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Beyond Source Code

Beyond Source Code

This resource digests case decisions addressing whether the non-literal elements of a computer program are protectable by copyright.

Protectable/Unprotectable – Case decisions organized by federal circuit and protectable status.

Compute – Cases decisions organized by relevant software element and protectable status.

Power

This resource digests case decisions addressing whether the non-literal elements of a computer program are protectable by copyright.

Protectable/Unprotectable – Case decisions organized by federal circuit and protectable status.

Compute – Cases decisions organized by relevant software element and protectable status.

Protectable
Unprotectable
Compute
Return

Protectable

1st Circuit
2nd Circuit
3rd Circuit
4th Circuit
5th Circuit
6th Circuit
7th Circuit
8th Circuit
9th Circuit
10th Circuit
11th Circuit
DC/Federal
Return

Unprotectable

1st Circuit
2nd Circuit
3rd Circuit
4th Circuit
5th Circuit
6th Circuit
7th Circuit
8th Circuit
9th Circuit
10th Circuit
11th Circuit
DC/Federal
Return

Compute

Element Legend

AGAlgorithm
CLSClassification
COMCommands
GRGame Rules
GUIGraphical User Interface
MMenu
MODModules
OUTProgram Output
PMParameters
RPReports
SCHSchema
SSOSequence Structure Organization
UIUser Interface
UMUser Manual
VDVisual Design
AG

Algorithm

Protectable

Mktg. Tech. Sols., Inc. v. Medizine LLC, 2010 WL 2034404 (S.D.N.Y. May 18, 2010)

Unprotectable

CSS, Inc. v. Herrington, 306 F. Supp. 3d 857 (S.D. W. Va. 2018)
Torah Soft Ltd. v. Drosnin, 136 F. Supp. 2d 276 (S.D.N.Y. 2001)
Woods v. Resnick, 725 F. Supp. 2d 809 (W.D. Wis. 2010) - UN
CLS

Classification

Protectable

CMAX/Cleveland, Inc. v. UCR, Inc., 804 F. Supp. 337 (M.D. Ga. 1992)
Consul Tec, Inc. v. Interface Sys., Inc., 1991 WL 427891 (E.D. Mich. Oct. 31, 1991)

Unprotectable

Antonick v. Elec. Arts Inc., 2014 WL 245018 (N.D. Cal. Jan. 22, 2014)
COM

Commands

Protectable

Control Data Sys., Inc. v. Infoware, Inc., 903 F. Supp. 1316 (D. Minn. 1995)
Digital Commc'ns Assocs., Inc. v. Softklone Distrib. Corp., 659 F. Supp. 449 (N.D. Ga. 1987)
McEnroe v. Mantissa Corp., 2016 WL 7799636 (D. Mass. Feb. 29, 2016)
Merch. Transaction Sys. v. Nelcela, Inc., 2009 WL 723001 (D. Ariz. Mar. 18, 2009)
SAS Inst. v. World Programming, Ltd., 2012 WL 5844910 (E.D.N.C. Oct. 18, 2012)
Syngy, Inc. v. ZS Assocs., Inc., 2015 WL 899408 (E.D. Pa. Mar. 3, 2015)
Whelan Assocs., Inc. v. Jaslow Dental Lab., Inc., 797 F.2d 1222 (3d Cir. 1986)

Unprotectable

Computer Assocs. Int'l, Inc. v. Altai, Inc., 982 F.2d 693 (2d Cir. 1992)
Jamison Bus. Sys., Inc. v. Unique Software Support Corp., 2005 WL 1262095 (E.D.N.Y. May 26, 2005)
Lotus Dev. Corp. v. Borland Int'l, Inc., 49 F.3d 807 (1st Cir. 1995)
Mitek Holdings, Inc. v. Arce Eng'g Co., 864 F. Supp. 1568 (S.D. Fla. 1994) - UN
Mitel, Inc. v. Iqtel, Inc., 124 F.3d 1366 (10th Cir. 1997)
Real View, LLC v. 20-20 Techs., Inc., 683 F. Supp. 2d 147 (D. Mass. 2010) - UN
Torah Soft Ltd. v. Drosnin, 136 F. Supp. 2d 276 (S.D.N.Y. 2001)
GR

