Theory and practice of intellectual property rights protection in software

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Kyiv University of Law the NAS of Ukraine

Theory and practice of intellectual property rights protection in software

Mykhailo Ponomarenko, Postgraduate student of

Introduction

Formulation of the problem. Intellectual property was until recently the domain of specialists and producers of intellectual property rights. The TRIPS Agreement concluded during the Uruguay Round negotiations has signaled a major shift in this regard.

Developing country members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) no longer have the policy options and flexibilities developed countries had in using IPRs to support their national development. Despite this, TRIPS is not the end of the story. Significant new developments are taking place at the international, regional and bilateral level that build on and strengthen the minimum TRIPS standards through the progressive harmonization of policies along standards of technologically advanced countries. The challenges ahead in designing and implementing IP-policy at the national and international levels are considerable¹.

It is urgent, therefore, to ask the question: How can developing countries use IP tools to advance their development strategy? What are the key concerns surrounding the issues of IPRs for developing countries? What are the specific difficulties they face in intellectual property negotiations? These are essential questions that policy makers need to address in order to design IPR laws and policies that best meet the needs of their people and negotiate effectively in future agreements.

Recent research and publications. Important issues of the researched problem were considered in the works of Ukrainian scientists, in particular Y.L. Boshytskyi, А.О. Kodynets, K.O. Zerov, Y.V. Nosik, M. V. Kotenko, L.L. Tarasenko, I. Tomarov and others.

Researches made by international institutions, such as the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Network of Technology and Innovation Centers (TISCs), World Trade Organization (WTO), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) etc., plays an important role.

At the same time, the lack of combination in a single scientific work practical knowledge of programming with legal theories and practices of software protection creates a field for reasoning and research on this topic.

Purpose of the article. The purpose of this article will be a theoretical and methodological justification of the impact of reliable protection of intellectual property rights on software and some of its elements aimed at the Europeanization of public administration in Ukraine.

Presenting main material

Intellectual property law secures all the types of programs, including distribution programs, applications and scripts that can be run on computer, smartphone or any other device. Name of the program or application can be protected by Trade mark. Code (its textual form) secured by author's law. The technology gets the protection with utility patent. Unique visual qualities are protected by design patent. Also IP Law provides special forms of contracts for different types of relations. One can save and regulate the distribution of commercial secrecy by signing the nondisclosure agreement. By the time, the company decides to get investment or f.e. gets involved into M&A process, it must consolidate established distribution of shareholders agreement, which requires all the IP rights should be registered and included in the final evaluation report, determined by special procedure called «due diligence».

The concept of “software” is the broadest in scope term, which includes both a computer program, which is a code written in a programming language that drives the algorithms of the computer and leads it to perform its functions and algorithms that are ideas, the principles of solving a specific problem and on the basis of which you can create programs designed for implementation on a computer. intellectual property innovation computer program

The main requirements for the protection of computer programs are originality and objective form of expression. The main form of expression of computer programs is electronic. The requirement of originality can be considered complied with if the computer program is a product of mental, intellectual creativity of its author, his creative choices. In addition, in Ukraine there is a presumption of originality: until proven otherwise, the result of intellectual activity is considered to be made by creative work.

The most comprehensive multilateral agreement on intellectual property is the WTO Agreement on Trade- Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). It plays a central role in facilitating trade in knowledge and creativity, in resolving trade disputes over IP, and in assuring WTO members the latitude to achieve their domestic policy objectives. It frames the IP system in terms of innovation, technology transfer and public welfare. The Agreement is a legal recognition of the significance of links between IP and trade and the need for a balanced IP system.

In accordance with Part 1 of Article 10 of the TRIPS AgreementAgreement on trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights / Access mode: https://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/27-trips.pdf, computer programs as literary works are protected in source and object codes:

Source code is any set of commands written in a computer programming language in a form that can be read and modified by an individual.

An object code is a sequence of statements or instructions in a computer language, usually a machine code language or an intermediate language, such as a register language.

It is also important that Article 180 of the Association Agreement provides for the legal protection of preparatory documentation, if such documentation allows for the further creation of a computer program.

