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10/10/2008
Patent protection for software development |
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Technology companies will find it easier to safeguard their innovations in the UK after a court ruled that software should receive wider patent protection.
The Court of Appeal said today (October 10th) that complex software such as programmes designed to make mobile phones and computers work faster can be patented in the UK.
Previously, manufacturers could claim commercial exclusivity for their products under copyright laws but had less legal protection for underlying technical processes.
As a result of the ruling, developers are likely to find it easier to secure approval from the UK’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO), which has traditionally been reluctant to grant patents to cover software.
In related news, a non-profit consultancy, Innovation Partnership, has warned that scientific research is being stifled by "blocking patents" and the company has called for an urgent reform of the system.
According to Innovation Partnership, vital information sharing which could help propel scientific advances into cancer medicine is being thwarted because of the current system. |
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