{"product_id":"software-and-patents-in-europe-examines-article-52-and-technical","title":"Software and Patents in Europe - Examines Article 52 and technical","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this review of Software and Patents in Europe, the author Philip Leith offers a focused legal analysis aimed at readers who need to understand why software patentability evolved under the European Patent Convention. The book is for patent practitioners, academic researchers and policy makers seeking a clear account of how the Article 52 exclusion was eroded and how the EPO's 'technical effect' fiction reshaped practice. Its single biggest strength is a careful tracing of legal reasoning and case law that explains why form of application, not substance, became decisive for protection.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLegal analysis:\u003c\/strong\u003e Detailed examination of the Article 52 computer program exclusion and how it changed in practice provides readers with a coherent narrative of the law's development.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCase focus:\u003c\/strong\u003e Close attention to the Vicom decision and subsequent Boards of Appeal reasoning clarifies why the 'technical effect' concept became central to examination outcomes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHistorical context:\u003c\/strong\u003e The text situates legal shifts within the wider move to digital technology, helping non-specialists see why the exclusion proved impractical.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCritical perspective:\u003c\/strong\u003e The book explains opposition to software protection and explores the contested policy and doctrinal issues that follow from protecting business methods and software throughout Europe.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePractical insight:\u003c\/strong\u003e For examiners and counsel, the discussion of how form versus substance affects protection offers useful guidance when preparing or arguing patent applications.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003ePatent attorneys, in-house counsel and academic researchers focused on intellectual property law will find the book most valuable because it addresses the doctrinal changes and reasoning used by the EPO Boards of Appeal. The close reading of Article 52 makes it a useful reference when preparing arguments about software-related inventions.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePractitioners seeking procedural templates or step-by-step drafting checklists should look elsewhere; this is a legal and doctrinal study rather than a practice manual. General readers without prior exposure to EPC concepts may find some chapters dense and should be prepared for detailed legal argumentation.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClear, scholarly tracing of how the Article 52 exclusion effectively vanished under EPO case law.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInsightful critique of the 'technical effect' fiction that illuminates why the form of application matters.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUseful for policy debate and academic discussion of software and business method protection.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eNot a practical drafting guide; readers seeking templates or procedural checklists may be disappointed.\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSoftware and Patents in Europe\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSeries\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCambridge Intellectual Property and Information Law, Series Number 9\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAuthor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePhilip Leith\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePrimary focus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eArticle 52 EPC and the computer program exclusion\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eKey case discussed\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eVicom decision and Boards of Appeal reasoning\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAudience\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePatent practitioners, academics and policy makers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eSoftware and Patents in Europe is a focused, well argued study that belongs on the shelf of anyone engaged with European patent doctrine for software. It is good value for readers who need to understand how the Article 52 exclusion was circumvented and why the EPO now emphasizes technical effect, though those seeking practical drafting tools should supplement it with practice-oriented materials.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes this book explain the Vicom decision?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes. It offers a close reading of Vicom and shows how the decision influenced later Boards of Appeal reasoning.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it suitable for non-lawyers?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt is written for readers with some familiarity with patent law; non-lawyers may find the doctrinal detail challenging.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill it help with patent drafting?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt provides conceptual insight into examination issues but is not a drafting manual and should be paired with practical guides for application drafting.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Philip Leith","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48775114424539,"sku":"0521329620","price":53.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/51A69w3kTNL._SL1000.jpg?v=1778812466","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/software-and-patents-in-europe-examines-article-52-and-technical","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}