Game Rules

Protectable

Interactive Network, Inc. v. NTN Commc'ns, Inc., 875 F. Supp. 1398 (N.D. Cal. 1995)
Tetris Holding, LLC v. Xio Interactive, Inc., 863 F. Supp. 2d 394 (D.N.J. 2012)

Unprotectable

Antonick v. Elec. Arts Inc., 2014 WL 245018 (N.D. Cal. Jan. 22, 2014)
Capcom U.S.A., Inc. v. Data E. Corp., 1994 WL 1751482 (N.D. Cal. Mar. 16, 1994) -UN
Data East USA, Inc. v. Epyx, Inc., 862 F.2d 204 (9th Cir. 1988)
Interactive Network, Inc. v. NTN Commc'ns, Inc., 875 F. Supp. 1398 (N.D. Cal. 1995) - UN
GUI

Graphical User Interface

Protectable

Real View, LLC v. 20-20 Techs., Inc., 683 F. Supp. 2d 147 (D. Mass. 2010)

Unprotectable

Apple Comp., Inc. v. Microsoft Corp., 35 F.3d 1435 (9th Cir. 1994)
Real View, LLC v. 20-20 Techs., Inc., 683 F. Supp. 2d 147 (D. Mass. 2010) - UN
M

Menu

Protectable

Broderbund Software. Inc., v. Unison World, Inc., 648 F. Supp. 1127 (N.D. Cal. 1986)
Gates Rubber Co. v. Bando Chemical Indus., Ltd., 9 F.3d 823 (10th Cir. 1993)
Maddog Software, Inc. v. Sklader, 382 F. Supp. 2d 268 (D.N.H. 2005)
Woods v. Resnick, 725 F. Supp. 2d 809 (W.D. Wis. 2010)

Unprotectable

Brown Bag Software v. Symantec Corp., 960 F.2d 1465 (9th Cir. 1992)
Jamison Bus. Sys., Inc. v. Unique Software Support Corp., 2005 WL 1262095 (E.D.N.Y. May 26, 2005)
Lotus Dev. Corp. v. Borland Int'l, Inc., 49 F.3d 807 (1st Cir. 1995)
Mfr.'s Techs., Inc. v. CAMS, Inc., 706 F. Supp. 984 (D. Conn. 1989) - UN
Productivity Software Int'l, Inc. v. Healthcare Techs., Inc., 1995 WL 437526 (S.D.N.Y. July 25, 1995)
Real View, LLC v. 20-20 Techs., Inc., 683 F. Supp. 2d 147 (D. Mass. 2010) - UN
MOD

Modules

Protectable

Gates Rubber Co. v. Bando Chemical Indus., Ltd., 9 F.3d 823 (10th Cir. 1993)
OUT

Program Output

Protectable

Design Data Corp. v. Unigate Enter., Inc., 847 F.3d 1169 (9th Cir. 2017)
FedEx Ground Package Sys. v. Applications Int'l Corp., 2008 WL 4279751 (W.D. Pa. Sept. 12, 2008)
Secureinfo Corp. v. Telos Corp., 387 F. Supp. 2d 593 (E.D. Va. 2005)
Whelan Assocs., Inc. v. Jaslow Dental Lab., Inc., 797 F.2d 1222 (3d Cir. 1986)

Unprotectable

Digital Commc'ns Assocs., Inc. v. Softklone Distrib. Corp., 659 F. Supp. 449 (N.D. Ga. 1987) - UN
Digital Drilling Data Sys. LLC v. Petrolink Servs. Inc., 2018 WL 2267139 (S.D. Tex. May 16, 2018) - UN
PM

Parameters

Protectable

Air Express Int'l v. LOG-NET, Inc., 2019 WL 1441195 (D.N.J. Mar. 31, 2019)
Compaq Comp. Corp. v. Procom Tech., Inc., 908 F. Supp. 1409 (S.D. Tex. 1995)
Control Data Sys., Inc. v. Infoware, Inc., 903 F. Supp. 1316 (D. Minn. 1995)
Digital Commc'ns Assocs., Inc. v. Softklone Distrib. Corp., 659 F. Supp. 449 (N.D. Ga. 1987)
Lilith Games (Shanghai) Co. v. uCool, Inc., 2015 WL 5591612 (N.D. Cal. Sept. 23, 2015)

