Compiling Solutions to Protect Intellectual Property in Software

© 2015 ROBINS KAPLAN LLP

Compiling Solutions ToPROTECT IP IN SOFTWARE

© 2015 ROBINS KAPLAN LLP 2

The New Reality ForSOFTWARE

PATENTABILITY


The Supreme Court Changed Everything

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

© 2015 ROBINS KAPLAN LLP 41 Is the claim directed to an

abstract idea?


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


CONFUSED?

(Most are)


Here’s What We Know


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)


2Fundamental economic and financial processes are abstract

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


3Data structures are probably abstract

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


4Traditional ways of doing business are abstract

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


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)


6Computer automation will not overcome an abstract idea

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


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)


It Can FeelHOPELESS

For Software Developers


What Software Developers Can Do To Protect IP


Focus on claims that solve technology problems

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


Highlight counter-intuitive uses of known technologies

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


Incorporate hardware elements into your software claims

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


Be detailed in your specification and claims

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


Keep focus on specialized algorithms and data structures

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

© 2015 ROBINS KAPLAN LLP 226 Do not forget about

copyright


Consider choosing to protect software as a trade secret


Protecting Software As ATRADE SECRET


What Exactly Is A Trade Secret?


It derives “independent economic value” from being secret


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)


Keys To Protecting Software Trade Secrets


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)


2Use confidentiality agreements

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


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)


4Silo your confidential and non-confidential source code


5Train your employees


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)


Seth A. Northrop

Silicon [email protected]

Compiling Solutions to Protect Intellectual Property in Software

Law

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