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Patents and Free and Open Source Software

@ Wittemyer Courtroom, Wolf Law Building, University of Colorado
Thursday, April 29, 2010, 1:00 - 6:30 PM

Post-Event Coverage

For a report summarizing the conference written by Meg Ambrose, click here.

To View the video of this event, click here.

On April 29, 2010, Silicon Flatirons will host a conference to examine the relationship between patent law and policy and free and open source software.

Both patents and open source have been credited with a great deal of technology innovation. But when the two meet in a single system, they may conflict. How does the open source mode of open, collaborative sharing mesh with patent's exclusion rights and controlled licensing? Does patent law hinder or help the release and distribution of open source software? What can those who adopt open source software do to reduce their exposure to patent litigation and liability? Can new models of patent licensing help to enable collaborative sharing?

As the Supreme Court addresses patentable subject matter in its Bilski case; Apple sues phone developers over claims they copied the iPhone's technology; and MPEG extends patent licenses on web video, we are ideally timed to consider the state of the law and its future direction. Experts from law, technology, and business will join us at Silicon Flatirons to address the challenges and opportunities of patents and open source software.

How does Free and open source software fit into a business strategy? How do its strengths and weaknesses compare with proprietary software? Does an entrepreneur need patents to gain a competitive edge? What best practices can minimize legal and competitive risks? This panel will showcase a mix of business, technology, and legal strategies to navigate the software industry.

How does the presence of open source software complicate patent litigation? Do cases involving open source software tend to be more expensive than other software patent lawsuits? Less expensive? Are there strategies open source software developers can deploy to decrease the threat of patent litigation and liability? Panelists will address current practices and proposals such as defensive licenses, patent pools, prior art databases, reexamination practice, litigation, and law reform.

Patented standards have been embraced in many fields. For example, many multimedia formats and communications specifications are both standardized and controlled by pools of patents. Can developers of open source software use these formats without infringing? Can a software developer license patents and permit end-user modification and redistribution of the software? What kind of intellectual property licensing policy promotes vibrant innovation in standards and software?

Welcome
 1:00pm - 1:15pm
  • Paul Ohm
    Associate Professor of Law
    University of Colorado
Open Source and Patent Business Models
 1:15pm - 2:30pm
  • Jason Haislmaier
    Partner
    Holme, Roberts & Owen
    Adjunct Faculty
    University of Colorado
  • Jason Mendelson
    Managing Director
    Foundry Group
  • Stormy Peters
    Executive Director
    Gnome Foundation
  • Pamela Samuelson
    Professor of Law
    University of California-Berkeley
Moderator
  • Paul Ohm
    Associate Professor of Law
    University of Colorado
Break
 2:30pm - 2:45pm
Open Source and Patent Litigation
 2:45pm - 4:00pm
  • Julie Dececco
    Legal Director in the Litigation Department
    Oracle America Inc.
  • Jason Schultz
    Assistant Clinical Professor of Law
    Director, Samuelson Law, Technology & Public Policy Clinic
    University of California - Berkeley
  • David St. John-Larkin
    Attorney
    Merchant & Gould P.C.
  • Jennifer Urban
    Assistant Clinical Professor of Law
    Director, Samuelson Law, Technology & Public Policy Clinic
    University of California - Berkeley
  • Lucky Vidmar
    Associate
    Greenberg Traurig LLP
Moderator
  • Harry Surden
    Associate Professor of Law
    University of Colorado
Break
 4:00pm - 4:15pm
Patents, Standards, and the Open Source Ecosystem
 4:15pm - 5:30pm
  • John Card
    Director of Standards and Technology
    EchoStar Technologies, L.L.C.
  • Jud Cary
    Vice President, Video Technology Policy and Deputy General Counsel
    CableLabs
  • Steve Mutkoski
    Director of Interoperability & Standards
    Microsoft
  • Nina Wang
    Partner
    Faegre & Benson LLP
Moderator
Reception
Sponsored by Merchant and Gould		 5:30pm - 6:30pm

Conference Videos

Download videos of select prior conferences here.

Videos of select prior Silicon Flatirons conferences can also be ordered on DVD, VHS, or CD by contacting videos@silicon-flatirons.org

Conference Papers and Speech Texts

Select papers from our conferences are published in the Journal on Telecommunications and High Technology Law. To subscribe, contact the journal at jthtl@colorado.edu.