Unprotectable

Computer Assocs. Int'l, Inc. v. Altai, Inc., 982 F.2d 693 (2d Cir. 1992)
Ilog, Inc. v. Bell Logic, LLC, 181 F. Supp. 2d 3 (D. Mass. 2002)
McEnroe v. Mantissa Corp., 2016 WL 7799636 (D. Mass. Feb. 29, 2016) - UN
Mitel, Inc. v. Iqtel, Inc., 124 F.3d 1366 (10th Cir. 1997)
Wireless TV Studios, Inc. v. Digital Dispatch Sys., Inc., 2008 WL 2474626 (E.D.N.Y. June 19, 2008) - UN
RP

Reports

Protectable

CMAX/Cleveland, Inc. v. UCR, Inc., 804 F. Supp. 337 (M.D. Ga. 1992)
Harbor Software, Inc. v. Applied Sys., Inc., 925 F. Supp. 1042 (S.D.N.Y. 1996)
O.P. Sols., Inc. v. Intellectual Prop. Network, Ltd., 1999 WL 47191 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 2, 1999)
Syngy, Inc. v. ZS Assocs., Inc., 2015 WL 899408 (E.D. Pa. Mar. 3, 2015)

Unprotectable

Synercom Tech., Inc. v. Univ. Computing Co., 462 F. Supp. 1003 (N.D. Tex. 1978) - UN
Woods v. Resnick, 725 F. Supp. 2d 809 (W.D. Wis. 2010) - UN
SCH

Schema

Protectable

Air Express Int'l v. LOG-NET, Inc., 2019 WL 1441195 (D.N.J. Mar. 31, 2019)
Digital Drilling Data Sys. LLC v. Petrolink Servs. Inc., 2018 WL 2267139 (S.D. Tex. May 16, 2018)
DSMC, Inc. v. Convera Corp., 479 F. Supp. 2d 68 (D.D.C. 2007)
eScholar, LLC v. Otis Educ. Sys., 2005 WL 2977569 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 3, 2005)
Positive Software Sols., Inc. v. New Century Mortg. Corp., 259 F. Supp. 2d 531 (N.D. Tex. 2003)
SSO

Sequence Structure Organization

Protectable

Air Express Int'l v. LOG-NET, Inc., 2019 WL 1441195 (D.N.J. Mar. 31, 2019)
Autoskill, Inc. v. Nat'l Educ. Support Sys. Inc., 793 F. Supp. 1557 (D.N.M. 1992)
Broderbund Software. Inc., v. Unison World, Inc., 648 F. Supp. 1127 (N.D. Cal. 1986)
CMAX/Cleveland, Inc. v. UCR, Inc., 804 F. Supp. 337 (M.D. Ga. 1992)
Cognotec Servs., Ltd. v. Morgan Guar. Trust Co. of New York, 862 F. Supp. 45 (S.D.N.Y. 1994)
Control Data Sys., Inc. v. Infoware, Inc., 903 F. Supp. 1316 (D. Minn. 1995)
Digital Commc'ns Assocs., Inc. v. Softklone Distrib. Corp., 659 F. Supp. 449 (N.D. Ga. 1987)
eScholar, LLC v. Otis Educ. Sys., 2005 WL 2977569 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 3, 2005)
Gates Rubber Co. v. Bando Chemical Indus., Ltd., 9 F.3d 823 (10th Cir. 1993)
Gen. Universal Sys., Inc. v. Lee, 379 F.3d 131 (5th Cir. 2004)
Harbor Software, Inc. v. Applied Sys., Inc., 925 F. Supp. 1042 (S.D.N.Y. 1996)
Interactive Network, Inc. v. NTN Commc'ns, Inc., 875 F. Supp. 1398 (N.D. Cal. 1995)
Johnson Controls, Inc. v. Phoenix Control Sys., Inc., 886 F.2d 1173 (9th Cir. 1989)
Lilith Games (Shanghai) Co. v. uCool, Inc., 2015 WL 5591612 (N.D. Cal. Sept. 23, 2015)
McEnroe v. Mantissa Corp., 2016 WL 7799636 (D. Mass. Feb. 29, 2016)
Merch. Transaction Sys. v. Nelcela, Inc., 2009 WL 723001 (D. Ariz. Mar. 18, 2009)
Mfr.'s Techs., Inc. v. CAMS, Inc., 706 F. Supp. 984 (D. Conn. 1989)
Mitek Holdings, Inc. v. Arce Eng'g Co., 864 F. Supp. 1568 (S.D. Fla. 1994)
Oracle Am., Inc. v. Google, Inc., 750 F.3d 1339 (Fed. Cir. 2014)
SAS Inst. v. World Programming, Ltd., 2012 WL 5844910 (E.D.N.C. Oct. 18, 2012)
SellPoolSuppliesOnline.com LLC V. Ugly Pools Arizona Inc., 2017 WL 6420464 (D. Ariz. Jun. 9, 2017)SellPoolSuppliesOnline.com LLC V. Ugly Pools Arizona Inc., 2017 WL 6420464 (D. Ariz. Jun. 9, 2017)
Tetris Holding, LLC v. Xio Interactive, Inc., 863 F. Supp. 2d 394 (D.N.J. 2012)
Versata Software, Inc. v. Infosys Techs. Ltd., 2013 WL 12385035 (W.D. Tex. Sept. 6, 2013)
Whelan Assocs., Inc. v. Jaslow Dental Lab., Inc., 797 F.2d 1222 (3d Cir. 1986)

