Prof. Marie-Christine Janssens

Centre for Intellectual Property RightsCatholic University Leuven - Belgium

WIPO-UNIDO National Seminar on Managing Intellectual Property of SMEs

Minsk, 23-25 January 2007

Prof. Marie-Christine Janssens

Centre for Intellectual Property RightsCatholic University Leuven - Belgium

WIPO-UNIDO National Seminar on Managing Intellectual Property of SMEs

Minsk, 23-25 January 2007

Fair Use &Software Reverse Engineering

Copying SoftwareCopying Software1950s1950s 1980s >1980s >

DifficultDifficult EasyEasy

Overview regulatory frameworkOverview regulatory framework

1980s Us adopts copyright protection

1991 EU software directive + Implementation by Member States

International norms 1994 TRIPS (art. 10.1) 1996 WCT (art. 4)

1980s Us adopts copyright protection

1991 EU software directive + Implementation by Member States

International norms 1994 TRIPS (art. 10.1) 1996 WCT (art. 4)

W H A T ?W H A T ?

Fair useFair use

Copyrighted subject matter

External boundaries of systemExternal boundaries of systemFREE USEFREE USE

Expiration of term of protectionExpiration of term of protection Belarus Copyright Act art. 22 Belarus Copyright Act art. 22 50 years 50 years practical significance ????practical significance ????

Ideas and concepts Ideas and concepts may be freely copied may be freely copied Art. 9 (2) TRIPSArt. 9 (2) TRIPS

Copyright protection shall Copyright protection shall extend to expressions and extend to expressions and not to ideas, procedures, not to ideas, procedures, methods of operation or methods of operation or mathematical concepts as mathematical concepts as such.such.

Art. 8.2 Belarus Copyrigh ActArt. 8.2 Belarus Copyrigh Act

Статья 8. Произведения, не являющиеся Статья 8. Произведения, не являющиеся объектами авторского праваобъектами авторского права(1. …)(1. …)

2. Авторское право не распространяется 2. Авторское право не распространяется на идеи, процессы, системы, методы на идеи, процессы, системы, методы функционирования, концепции, принципы, функционирования, концепции, принципы, открытия или просто информацию как открытия или просто информацию как таковые, даже если они выражены, таковые, даже если они выражены, отображены, объяснены или воплощены отображены, объяснены или воплощены в произведениив произведении

Computer programas expressed

Computer-languages

(codes) copyright

Sample : Delphi Source CodeSample : Delphi Source CodeSample : Delphi Source CodeSample : Delphi Source Code

Underlying solutionfor problemUnderlying solutionfor problem

Computer-language(source code) copyright

Computer-language(source code) copyright

technical technical technical technical patent law patent law

Computer program‘as such’

External boundaries of systemExternal boundaries of systemFREE USEFREE USE

Expiration of term of protectionExpiration of term of protection Ideas and concepts may be copiedIdeas and concepts may be copied

two programs may have similar features, comparable two programs may have similar features, comparable functions, be based on the same conceptfunctions, be based on the same concept

their implementation may not be copiedtheir implementation may not be copied e.g. copying (even a few) lines of the codee.g. copying (even a few) lines of the code

Non-original features may be copiedNon-original features may be copied features dictated by technical needs & efficiency normsfeatures dictated by technical needs & efficiency norms features taken from public domain (basic techniques, trivial features taken from public domain (basic techniques, trivial

combinations)combinations)

Internal boundaries of systemInternal boundaries of systemPERMITTED USEPERMITTED USE

By contract (license)By contract (license) written agreement ? Shrink Wrap ? Clickwrapwritten agreement ? Shrink Wrap ? Clickwrap cf. article 27 Belarus Copyright Actcf. article 27 Belarus Copyright Act

““If conditions of using the program are set out in a suitable If conditions of using the program are set out in a suitable manner on the copy of the program”manner on the copy of the program”

Статья 27. Форма авторского договораСтатья 27. Форма авторского договора1. Авторский договор должен быть заключен в 1. Авторский договор должен быть заключен в письменной формеписьменной форме (…) (…)2. При продаже экземпляров компьютерных программ 2. При продаже экземпляров компьютерных программ и баз данных договор считается заключенным в и баз данных договор считается заключенным в письменной форме, если его условия (условия письменной форме, если его условия (условия использования программы и базы данных) изложены использования программы и базы данных) изложены соответствующим образом на экземплярах соответствующим образом на экземплярах программы или базы данныхпрограммы или базы данных

Internal boundaries of systemInternal boundaries of systemPERMITTED USEPERMITTED USE

By contract (license)By contract (license)

Software code is released as open sourceSoftware code is released as open source license conditionslicense conditions

Free to use in organizationFree to use in organization Free to use in productsFree to use in products Free to distribute and sellFree to distribute and sell Free to modify and extendFree to modify and extend

Software is released under a Creative Software is released under a Creative Commons licenseCommons license

Internal boundariesInternal boundaries exception to exception to exclusive rightexclusive right

Fair useFair use

Public interestPublic interestRightownersRightowners

ExceptionsExceptionsExclusive rights

Exclusive rights

BalanceBalanceBalanceBalance

©©

Exclusive R.Exclusive R. ExceptionsExceptions

©©

use of program in any way & in any form Literal copying Non-literal copying translation, adaptation Whole or part of program

use of program in any way & in any form Literal copying Non-literal copying translation, adaptation Whole or part of program

