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Computer-implemented inventions: where do we stand in the debate on "software patents"?
A conference organised by the European Patent Office
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Brussels, 5 July 2007
Renaissance Hotel
See photos from the event.
Chair: Oswald Schröder, Principal Director, Head of Communications, EPOModerator: James Nurton, editor-in-chief of the magazine Managing Intellectual Property, London
Panel 1: The EU institutions' view
Setting the scene: a short review of the status quo by an EP proponent and an EP opponent of the Directive. How do they see the situation today?
- Eva Lichtenberger, MEP, Green Party
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Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, MEP, ALDE
Special presentation: A new approach
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Jonathan Sage, Governmental Programmes, IP Law Dept., IBM
Soft IP [PDF, 97 KB]
Panel 2: EPO practice
Catching up with EPO practice: how has it evolved, and how does it look today? How does the EPO go about its examination business in this field? How has the case law evolved through the rulings of the EPO's boards of appeal, its second-instance judiciary?
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Stephen Hey, Principal Director, Computer Cluster
The Joint Cluster Computers: the situation in search and examination [PDF, 88 KB] -
Nildo Ciarelli, Director, Computer Cluster
Patentability of computer-implemented inventions at the EPO [PDF, 203 KB] -
Stefan Wibergh, Technical member, Board of Appeal 3.5.01
Computer-implemented inventions: EPO Case Law [PDF, 383 KB]
Panel 3: The users' perspective
This session looks at the evolution of everyday practice in the member states. Has the absence of a directive led to a marked divergence between national practice and that of the EPO? How has national case law developed in the meantime? How does this affect users?
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Keith Beresford, European Patent Attorney and UK Chartered Patent Attorney, London
Inconsistencies and uncertainties in case law [PDF, 227 KB] -
Daniel Doll-Steinberg, CEO, Tribeka Ltd.
Computer-implemented inventions: The users' perspective [PDF, 354 KB] -
Thomas Wünsche, CEO, EMS Thomas Wünsche [PDF, 249 KB]
Panel 4: The quality controversy
Concerns about an influx of trivial patents for CII have repeatedly been voiced and can still be heard today. This session aims to offer a more precise definition of what may be understood by patent quality, how it manifests itself and to what extent Europe is concerned by the problem in the given context.
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Pieter Hintjens, FFII
Silicon and software. Software patents and the digital society [PDF, 88 KB] -
Bernhard Fischer, Global IP Group, SAP
CII patents and quality: What is at issue? [PDF, 458 KB] -
Francisco Mingorance, Director of Public Policy, BSA Europe
Restoring Patent quality and Fairness in Enforcement. An outlook on US and EU patent reforms [PDF, 81 KB]