Unprotectable

Baystate Techs., Inc. v. Bentley Sys., Inc., 946 F. Supp 1079 (D. Mass. 1996)
Capcom U.S.A., Inc. v. Data E. Corp., 1994 WL 1751482 (N.D. Cal. Mar. 16, 1994) -UN
CSS, Inc. v. Herrington, 306 F. Supp. 3d 857 (S.D. W. Va. 2018)
Data East USA, Inc. v. Epyx, Inc., 862 F.2d 204 (9th Cir. 1988)
Harbor Software, Inc. v. Applied Sys., Inc., 925 F. Supp. 1042 (S.D.N.Y. 1996) - UN
Interactive Network, Inc. v. NTN Commc'ns, Inc., 875 F. Supp. 1398 (N.D. Cal. 1995) - UN
McEnroe v. Mantissa Corp., 2016 WL 7799636 (D. Mass. Feb. 29, 2016) - UN
Merch. Transaction Sys. v. Nelcela, Inc., 2009 WL 723001 (D. Ariz. Mar. 18, 2009) - UN
Mfr.'s Techs., Inc. v. CAMS, Inc., 706 F. Supp. 984 (D. Conn. 1989) - UN
Mitek Holdings, Inc. v. Arce Eng'g Co., 864 F. Supp. 1568 (S.D. Fla. 1994) - UN
Plains Cotton Co-op Ass'n v. Goodpasture Computer Serv., Inc., 807 F. 2d 1256 (5th Cir. 1987)
Real View, LLC v. 20-20 Techs., Inc., 683 F. Supp. 2d 147 (D. Mass. 2010) - UN
Synercom Tech., Inc. v. Univ. Computing Co., 462 F. Supp. 1003 (N.D. Tex. 1978) - UN
UpdateCom, Inc. v. FirstBank P.R., Inc., 2014 WL 346436 (D.P.R. Jan. 30, 2014)
UI

User Interface

Protectable

Eng'g Dynamics, Inc. v. Structural Software, Inc., 26 F.3d 1335 (5th Cir. 1994)
Gen. Universal Sys., Inc. v. Lee, 379 F.3d 131 (5th Cir. 2004)
Lilith Games (Shanghai) Co. v. uCool, Inc., 2015 WL 5591612 (N.D. Cal. Sept. 23, 2015)
MDY Indus., LLC v. Blizzard Entm't, Inc., 2011 WL 538748 (9th Cir. Feb. 17, 2011)
Napoli v. Sears, Roebuck & Co., 874 F. Supp. 206 (N.D. Ill. 1995), vacated pursuant to settlement of parties, 926 F. Supp. 780 (N.D. Ill. 1996)
O.P. Sols., Inc. v. Intellectual Prop. Network, Ltd., 1999 WL 47191 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 2, 1999)
Real View, LLC v. 20-20 Techs., Inc., 683 F. Supp. 2d 147 (D. Mass. 2010)
SellPoolSuppliesOnline.com LLC V. Ugly Pools Arizona Inc., 2017 WL 6420464 (D. Ariz. Jun. 9, 2017)SellPoolSuppliesOnline.com LLC V. Ugly Pools Arizona Inc., 2017 WL 6420464 (D. Ariz. Jun. 9, 2017)
Ticketmaster L.L.C. v. Prestige Entm't West, Inc., 315 F. Supp. 3d 1147 (C.D. Cal. 2018)
Wireless TV Studios, Inc. v. Digital Dispatch Sys., Inc., 2008 WL 2474626 (E.D.N.Y. June 19, 2008)

