Intellectual Property

Boston College Law School

March 14, 2008

Software - Intro, Scope

Software & Hardware

Hardware

OS

ApplicationApplicationApplicationApplicationApplicationApplicationApplication

E.g. Windows, Mac OS, PS2 OS

E.g. Dell PC, Macintosh,PS2

E.g. MS Word, Netscape Navigator, PS2 Game, etc.

Software Creation

• Typical steps– (1) Requirements analysis– (2) Architecting / high-level design– (3) User interface design– (4) Writing code– (5) Validation and maintenance

Software Creation

} Var {for variable function …} num, count, primes, …. Begin {of program} {*****initialize var … num :=2;{the prime num … count :=0;{number of pri … times :=0;{number of col … {*****ask user how many … write (‘How many prime … read (primes); writeln; writeln; {carriage returns} writeln;

Compile

Source Code

11101001 01111001 0010110010010000 10010000 1100110110101011 01000011 0110111101110000 01111001 0110010001010010 01001100 0100000101101110 01100011 0000001000000100 00000000 1011001111101001 01111001 0010110010010000 10010000 1100110110101011 01000011 0110111101110000 01111001 0110010001010010 01001100 0100000101101110 01100011 0000001000000100 00000000 1011001111101001 01111001 0010110010010000 10010000 1100110110101011 01000011 0110111101110000 01111001 01100100

Object Code

Network Effects

Network Effects• Definition: where value of a product to one

consumer depends on number of other consumers using it

• Examples– Actual networks: e.g. telephone, fax machines,

instant messaging, etc.– Standards: e.g. QWERTY keyboard, MP3, etc.– Compatible products: e.g. VCRs, DVD, computer

operating systems, etc.

Costs and Benefits

• Benefits– Competing standards can be inefficient– Lower training costs, portability– Wider selection in complementary markets

• Costs– Lock in to suboptimal standard– Issues of market power where standard owned

Competing Strategies

MAI

MAI OS

MAIApps

OS

HardwareApple

Apple OS

3d PartiesApple 3d Parties3d Parties3d Parties3d Parties3d Parties

3d Parties

Microsoft

3d PartiesMicrosoft 3d Parties3d Parties3d Parties3d Parties3d Parties

3d Parties3d Parties3d Parties3d Parties3d Parties3d Parties

Copyright Protection

• CONTU Recommendations 1978

• 17 U.S.C. § 101. Definitions– “Literary works” are works … expressed in words,

numbers, or other verbal or numerical symbols or indicia ….

• 17 U.S.C. § 102. Subject Matter– “(b) In no case does copyright protection … extend

to any idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, ….”

Issues

• Copyrightability– Object Code– Source Code– Non-Literal Structures– Functional Elements– Screen Displays– User Interfaces

Apple v. Franklin

} Var {for variable function …} num, count, primes, …. Begin {of program} {*****initialize var … num :=2;{the prime num … count :=0;{number of pri … times :=0;{number of col … {*****ask user how many … write (‘How many prime … read (primes); writeln; writeln; {carriage returns} writeln;

Compile

Source Code

11101001 01111001 0010110010010000 10010000 1100110110101011 01000011 0110111101110000 01111001 0110010001010010 01001100 0100000101101110 01100011 0000001000000100 00000000 1011001111101001 01111001 0010110010010000 10010000 1100110110101011 01000011 0110111101110000 01111001 0110010001010010 01001100 0100000101101110 01100011 0000001000000100 00000000 1011001111101001 01111001 0010110010010000 10010000 1100110110101011 01000011 0110111101110000 01111001 01100100

Object Code

Whelan v. Jaslow• Dentalab v. Dentcom

– Different object code and source code– Similarities in non-literal elements

• File structures (how data stored)

• Screen outputs (how results displayed)

• Five subroutines– Order entry– Invoicing– Accounts receivable– End of day procedure– End of month procedure

Whelan v. Jaslow

• Standard for idea/expression:– “the purpose or function of a utilitarian work

would be the work’s idea, and everything that is not necessary to that purpose or function would be part of the expression of that idea.”

• Idea = purpose or function

• Expression = everything not necessary to purpose

Whelan v. Jaslow

Main Purpose

Program Structure

Modules, Data

Source Code

Object Code

No Protection

Protected UnlessNecessary

Computer Assoc. v. Altai

IBM 370

CA-Adapter

CA-Scheduler Zeke

Oscar 3.4

CMS MVS VSE

Oscar 3.5

Abstraction

Main Purpose

Program Structure

Modules, Data

Source Code

Object Code

Filtration

Main Purpose

Program Structure

Modules, Data

Source Code

Object Code

- Ideas- Dictated by efficiency- Dictated by external factors- Public domain

Comparison

Main Purpose

Program Structure

Modules, Data

Source Code

Object Code

Computer Assoc. v. Altai

Not copied

Not Protected

CA-Scheduler

Dictated by OS or apps

P.D. or functional

Flows from purpose

Main Purpose

Parameter Lists, Macros

Source Code, Object Code

Oscar 3.5

General Outline

Services Required

Altai Test v. Whelan Test

Object Code

Purpose

Altai

Modules, Data

Source Code

Program Structure

Whelan

Hypothetical

• Facts– You are general counsel to software company

– Developing an application

– Have obtained source code of competing product

– Would like to save time by copying as much as possible

• Question– What, if anything, can we copy?

– Giving advice to company’s software engineers

Administrative

• Next Class– Finish V.B.1 – Scope

• Class cancellations– Monday, March 19– Friday, March 30