of the European Patent Office gradually drifted into a chaotic situation of questionable legal status. Chapter 5 proposes precise rules for determining what is technical which are based on doctrines of the 1970s but with further detail considerations taking into account the most avanguardist forms of programming and technology. The last chapter compares several political scenarios on how patentability could be limited using these rules while at the same time accomodating possible american pressures. Within this discussion, proposals for sui generis rights are also discussed. Stimulating Competition and Innovation in the Information Society Ewiges Logfile Justizministerin Herta DG fordert Moratorium Liikanen for OpenSource software in security relevant areas A Manifesto Concerning the Legal Protection of Computer Programs Pamela Samuelson, Randall Davis, Mitchell D Kapor, JH Reichmann Finding a Balance: Computer Software, Intellectual Property and the Challenge of Technological Change United States Patent and Trademark Office, Public Hearing on Use of the Patent System to Protect Software-Related Inventions, Transcript of Proceedings, 1994 Diplomatische Konferenz zur Revision des Europäischen Patentübereinkommens Diplomatic Conference to revise the European Patent Convention Diplomatische Konferenz zur Revision des Europäischen Patentübereinkommens - Dokumente Bundesgerichtshof Bericht des IGE über die Diplomatische Konferenz Erzwingt Patentierbarkeitskrise eine neue Weltordnung? The Patent Office - Should Patents be Granted for Computer Software or Ways of Doing Business? Der Teufel steckt im Detail Bronwyn H. Hall, Rose Marie Ham -- The Patent Paradox Revisited: Determinants of Patenting in the US Semiconductor Industry, 1980-94 Upside opinion: Surviving a War With Patents Offizielle Dokumente (in Kraft getretene Gesetzestexte Examination Guidelines of the European Patent Office Prüfungsrichtlinien des Europäischen Patentamtes Règles d'Examen de l'Office Européen de Brevet EPA-Prüfungsrichtlinien zu Erfindungen und Art 52 EPÜ EPO Examination Guidelines on Inventions and Art 52 EPC Règles d'Examen de l'OEB sur les Invention et Art 52 CEB Advogato: Patents In Europe EPO Trilateral Website B3B EPO explains how to patent business methods under Art 52 EPC According to Art 52 of the European Patent Convention (EPC), business methods and programs for computers are not patentable inventions. In this document the European Patent Office (EPO) explains that business methods with a technical effect are not business methods as such and can therefore be patented. To remove any remaining doubts, the EPO explains: This scheme makes no mention of the "further technical effect" discussed in T1173/97. There is no need to consider this concept in examination, and it is preferred not to do so for the following reasons: firstly, it is confusing to both examiners and applicants; secondly, the only apparent reason for distinguishing "technical effect" from "further technical effect" in the decision was because of the presence of "programs for computers" in the list of exclusions under Article 52(2) EPC. If, as is to be anticipated, this element is dropped by the Diplomatic Conference, there will no longer be any basis for such a distinction. It is to be inferred that the Board of Appeal would have preferred to be able to say that no computer-implemented invention is excluded from patentability by the provisions of Articles 52(2) and (3) EPC. Moreover, the term "computer-implemented invention" is introduced. It is intended to cover claims which specify computers, computer networks or other conventional programmable digital apparatus whereby prima facie the novel features of the claimed invention are realised by means of a new program or programs. Such claims may take the form of a method of operating said conventional apparatus, the apparatus set up to execute the method (loaded with the program), or, following T1173/97, the program itself. Insofar as the scheme for examination is concerned, no distinctions are made on the basis of the overall purpose of the invention, i.e. whether it is intended to fill a business niche, to provide some new entertainment, etc. EPO Annual Report 1999 Basisvorschlag für die Revision des Europäischen Patentübereinkommens EPO: Patent Information on the Internet BMJ berichtigt Bericht über Gespräch mit Däubler-Gmelin Fragen an das BMJ Julian Stacey: patent vampires exploiting and degrading the software industry Rosset: Convenzione Europea de Brevetti, FFII The Register: European Software Patent Horror Gallery Microsoft honous Linux programmer with patent gong Andreas Heer: Schranken setzen Andreas Heer: Bericht zur Dipl. Konferenz entretien avec RMS sur les brevets Ein Patent gegen Patente Bundesjustizministerin gegen Swpat U.M.S.: Petition gegen Softwarepatente FTD - 101 Köpfe: Wolfgang Tauchert Beschluss der Grünen für OSS und gegen Swpat Software Patents - Commission launches Consultations Software-Patente - Kommission leitet Sondierung ein Brevets Logiciels - La Commission lance une Consultation IPI Study: The Economic Impact of Patentability of Computer Programs IPI Study: The Economic Impact of Patentability of Computer Programs Replies to the EC swpat consultation Replies to the EC swpat consultation Replies to the EC swpat consultation Online Forum on the Patentability of Computer-Implementable Rules of Organisation and Calculation index page for the consultations area on the UK Patent Office website Responses to the British Patent Office's Consultation on Patentability of Computer Programs On 2001-10-19 the European Commission's Industrial Property Unit announced a consultation on the question of software patentability in Europe. Little later, the United Kingdom's Patent Office hosted an independent consultation on behalf of the British government. This consultation was based on a set of questions that were, unlike those of the European Commission's Industrial Property Unit, not only directed to patent lawyers but, at least in part, quite suitable to be answered by computer professionals. Also, the consultation questions were not narrowly based on jurisprudence of the European Patent Office but included that of the UKPTO and British courts. British jurisprudence never had a systematic definition of technical invention such as the ones worked out by continental jurisprudence in the 70s and early 80s. They relied more on ad hoc caselaw solutions and yet somehow managed to keep their caselaw fairly stable, watching the extreme changes at the EPO from a certain distance. Thus the UKTPO was in a fairly good position to conduct a more objective consultation this time, and when you browse through their neatly ordered and interesting consultation web pages, you may want to applaud them for doing a good job. TheRegister EuroParl meeting report Heise News-Ticker: Gesetzesinitiative gegen Internet-Patente in den USA mp3licensing.com - Home mp3licensing.com - Patent Portfolio FAQ: MPEG, Patents, and Audio Coding LAME = LAME Ain't an MP3 Encoder Links to patent and other intellectual property information resources Against Intellectual Property Kritik an GI-Mayr Spiegel zu GI-Mayr Rücktritt von GI-Mayr gefordert Die Welt: Patente blockieren Fortschritt Tauss warnt vor Schäden durch Softwarepatentierung Spiegel: Software-Patente - Fesseln für die Open Source? Union for the Public Domain Business Practice Patents The US Patent System is Out of Control! Phil Karn, an employee of Qualcomm, on Patents Kurzgutachten Softwarepatente von Lutterbeck, Horns und Gehring für BMWi Erich Bierampel: Kritik Lutterbeck-Studie Report on Software Patents by Joaquin Seoane (professor of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid) and Ramon Garcia Fernandez Réponse de l'Isoc-France à la Consultation sur la Brevetabilité du Logiciel de la Direction Générale du Marché Intérieur de la Commission Européenne British Computer Society Software Protection Specialist Group Summaries of articles on software patents The Expansion of the Patent System: Politics and Political Economy Memory Technology Device (MTD) Subsystem for Linux Response from M-Systems on Patent issues BT Patent als E-Business-Killer? British Telecom accuses ISPs of patent infringement BT sues Prodigy BT goes to law over hyperlink patent BT pushes hyperlink patent BT launches US hyperlinks legal action Prodigy to fight BT's shameless hyperlinks patent lawsuit British Telecom Taking Prodigy To Court Over Hyperlinks BT sues Prodigy over US hyperlink patent Techsearch attacks Aharonian on Rozmanith patent Patent als Waffe gegen Kritiker The Free Protocols Foundation Why WAP patents are harmful article LeMatin sur les danger de la brevetabilité du logiciel IP caught in the web Poynder (Derwent): Patents and the Web: Friends of Foes SYNOPSIS OF Caught in a Web, Intellectual Property in Cyberspace Drummond Reed, Chief Technology Officer, OneName Inc., talks to Richard Poynder Dai Rees, Director, Directorate 2.2.01, European Patent Office, talks to Richard Poynder Fritz Machlup: Die wirtschaftlichen Grundlagen des Patentrechts Fritz Machlup 1958: The economic foundations of patent law Fritz Andres: Vorwort zu Machlup Fritz Andres: Nachwort zu Machlup Vortragsprogramm des SFFO Intervista Rosset con phm Digital Signature Standard -- We can do better The Crypto Patent Challenge Collection of Schnorr and PKP related court action documents by Greg Aharonian Public Key Patent Cases -- Roger Shlafly on his successful defense against infringement charges by RSADSI Shlafly's opposition to counter-motion: 'Signal' is not a magic word RMS on crypto patent questions Prof. Dr. C.P. Schnorr's Generic Home Page The Great Patent Giveaway The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is likely to curtail the number of Internet business-method patents it grants in response to mounting criticism. A Model Software Petite Patent Act a full supplement to the American Patent Act plus detailed comments, aiming to further concretise the Manifesto Bricklin: Patents and Software Visicalc Developper on