Compiling Solutions to Protect Intellectual Property in Software

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Compiling Solutions ToPROTECT IP IN SOFTWARE

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The New Reality ForSOFTWARE

PATENTABILITY

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The Supreme Court Changed Everything

Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank, 134 S.Ct. 2347 (2014)

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abstract idea?

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Do the claim elements add significantly more than the abstract idea?

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CONFUSED?

(Most are)

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Here’s What We Know

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1It’s brutal out there for software patent owners

Post Alice Federal Circuit decisions related to software patentability:

(It’s worse at the district court)

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2Fundamental economic and financial processes are abstract

Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank, 134 S.Ct. 2347 (2014)

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3Data structures are probably abstract

Content Extraction v. Wells Fargo, 776 F.3d 1343 (Fed. Cir. 2014)

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4Traditional ways of doing business are abstract

Ultramercial v. Hulu, 772 F.3d 709 (Fed. Cir. 2014)

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5If it can be done with a pencil and paper, it’s abstract

Synopsys v. Mentor Graphics, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6333 (N.D. Cal. Jan 20, 2015)

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6Computer automation will not overcome an abstract idea

Synopsys v. Mentor Graphics, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6333 (N.D. Cal. Jan 20, 2015)

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7Using typical building blocks will not overcome abstract idea

Open Text v. Box, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6309 (N.D. Cal. Jan 20, 2015)

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It Can FeelHOPELESS

For Software Developers

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What Software Developers Can Do To Protect IP

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Focus on claims that solve technology problems

DDR Holdings v. Hotels.com, 773 F.3d 1245 (Fed. Cir. 2014)

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Highlight counter-intuitive uses of known technologies

DDR Holdings v. Hotels.com, 773 F.3d 1245 (Fed. Cir. 2014)

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Incorporate hardware elements into your software claims

Bascom Research v. LinkedIn, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4606 (N.D. Cal. Jan. 2, 2015)

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Be detailed in your specification and claims

HP v. ServiceNow, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 29384 (N.D. Cal. Mar. 10, 2015)

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Keep focus on specialized algorithms and data structures

HP v. ServiceNow, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 29384 (N.D. Cal. Mar. 10, 2015)

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copyright

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Consider choosing to protect software as a trade secret

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Protecting Software As ATRADE SECRET

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What Exactly Is A Trade Secret?

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be secret (shocker!)

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It derives “independent economic value” from being secret

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efforts to keep it secret

Unif. Trade Secrets Act § 1.4

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Provides a right to limit the dissemination of the information

Altavion, Inc. v. Konica Minolta Sys. Lab. Inc., 226 Cal.App.4th 26 (Cal. App., 2014)

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Keys To Protecting Software Trade Secrets

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1Make it clear in the code that it is confidential

Huawei Techs. Co., Ltd. v. Motorola, Inc., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17165 (N.D. Ill. Feb. 22, 2011)

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2Use confidentiality agreements

Lincoln Park Sav. Bank v. Binetti, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7320 (N.D. Ill. Jan. 26, 2011)

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3Control who can view the source code

Lincoln Park Sav. Bank v. Binetti, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7320 (N.D. Ill. Jan. 26, 2011)

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4Silo your confidential and non-confidential source code

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5Train your employees

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6Create a rapid response team

Lockheed Martin Corp. v. L-3 Commc’ns Corp., 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 109615 (N.D. Ga. Sept. 30, 2008)

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Seth A. Northrop

Silicon [email protected]