Information Technology Law

COURSE MATERIALS : PRINTED AND ELECTRONIC MATERIALS[fn1]

I - INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

A. Introduction to Intellectual Property

Electronic Materials

• An Introduction to Intellectual Property Law, (Patent and Trademark Institute of Canada website, 1999)
• North American Free Trade Agreement, 15 May 1996, Chapter 17: Intellectual Property (Electronic Frontier Canada website, 1996).
• Richard C. Owens & J. Freedman "Legal Issues in CD-Rom Development" (Smith Lyons, 1996).

Coursebook Materials

• Mistrale Goudreau (English translation by David Vaver), "Protecting Ideas and Information in Common Law Canada and Quebec" (1983) 8 Intellectual Property Journal 189.

B. Copyright

Electronic Materials

1. Basic Copyright Law
   • Donald M. Cameron, "Copyright Law & Information Technology" (1997).
   • J. Dianne Brinson & Mark F. Radcliffe, "Intellectual Property Law Primer for Multimedia Developers" (Timestream Inc. website, 1994).
   • Canadian Intellectual Property Office, "Copyright Guide" (Canadian Intellectual Property Office website, 1997).
   • United States Copyright Office, "Copyright Basics" (United States Copyright Office website, 1996).
2. Canadian Copyright Act & Policy Paper
   • Copyright Act, R.S.C. 1985, c.C-42 (Electronic Frontier Canada website, 1994-1997).
   • Canada, Information Highway Advisory Council, Connection Community Content: The Challenge of the Information Highway: Final Report , (Ottawa: Information Highway Secretariat, 1995) (Strategis-Industry Canada website, 1995).
3. United States Copyright Act & Policy Paper
   • U.S. Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. (1976) (United States House of Representatives Internet Law Library website, 1996-1997).
   • Working Group on Intellectual Property Rights, Information Infrastructure Task Force, Intellectual Property and the National Information Infrastructure (Washington, D.C.: Information Infrastructure Task Force, September 1995) (also known as the "Lehman report") (United States Patent and Trademark Office website, 1995).
   • "Criticisms of the Lehman Report" (ClarkNet website, 1996).
4. European Directive
   • European Council, " Council Directive of 14 May 1991 on the Legal Protection of Computer Programs," The Official Journal of the European Communities (1991) no. L 122 at 42 (European Commission Legal Advisory Board for the Information Market website, 1996).

   
   

5. Copyright Collectives or Clearance Houses
   • Canada: CANCOPY Home Page (CANCOPY website, 1997).
   • U.S.A.: Copyright Clearance Center Home Page (Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. website, 1995-1997).
6. Article
   • John Perry Barlow, "Economy of Ideas: A Framework for rethinking Patents and Copyright in the Digital Age" (March 1994) Wired 86 (Wired website, 1994).

Coursebook Materials

1. Canadian Case Law
• Delrina Corp. v. Triolet Systems Inc. (1993), 47 C.P.R. (3d) 1 (O.C.G.D.).
• Prism Hospital Software Inc. v. The Hospital Records Institute (1994), 57 C.P.R. (3d) 129 (B.C.S.C.) [headnote only].
2. United States Case Law
• Whelan Associates, Inc. v. Jaslow Dental Laboratory, Inc., 797 F.2d 1222, 1 CCH Computer Cases, para. 45,015 (U.S.C.A. 3rd Cir., 1986).
• Computer Associates International Inc. v. Altai, 982 F.2d 693, 3 CCH Computer Cases, para. 46,666 (U.S.C.A. 2nd Cir., 1992).
• Gates Rubber Company v. Bando Chemical Industries, 9 F.3d 823, [1993] CCH Copyright Law Decisions (U.S.C.A. 10th Cir., 1993).
• Lotus Development Corporation v. Borland International, 49 F.3d 807, 5 CCH Computer Cases, para. 47,217 (U.S.C.A. 1st Cir., 1995).
• Lotus Development Corporation v. Borland International, 116 S. Ct. 695, 6 CCH Computer Cases, para. 47,368 (U.S.S.C., 1996).
3. United States Policy Paper
• United States of America, National Commission on New Technological Uses of Copyrighted Works, Final Report, dissent of Commissioner Hersey (Washington: July 31, 1978).