inadequacy of patents for software Dr. Mayer: Moratorium instead of Extension of Software Patents Pressemitteilung der CSU-Landesgruppe -- Software/Rechtsschutz/Eckwertepapier Dr. Mayer: Moratorium instead of Extension of Software Patents Press Release of the IT spokesman of the CSU group in the German Federal Parliament Richard Stallman: Saving Europe from Software Patents Yahoo 2000-11-13: AltaVista Wins Patents for Search Technology; Portfolio of 38 Patents Important in Extending Search Leadership Altavista patent attacks announced in Internet World VOSN en Software Patenten De VOSN maakt zich grote zorgen over de plannen om in Europa patenten op software toe te staan. Patenten (ook wel octrooien genoemd) op software hebben in de USA reeds een vernietigend effect op de IT sector, met name het MKB, en gebruikers en makers van open source software behoren tot de eersten die hier last van zouden krijgen Fraunhofer Telematics Institute Fraunhofer Telematics Institute Fraunhofer Institut für Telematik brüstet sich mit seinem Trivialpatent Fraunhofer Institute for Telematics brags with its trivial patent BGH Beschluss "Sprachanalyse" 2000-05-11 X ZB 15/98 BPatG Bechluss "Sprachanalyse" 1998-05-07 17 W(pat) 55/96 Intellectual Property Initiative Background and Overview of the Intellectual Property Initiative EPO Guidelines on the Inventive Step Richtlinien des EPA zur erfinderischen Tätigkeit Looking at Angels Brokat Press Release: Brokat Granted Patent for Mobile Digital Signature Presseerklärung von Brokat: Brokat erhält Patent für mobile digitale Signatur United Kingdom Patent Office consultation on the question as to whether or not patents should be granted for computer software or ways of doing business http://www.patent.gov.uk/about/ippd/consultation/conclusions.htm Should Patents be Granted for Computer Software or Ways of Doing Business? patents discussion at aful.org Paul B. Laat: Patenting mathemtical algorithms: What's the harm? A thought experiment in algebra ISI Projektbeschreibung Softwarepatente ISI-Untersuchung über den Zustand der Softwarebranche übergeht freie Sw, empfiehlt ingenieurmäßiges Vorgehen und Softwarepatente Heise News-Ticker: Software-Entwicklung: Kampf den Altlasten Heise News-Ticker: Blinder Fleck Open Source: Software-Studie unter Beschuss IPR Helpdesk on Software Patents European Parliament 1998-11-19: Resolution on the Greenpaper Europa-Parlament 1998-11-19: Entschließung zum Grünbuch Punkt 19: Swpat wie in JP+US Parlament Européen 1998-11-19: Resolution sur le Livre Vert Software-Offensive Bayern: Softwarepatente Einreichung einer Petition - Hilfe About Betten & Resch About Betten & Resch CZ 2001-05-03: Justizministerin vehement gegen Swpat future hague convention on international jurisdiction and the effects of judgments in civil and commercial matters future hague convention on international jurisdiction and the effects of judgments in civil and commercial matters Microsoft patent on distributed file systems 1999 LPF: Against Software Patents LPF: Software Patents are Legally Questionnable In its whitepaper 'Against Software Patents', the League for Programming Freedom devotes a chapter to the question of legality of software patents under the American legal system. Although in the USA there was never a clear legal provision against patenting computer programs, in the USA as in other countries there has been customary law that the patent system is limited to a sphere of inventions that disclose some new way of 'transforming matter', and until the 70s there has been a consensus of not allowing software to be patented, because it did not contribute anything new to the transforming of matter. Moreover, some of the caselaw that paved the way for voiding this limit in the 80s was misinterpreted by the concerned authorities. Thus in fact a minority of patent lawyers illicitely broke a basic consensus within the american legal system. Juristische Stellungnahmen von Prof. Dr. iur Karl-Friedrich Lenz Patentrecht-Seminar Prof Straus SS 2001 AIPPI report on the Diplomatic Conference of the European Patent Organisation of 2000-11 by Ralph Nack Noam Chomsky on Microsoft and the rise of private tyrannies since Madison R. Sietmann in c't 17/2001, S. 170: Software-Patente: Wettbewerb im Gerichtssaal Avis de l'académie des technologies concernant la Brevetabilité des inventions mises en oeuvre par ordinateur http://severino.free.fr/archives/texteslocaux/michelvivantnouveauparadigme.html Umfrage: Was bringen Swpat Ihrem Unternehmen? EPO Press Release: We will no longer conduct novelty searches for innovations that use conventional technology to implement what is essentially a method for doing business not patentable under Art 52 EPC Reponses aux Questions Fréquentes sur les Brevets Logiciels a very detailed French FAQ on the questions of software patentability, written by Jean-Paul Smets in 2000 Wasmeier, Josefsson et al: Software Patent FAQ draft Michael Wasmeier, Erik Josefsson and others just started to work on a collaborative Software Patents FAQ using