No permission is needed

national legislation(subject to 9.2 Berne) ‘Lawful user’

No permission is needed

national legislation(subject to 9.2 Berne) ‘Lawful user’

Exceptions to economic rightsExceptions to economic rightsActs necessary for the useActs necessary for the use

e.g. reproduction while loading the programe.g. reproduction while loading the program includes error correctionincludes error correction

The making of a back-up copyThe making of a back-up copy a single copy (if no back-up is provided)a single copy (if no back-up is provided) Belarus Belarus article 21 article 21 ‘intended solely for archiving or ‘intended solely for archiving or

for the replacement in the event the copy was lost or for the replacement in the event the copy was lost or destroyed’destroyed’ Лицо, правомерно владеющее экземпляром компьютерной Лицо, правомерно владеющее экземпляром компьютерной программы, вправе изготовить копию компьютерной программы программы, вправе изготовить копию компьютерной программы при условии, что эта копия предназначена только для архивных при условии, что эта копия предназначена только для архивных целей или для замены правомерно приобретенного экземпляра целей или для замены правомерно приобретенного экземпляра в случаях, когда оригинал компьютерной программы утерян, в случаях, когда оригинал компьютерной программы утерян, уничтожен или стал непригодным для использованияуничтожен или стал непригодным для использования

Exceptions to economic rightsExceptions to economic rightsActs necessary for the useActs necessary for the use

The making of a back-up copyThe making of a back-up copy

Observation, study, testing to determine Observation, study, testing to determine underlying ideas and principles if …underlying ideas and principles if …

The so-called ‘decompilation right’ The so-called ‘decompilation right’ right to reverse engineer right to reverse engineer

to convert object code into source code to convert object code into source code (= copying)(= copying)

Uses of decompilationUses of decompilation

To develop a competitive productTo develop a competitive product

To develop a complementary or attaching To develop a complementary or attaching program or device (e.g. printer)program or device (e.g. printer)

Other uses than developing a productOther uses than developing a product to maintain a programto maintain a program to recover lost codeto recover lost code to fix bugsto fix bugs to find virusesto find viruses to examine a competitor’s program (infringement?)to examine a competitor’s program (infringement?)

Maintaining balance in IP lawMaintaining balance in IP law

Public InterestPublic InterestExclusive rightsExclusive rights

Decompilation right (EU)Decompilation right (EU)

It is lawful to decompile a program It is lawful to decompile a program to create a new independent programto create a new independent program that is interoperable with itthat is interoperable with it

e.g. to run a program on an operating system the source code of e.g. to run a program on an operating system the source code of which is kept secretwhich is kept secret

Under stringent conditions Under stringent conditions information is not readily available information is not readily available information obtained may information obtained may

only be used for ensuring interoperabilityonly be used for ensuring interoperability Not be given to third parties (unless necessary for this purpose)Not be given to third parties (unless necessary for this purpose) Not be used for development of substantially similar CP or any Not be used for development of substantially similar CP or any

other act which infringes copyrightother act which infringes copyright

use exception with extreme caution !use exception with extreme caution !

Decompilation right (Belarus)Decompilation right (Belarus) Article 21 (2)Article 21 (2)

Лицо, правомерно владеющее Лицо, правомерно владеющее экземпляром компьютерной программы, экземпляром компьютерной программы, вправе адаптировать компьютерную вправе адаптировать компьютерную программу для обеспечения совместной программу для обеспечения совместной работы с другими программами при работы с другими программами при условии, что полученная при адаптации условии, что полученная при адаптации информация не будет использоваться для информация не будет использоваться для создания других компьютерных программ, создания других компьютерных программ, аналогичных адаптируемой, или для аналогичных адаптируемой, или для осуществления любого действия, осуществления любого действия, нарушающего авторское правонарушающего авторское право

Apply ‘clean room’ restrictionsApply ‘clean room’ restrictions

Room where computers are not connected to Room where computers are not connected to internet/intranetinternet/intranet

Only specially assigned personnel is allowed to Only specially assigned personnel is allowed to roomroom

No data (in electronic form or on paper) is No data (in electronic form or on paper) is allowed to leave roomallowed to leave room

End report will only detail information End report will only detail information necessary for interoperabilitynecessary for interoperability

Shred all paper documents related to the Shred all paper documents related to the decompilation / wipe disks and computer decompilation / wipe disks and computer memoriesmemories

Famous casesFamous cases

Sega Enterprises Sega Enterprises v. Accolade (9th Cir 1993)v. Accolade (9th Cir 1993)

Atari v. Nintendo (Fed Cir 1992)Atari v. Nintendo (Fed Cir 1992)

Sony v. Connectix (9th Cir 2000)Sony v. Connectix (9th Cir 2000)““The intermediate copies made and used by The intermediate copies made and used by

Connectix during the course of its reverse Connectix during the course of its reverse engineering of the Sony BIOS were protected fair engineering of the Sony BIOS were protected fair use, necessary to permit Connectix to make its use, necessary to permit Connectix to make its non-infringing Virtual Game Station function with non-infringing Virtual Game Station function with PlayStation games”.PlayStation games”.

The decompilation exception in The decompilation exception in practicepractice

Difficult … Difficult …

but not impossiblebut not impossible

+ take legal advice in advance+ take legal advice in advance