C. Patents

Electronic Materials

1. Basic Patent Law
   • Donald M. Cameron, "Patent Law Primer" (1999).
   • United States Patent and Trademark Office, "General Information Concerning Patents" (United States Patent and Trademark Office website, 1996).

   
   

2. Patents for Software
   • Donald M. Cameron, " Software-Related Patents: A Global Survey" (1997).
3. Article
   • Simson L. Garkinkel, "Patently Absurd" (July 1994) Wired 104 (Wired website, 1994).

Coursebook Materials

1. Examples of Patents
   • "Securities Brokerage - Cash Management System with Short Term Investment Proceeds Allotted Among Multiple Accounts": U.S. Patent No. 4,774,663 (September 27, 1988).
   • "Multimedia Search System Using a Plurality of Entry Path Means Which Indicate Interrelatedness of Information" (also known as the "Compton's Patent"): U.S. Patent No. 5,241, 671 (August 31, 1993).

   
   

2. Patent Guidelines
   • Canadian Intellectual Property Office, "Guidelines related to the Patentability of Computer-Related Subject Matter" (20 February 1995) Canadian Patent Office Record p.10.

D. Trade Secrets and Confidential Information

Electronic Materials

• R. Mark Halligan, "Trade Secrets Home Page " (Trade Secrets Home Page website, 1997).
• J. Dianne Brinson & Mark F. Radcliffe, "Intellectual Property Law Primer for Multimedia Developers" (1994) (Timestream Inc. website, 1994).

Coursebook Materials

1. Introductory Material
   • Jeff C. Dodd, "Rights in Information: Conversion and Misappropriation Causes of Action in Intellectual Property Cases" (1995) 32 Houston Law Review 459.
   • Gale R. Peterson, Trade Secret Protection in an Information Age (Little Falls: Glasser LegalWorks, 1997) [excerpt].

   
   

2. Canadian Case Law
   • LAC Minerals Ltd. v. International Corona Resources Ltd. (1989), 61 D.L.R. (4th) 14 (S.C.C.).
   • Pharand Ski Corp. v. The Queen in Right of Alberta (1991), 37 C.P.R. (3d) 288 (Alta.Q.B.).

Additional References

• Institute of Law Research and Reform (Edmonton, Alberta) and A Federal Provincial Working Party, Trade Secrets, Report No. 46, July 1986.

E. Trade Marks

Electronic Materials

1. Basic Trade Mark Law
   • Canada: Canadian Intellectual Property Office, " Trade Mark Guide" (Canadian Intellectual Property Office website, 1994).
   • U.S.A.: United States Patent and Trademark Office, "Basic Facts about Registering a U.S. Trademark" (United States Patent and Trademark Office website, 1997).

   
   

2. Trade Mark Acts
   • Canada: Trade-marks Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. T-13 (Electronic Frontier Canada website, 1997).
   • U.S.A.: Trademarks, 15 U.S.C. Ch. 22 (1946) (Legal Information Institute website, 1996).

   
   

3. Article
   • Donald M. Cameron, "Trade Marks on the Internet" (1999).

F. Integrated Circuit Topographies

Electronic Materials

1. Canadian Legislation
   • Integrated Circuit Topography Act, S.C. 1990, c. 37 (Department of Justice Canada website, 1996).
   • Integrated Circuit Topography Regulations, SOR/93-212 (Department of Justice Canada website, 1996).
   • List of Countries to which Canada Accords Reciprocal Protection under the Act, SOR/93-282 (Department of Justice Canada website, 1996).

   
   

2. Guides to Chip Protection
   • Canada: Canadian Intellectual Property Office, " Guide to Integrated Circuit Topographies" (Canadian Intellectual Property Office website, 1994).
   • U.S.A.: Ladas & Perry, "Guide to Statutory Protection for Computer Software in the United States: U.S. Semiconductor Chip Act" (Ladas & Perry website, 1995).