the Zope Content Managment Framework Greg Aharonian: How all business methods achieve a technical effect Erwin J. Basinski: Business Method Patents in Europe - A Saussurean Explanation Claus Dendorfer 1998: Patente und der Schutz softwarebezogener Erfindungen A German patent attorney explains to his customers that it is fairly easy and worthwhile to obtain patents with broad claims to trivial software ideas in Germany: One of the reasons for this triviality is the approach of patent offices to "non-obviousness" which is implies that anything that goes beyond the cognitive capabilities of a standardised uncreative search robot is not obvious. Therefore it is especially easy to obtain broad patents in new areas of programming where little has been documented so far. Traditionally, software applications were frequently rejected due to lack of technical character, but recent court decisions have changed this. Since patents can significantly contribute to the value of a company, an investment in the systematic acquisition of patents can easily become worthwhile for a software company. http://joelonsoftware.com/ Chicken and Egg Problems -- Compatibility Big Macs vs The Naked Chef -- Scalability Converting Capital into Software that Works CSU-Huber fordert Entzug der Ausstrahlungslizenz für Internet-Pornografie EFF Europe founding discussions EPO press release on the Diplomatic Conference EPO Presseerklärung über die Diplomatische Konferenz Communiqué de Presse OEB sur la Conférence Diplomatique EPO 2001-10-05 press release: Amendment of the Guidelines for Examination in the European Patent Office regarding the patentability of business methods and computer-related inventions The EPO announces that it has changed changed its examination guidelines based on the decision T 1173/97 which made claims to "computer program products" and computer programs admissible. EPA Presseerklärung 2001-10-05: Änderung der Prüfungsrichtlinien im HInblick auf die Patentierbarkeit von Geschäftsverfahren und computer-bezogenen Erfindungen Communiqué de Presse de l'OEB 2001-10-05: Changement des les nouvelles Règles d'Examen concernant la brevetabilité des méthodes de gestion et des inventions liées aux ordinateurs Karin Kosina: Softwarepatente in Europa maybe the only simple FAQ style German language introduction to the subject of software patentability in Europe so far. Fails to inform readers about the concept of technical invention which is implicit in art 52 of the EPC. US National Academies: Intellectual Property Rights in a Knowledge-Based Economy Rechtsanwälte Strömer: Gesetzessammlung Online-Recht Softwarepatente: Untersuchung einiger Fallbeispiele Fraunhofer-Seite zu MP3-Forschungen Prof Reiss, WiWi Uni Paderborn: Ausschreibung Diplomarbeit Swpat-Ökonomie ABUL: Brevets Logiciels PA Axel H. Horns Bernard Lang: Annotated Links on the Software Patentability Debate a comprehensive collection of links to studies on the economic effects and on the legality of software patents and to accounts about developments in various countries, especially France Syntec Informatique: Position sur les Brevets Logiciels IBM toilet reservation patent Maastricht Economic Research Institute on Innovation and Technology Maastricht University Portal on Information Economy and Intellectual Property This site exhibits a collection of study reports, several written in 2001, under titles such as "Intellectual Property Rights in a Knowledge Based Economies" about the impact of patents, copyright and other exclusion rights on the production of information. All these reports express concern that these rights may on the whole have been on the whole doing more harm than good, and software patents are cited as extreme examples. These reports are part of a larger endeavor of research about the economics of information, involving the Maastricht Economic Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT), which has since the 1980s gradually become a European center for studies in this field. ??triviales patent, hinweis von Marko Schuetz?? Aigrain 2002: 11 questions on software patentability issues in the US and Europe a paper representing the private views of Philippe Aigrain, head of a department in the Infosoc Directorate of the European Commission. Asks some questions which the patent movement probably doesn't like. In some cases the the answer is almost evident once the taboo-breaking question is asked, in other cases the answer requires some research that is yet waiting to be done. The paper was prepared for a conference on open software and information policy research hosted by the US National Science Foundation in Arlington near Washington. H. Pilch from FFII is also attending. Erklärung Bulmahn zum Hochschulpatentgesetz site pro-brevet-logiciel du lobby intra-ministeriel francais Rapport du groupe de travail interministériel "Quelles protections pour les logiciels" 13 juillet 2001 interview transfert interview transfert Parti Socialiste contre Brevets Logiciels et Pratique OEB Danish University Patent Act of 1999