Copyright protects ONLY the form of expression of a computer program, symbolic record of operators and actions on them. Ideas and principles of building a computer program are not subject to legal protection by copyright.

Software can also be protected as inventions (utility models), if such an object meets the conditions of patentability (novelty, inventive step, industrial applicability) and the achievement of a technical result - the so- called “computer implemented inventions” or “software patent”.

It is possible to patent a computer program in connection with its device, if its main purpose is to control the operation of the device. In this case, the device is patented, and the computer program is displayed in the claims (utility model).

The graphical interface of computer programs - can be protected as an industrial design, provided that the requirements of novelty and individual character are met.

Infringement of the rights of the owner of a patent for an invention (utility model), in particular, is recognized as:

- Unauthorized manufacture of a product using a patented invention (utility model), use of such a product, offering for sale, including via the Internet, sale, import (import) and other introduction into civil circulation or storage of such a product for these purposes;

- Unauthorized use of the process protected by the patent, or offering it for use in Ukraine, if the person proposing this process knows that its use is prohibited without the consent of the patent owner or, given the circumstances, it is already obvious.

A product is considered to be manufactured using a patented invention (utility model) if it uses each feature included in the independent claim (utility model), or a feature equivalent to it.

The process protected by the patent is considered to be applied if each feature included in the independent claim or an equivalent is used.

Therefore, the principle applies in patent law: the more generally described the claims (utility model) - the wider the scope of legal protection.

Violation of the rights of the owner of a registered industrial design, in particular, is recognized as unauthorized manufacture of a product using a registered industrial design, use of such a product, offer for sale, including via the Internet, sale, import (import), export (export) and other civil turnover or storage of such a product for these pur- poses.Dostupno pro ohoronu prav na programne zabespechenia na kompyuterni program / K. Zerov // Access mode: https://blog.liga. net/user/kzerov/article/40514

An article shall be deemed to have been manufactured using a registered industrial design if the appearance of such product or part thereof makes the same general impression on the informed user as the protected industrial design.

Infringement of copyright on computer programs, in particular, are:

- illegal actions of a person encroaching on the property rights of copyright subjects, taking into account the restrictions of copyright provided for in Articles 21-25 [1, p. 328] of the Law of Ukraine “On Copyright and Related Rights”;

- conscious actions to circumvent the technical means of copyright protection.

An important aspect in resolving the issue of recognizing certain acts as copyright infringement on computer programs is to determine the literal or non-verbal use (copying) of the source or object code of computer programs in other computer programs.

To do this, you need to determine you:

“Literal copying” is the borrowing of copyrighted sequences of source / object code without making any changes to the code, including certain spelling and syntax errors, similar commands of command operators, redundant and incomprehensible parts of the code.

The conclusion about the use of the source code of a computer program as part of another computer program can be made on the basis of comparing the source codes (listings) of both computer programs, which requires special knowledge and, consequently, forensic examination.

“Non-literal copying” - borrowing elements other than the source code of the original computer program: borrowing its structure, sequence and organization, as well as program elements, which are products generated by the interaction of code with computer hardware. and the various steps that a programmer uses to actually write instructions and source code.

“Non-verbal copying” is recognized as a copyright infringement in the United States, but is not recognized in the EU. And given that Ukraine has made a commitment to bring copyright law into line with EU standards, “nonverbal copying” cannot be considered copyright infringement in Ukraine either.

If a person creates the source code of a computer program that is functionally and structurally similar to the source code of another person's existing computer program, having access to the source code of an existing computer program, and the result of such operations is creative code processing or creative translation another programming language - the person is likely to violate the exclusive property right to processing.

A computer program distribution is a specially created form of computer program distribution that contains programs for system initialization, an installer, and a set of special files that together form the system (core) of a program. A distribution is nothing more than a separate, stand-alone computer program that helps you install another.

Therefore, the distribution of distributions is possible even through third-party websites that do not belong to the developers, but this does not preclude the use of the installed program is clearly under the conditions specified by the developer.

Unauthorized distribution of “broken” versions of computer programs.