Additional References

• Jehangir Choksi, "The Integrated Circuit Topography Act: Approving Ministerial Review" (1996) 12 Canadian Intellectual Property Review 379.

G. Data Rights

Electronic Materials

1. Introductory Material
   • Donald M. Cameron, "Rights in Data" (1999).
   • Richard C. Owens, "Some Legal Issues Concerning Databases and Database Marketing" (Smith Lyons, 1997).
   • Richard C. Owens, "The Creation, Protection and Exploitation of Commercial Databases" (working title, Federated Press, forthcoming).

   
   

2. United States Initiatives
   • Bill H.R. 3531, Database Investment and Anti-Piracy Act of 1996 (Information Industry Association website, 1997).
   • Peter Jaszi, "Analysis of Bill H.R. 3531, Database Investment and Anti-Piracy Act of 1996" (Association of Research Libraries website, 1996).

   
   

3. W.I.P.O. Initiatives
   • Chairman of the Committee of Experts, memorandum on the Basic Proposal for the Substantive Provisions of the Treaty on Intellectual Property in Respect of Databases to be Considered by the Diplomatic Conference, 30 August 1996 (World Intellectual Property Organisation website, 1996).
   • U.S. Information Industry Association, paper on the Basic Proposal for the Substantive Provisions of the Treaty on Intellectual Property in Respect of Databases to be Considered by the Diplomatic Conference, 30 August 1996 (World Intellectual Property Organisation website, 1996).
   • Director General, memorandum on the Preparatory Work on a Treaty Concerning Intellectual Property in Databases, 20 & 21 March 1997, Thirtieth Series of Meetings (World Intellectual Property Organisation website, 1997).
     • Director General, memorandum on the Preparatory Work on a Treaty Concerning Intellectual Property in Databases,
     • W.I.P.O., General Report, March 20-21, 1997
   • Information Meeting on Intellectual Property and Databases, Geneva, September 17-19, 1997.
     • Draft Agenda May 20, 1997
     • Existing National and Regional Legislation Concerning Intellectual Property in Databases June 30, 1997
     • Information Received from Member States of WIPO Concerning Intellectual Property in Databases June 15, 1997
     • Addendum to Information Received from Member States of WIPO Concerning Intellectual Property in Databases July 15, 1997
     • Observations presented by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) September 15, 1997
     • Report adopted by the Information Meeting September 19, 1997

   
   

4. European Database Directive
   • Donald M. Cameron, Analysis of the European Database Directive 96/9/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of March 11, 1996 The Official Journal of the European Communities no. L 77 at 20" (1997).

   
   

5. Case Law
   • Donald M. Cameron, summary of GEAC J & E Systems Ltd. v. Craig Erickson Systems Inc. et al. (1992), 46 C.P.R. (3d) 25 (Ont.Ct.G.D.) (1997).
   • Donald M. Cameron, summary of Stewart v. The Queen (1988), 41 C.C.C. (3d) 481 (S.C.) (1997).
   • Feist Publications, Inc. v. Rural Telephone Service Co., Inc. 499 U.S. 340 (1991) [excerpt] (Legal Information Institute website, 1996-1997).

Coursebook Materials

• R. v. Stewart (1988), 41 C.C.C. (3d) 481 (S.C.C.).
• GEAC J & E Systems Ltd. v. Craig Erickson Systems Inc. (1992), 46 C.P.R. (2d) 25 (O.C.G.D.).
• U & R Tax Services Ltd. v. H & R Block Canada Inc. (1995), 62 C.P.R. (3d) 17 (F.C.T.D.).

Additional References

• Drs. Laura D'Andrea Tyson and Edward F. Sherry, "Statutory Protection for Databases: Economic and Public Policy Issues" (Reed Elsevier Inc. and The Thomson Corporation).
• J.H. Reichman and Pamela Samuelson, "Intellectual Property Rights in Data?", 50 Vanderbilt Law Review 51, 1997.

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  Footnotes

  1. Materials prepared with the assistance of Stacey Belding, Summer Student; David Castell and Robert Percival, Students at Law; and Tom Onyshko, Associate, Smith Lyons.

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