This is a Related Course of the MOT program.
Prerequisites: None
This course will provide an overview of the
intellectual property laws with which information managers need to be familiar. It will start with a
consideration of trade secrecy law that information technology and other firms routinely use to protect
commercially valuable information. It will then consider the role that copyright law plays in the legal
protection of information products and services. Although patents for many years rarely were available
to protect information innovations, patents on such innovations are becoming increasingly common.
As a consequence, it is necessary to consider standards of patentability and the scope of protection that patent affords to innovators. Trademark law allows firms to protect words or symbols used to
identify their goods or services and to distinguish them from the goods and services of other producers.
It offers significant protection to producers of information products and services. Because so many
firms license intellectual property rights, some coverage of licensing issues is also important. Much of
the course will concern the legal protection of computer software and databases, but it will also
explore some intellectual property issues arising in cyberspace.
Course Goals: We will survey trade secret, copyright, trademark, and patent law. Students will, for the
most part, be introduced to these topics through reading of judicial opinions, in-class lectures, and
discussions. Students will illustrate their understanding of the material through discussions, writing
assignments, and the final exam.
Course Syllabus (pdf)
Official Course Website
 |
ABOUT | |
|
|
FACULTY | |