According to the law, any actions for knowingly circumventing the technical means of protection of copyright and (or) related rights, such as the manufacture, distribution, import for the purpose of distribution and use of means for such circumvention are recognized as illegal. Such actions constitute an independent type of copyright infringement without any additional conditions and depending on the ways of using the work, in particular making changes to the source code and creating a derivative work.

This situation is due to the implementation of Ukraine's obligation to provide for the technical means used by authors in connection with the exercise of their rights under the provisions of Article 11 of the World Intellectual Property Organization Copyright Treaty.

Therefore, the elimination of technical means of protection of a computer program may entail liability for two separate violations:

- violation of the property rights of the subject of copyright;

- actions for conscious circumvention of technical means of copyright protection.

In the United States, for example, there is a clearly defined list of cases of permissible bypass of technical means (for example, the so-called jailbreak for smartphones). Similar rules are also typical for the EU. It should be clarified that such rules are also reflected in Part 4 of Art. 176 of the Association Agreement: “ right holders have the right to grant an exception or restriction to a person who enjoys this exception or restriction, to benefit from this exclusion or limitation to the extent necessary for such exclusion or restriction, and that this person has lawful access to the work”.

Thus, such a clearly regulated possibility, but with the caveat of not extending such a right to the possibility of bringing the work to the public's knowledge, may be appropriate for implementation in Ukraine.

Conclusions

The concept of “software” is the broadest in scope term, which includes both a computer program, which is a code written in a programming language that drives the algorithms of the computer and leads it to perform its functions and algorithms that are ideas, the principles of solving a specific problem and on the basis of which you can create programs designed for implementation on a computer.

The most comprehensive multilateral agreement on intellectual property is the WTO Agreement on Trade- Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). It plays a central role in facilitating trade in knowledge and creativity, in resolving trade disputes over IP, and in assuring WTO members the latitude to achieve their domestic policy objectives. It frames the IP system in terms of innovation, technology transfer and public welfare. The Agreement is a legal recognition of the significance of links between IP and trade and the need for a balanced IP system.

The main requirements for the protection of computer programs are originality and objective form of expression. The main form of expression of computer programs is electronic. The requirement of originality can be considered complied with if the computer program is a product of mental, intellectual creativity of its author, his creative choices. In Ukraine there is a presumption of originality: until proven otherwise, the result of intellectual activity is considered to be made by creative work

Резюме

Теорія та практика захисту прав інтелектуальної власності у програмному забезпеченні

Пономаренко М.В.

У статті представлено актуальне наукове завдання, яке полягає в необхідності встановлення впливу надійного захисту права інтелектуальної власності на програмне забезпечення та окремі його елементи, спрямовані на європеїзацію державного управління в Україні, поліпшення інвестиційного клімату, збереження трудових ресурсів, пришвидшення роботи державних та приватних підприємств, установ, організацій та прискорення темпів росту економіки.

Найповнішою багатосторонньою угодою з питань інтелектуальної власності є Угода СОТ про торгові аспекти прав інтелектуальної власності (ТРІПС).

Вона відіграє центральну роль у сприянні торгівлі знаннями та творчістю, у вирішенні торговельних суперечок щодо ІВ та у забезпеченні членів СОТ можливості для досягнення цілей внутрішньої політики. Вона формує систему ІВ з точки зору інновацій, передачі технологій та суспільного добробуту. Угода є юридичним визнанням важливості зв'язків між ІВ та торгівлею та необхідності збалансованої системи ІВ.

Резюме

Теорія та практика захисту прав інтелектуальної власності у програмному забезпеченні

Пономаренко М.В.

У статті представлено актуальне наукове завдання, яке полягає в необхідності встановлення впливу надійного захисту права інтелектуальної власності на програмне забезпечення та окремі його елементи, спрямовані на європеїзацію державного управління в Україні, поліпшення інвестиційного клімату, збереження трудових ресурсів, пришвидшення роботи державних та приватних підприємств, установ, організацій та прискорення темпів росту економіки.

Найповнішою багатосторонньою угодою з питань інтелектуальної власності є Угода СОТ про торгові аспекти прав інтелектуальної власності (ТРІПС).

