The eLearning Center for Gatlin Education Services

Four instructors, representing private law practice, the university setting, and the IP business community, describe how to safeguard intellectual property that is in development, dormant or simply not yet registered for protection by copyright or patent registration regimes. The instructors begin with a session on trade secret first aid, which addresses the confidentiality issues surrounding departing employees. After outlining various protective measures, the instructors provide alternative approaches to procuring a patent, describing how to determine whether or not the intellectual capital qualifies as a trade secret. Next, the instructors consider the practice of IP protection and licensing at the university level. After considering early-stage licensing risks, the instructors conclude with a sweeping view of pre-patent computer software. They urge the student to categorize assets, aggregate information and consider alternatives to patent-based protection of intellectual property. The speakers finish the program by suggesting a methodology for risk assessment throughout the software development process.

Pre-Registration Protection of Intellectual Property Rights
    I. Utilizing Trade Secrets
        A. Introduction
        B. Trade Secret First Aid
            1. DRAW
            2. The Three Issues
        C. Confidentiality Agreements
        D. Enforcement
        E. Protective Measures
        F. Alternative Approaches
        G. The Festo decision
        H. American Inventor’s Protection Act
        I. Business Method Patents
        J. Different Standards
    II. University Licensing
        A. Introduction
        B. University Intellectual Property Policy
        C. Governing Principles
        D. The Bayh-Dole Act
        E. Technology Transfer
            1. Traditional Patent Applications
            2. Dynamic Environments
            3. Research Value
            4. The Principal Investigator
            5. Creating Alliances
        F. Strategic Positioning
    III. Licensing Pre-Patent IP
        A. Introduction
        B. License or No License?
            1. Strategies
            2. Business Models
            3. Finances
        C. Consideration
        D. Licensing Risks
            1. Patent Is Not Issued
            2. Aronson v. Quick Point Pencil Company
            3. Scope of Protection
            4. Unpredictability
            5. Undeveloped Product
            6. Springboard
            7. Third-Party Rights
    IV. Protecting Software
        A. Introduction
        B. Software IP Protection
        C. Aggregate Information
        D. Consider Nonpatent IP
        E. Categorize Assets
        F. Vulnerabilities
        G. Protection Analysis
        H. Product Design
        I. Distribution
        J. Trade Secrets
            1. Loss
            2. Maintenance
            3. Theft
            4. Contracts
        K. Software Development
        L. Open-Source Software
    AfterWords^SM