Unprotectable

Real View, LLC v. 20-20 Techs., Inc., 683 F. Supp. 2d 147 (D. Mass. 2010) - UN
Torah Soft Ltd. v. Drosnin, 136 F. Supp. 2d 276 (S.D.N.Y. 2001)
Wireless TV Studios, Inc. v. Digital Dispatch Sys., Inc., 2008 WL 2474626 (E.D.N.Y. June 19, 2008) - UN
UM

User Manual

Protectable

Eng'g Dynamics, Inc. v. Structural Software, Inc., 26 F.3d 1335 (5th Cir. 1994)
SAS Inst. v. World Programming, Ltd., 2012 WL 5844910 (E.D.N.C. Oct. 18, 2012)
Secureinfo Corp. v. Telos Corp., 387 F. Supp. 2d 593 (E.D. Va. 2005)
Synercom Tech., Inc. v. Univ. Computing Co., 462 F. Supp. 1003 (N.D. Tex. 1978)
VD

Visual Design

Protectable

Capcom U.S.A., Inc. v. Data E. Corp., 1994 WL 1751482 (N.D. Cal. Mar. 16, 1994)
Clarity Software, LLC v. Allianz Life Ins. Co. of N. Am., 2006 WL 2346292 (W.D. Pa. Aug. 11, 2006)
CMAX/Cleveland, Inc. v. UCR, Inc., 804 F. Supp. 337 (M.D. Ga. 1992)
Gutierrez v. CogScreen, LLC, 2017 WL 8727627 (W.D. Tenn. Dec. 5, 2017)
Harbor Software, Inc. v. Applied Sys., Inc., 925 F. Supp. 1042 (S.D.N.Y. 1996)
Lilith Games (Shanghai) Co. v. uCool, Inc., 2015 WL 5591612 (N.D. Cal. Sept. 23, 2015)
Maddog Software, Inc. v. Sklader, 382 F. Supp. 2d 268 (D.N.H. 2005)
MDY Indus., LLC v. Blizzard Entm't, Inc., 2011 WL 538748 (9th Cir. Feb. 17, 2011)
Mitek Holdings, Inc. v. Arce Eng'g Co., 864 F. Supp. 1568 (S.D. Fla. 1994)
SellPoolSuppliesOnline.com LLC V. Ugly Pools Arizona Inc., 2017 WL 6420464 (D. Ariz. Jun. 9, 2017)SellPoolSuppliesOnline.com LLC V. Ugly Pools Arizona Inc., 2017 WL 6420464 (D. Ariz. Jun. 9, 2017)
Ticketmaster L.L.C. v. Prestige Entm't West, Inc., 315 F. Supp. 3d 1147 (C.D. Cal. 2018)

Unprotectable

Brown Bag Software v. Symantec Corp., 960 F.2d 1465 (9th Cir. 1992)
Capcom U.S.A., Inc. v. Data E. Corp., 1994 WL 1751482 (N.D. Cal. Mar. 16, 1994) -UN
Data East USA, Inc. v. Epyx, Inc., 862 F.2d 204 (9th Cir. 1988)
Harbor Software, Inc. v. Applied Sys., Inc., 925 F. Supp. 1042 (S.D.N.Y. 1996) - UN
Ilog, Inc. v. Bell Logic, LLC, 181 F. Supp. 2d 3 (D. Mass. 2002)
Mitek Holdings, Inc. v. Arce Eng'g Co., 864 F. Supp. 1568 (S.D. Fla. 1994) - UN
LGND

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This digest is for informational purposes only, and is not legal advice. You should contact an experienced copyright attorney for specific guidance, such as the Copyright, Content, and Platform practitioners at BakerHostetler.

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