Вона відіграє центральну роль у сприянні торгівлі знаннями та творчістю, у вирішенні торговельних суперечок щодо ІВ та у забезпеченні членів СОТ можливості для досягнення цілей внутрішньої політики.

Вона формує систему ІВ з точки зору інновацій, передачі технологій та суспільного добробуту.

Угода є юридичним визнанням важливості зв'язків між ІВ та торгівлею та необхідності збалансованої системи ІВ.

Основними вимогами до захисту комп'ютерних програм є оригінальність та об'єктивна форма вираження поглядів. Основна форма вираження комп'ютерних програм - електронна.

Ключові слова: програмне забезпечення, право інтелектуальної власності, патент, авторське право, торгівельна марка, комерційна таємниця, ТРІПС, СОТ, дистрибутив, європеїзація державного управління, європейське врядування.

Резюме

Теория и практика защиты прав интеллектуальной собственности в программном обеспечении

Пономаренко М.В.

В статье представлена актуальная научная задача, которая заключается в необходимости установления влияния надежной защиты права интеллектуальной собственности на программное обеспечение и отдельные его элементы, направленные на европеизацию государственного управления в Украине, улучшение инвестиционного климата, сохранение трудовых ресурсов, стабилизацию работы государственных и частных предприятий, учреждений, организаций и ускорение темпов роста экономики.

Наиболее всеобъемлющим многосторонним соглашением по интеллектуальной собственности является Соглашение ВТО по торговым аспектам прав интеллектуальной собственности (ТРИПС). Он играет центральную роль в содействии торговле знаниями и творчеством, в разрешении торговых споров по ИС и в обеспечении членам ВТО свободы для достижения целей своей внутренней политики. Он формирует систему ИС с точки зрения инноваций, передачи технологий и общественного благосостояния. Соглашение является юридическим признанием важности связей между ИС и торговлей и необходимости сбалансированной системы ИС.

Основными требованиями к защите компьютерных программ являются оригинальность и объективная форма выражения. Основная форма выражения компьютерных программ - электронная. Требование оригинальности можно считать выполненным, если компьютерная программа является продуктом умственного, интеллектуального творчества ее автора, его творческого выбора. В Украине существует презумпция оригинальности: пока не доказано обратное, результатом интеллектуальной деятельности считается творческий труд.

Ключевые слова: программное обеспечение, право интеллектуальной собственности, патент, авторское право, торговая марка, коммерческая тайна, ТРИПС, СОТ, дистрибутив, европеизация государственного управления, европейское управления.

Summary

Theory and practice of intellectual property rights protection in software

Mykhailo Ponomarenko.

The article presents an urgent scientific task, which is to establish the impact of reliable protection of intellectual property rights on software and some of its elements aimed at Europeanization of public administration in Ukraine, improving the investment climate, saving labor, accelerating public and private enterprises, institutions, organizations and fasten economic growth.

The lack of combination in a single scientific work of practical knowledge of programming and legal theories and practices of software protection creates a field for reflection and research on this topic.

The term “software” is the broadest term, which includes as a computer program, which is code written in a programming language that controls the algorithms of the computer and leads it to perform its functions and algorithms, which are ideas, principles solution to a specific problem and on the basis of which you can create programs designed for implementation on a computer.

The most comprehensive multilateral agreement on intellectual property is the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). It plays a central role in promoting the trade in knowledge and creativity, in resolving trade disputes over IP, and in providing WTO members with opportunities to achieve domestic policy goals. It shapes the IP system in terms of innovation, technology transfer and public welfare. The agreement is a legal recognition of the importance of the links between IP and trade and the need for a balanced IP system.

The main requirements for the protection of computer programs are originality and an objective form of expression. The main form of expression of computer programs is electronic.

The requirement of originality can be considered fulfilled if the computer program is a product of mental, intellectual creativity of its author, his creative choice. In Ukraine, there is a presumption of originality: until proven otherwise, the result of intellectual activity is considered the result of creative work.

Key words: software, intellectual property law, patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret, TRIPS, WTO, distribution, Europeanization of public administration, European administration.

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