Software Inventions and the Patent System -- A User's Guide Software Is Patentable, But the Process Can Be Expensive and Time-Consuming. There Are Ways to Reduce Time, Costs and Increase Roi.

This book addresses various of the myths and misunderstandings about software and patents, and provides clarification on how software patent disclosures can be set up so as to maximize chances of obtaining an actual patent. This book is aimed at inventors, software developers, and software companies with limited cash-on-hand, and shows them how to do as much of their own patent work themselves in a D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) context, emphasizing Provisional filings but also discussing Utility filings. This is achieved by providing background and context on what a typical patent disclosure can look like, then moving to what a software patent disclosure can look like using simple examples that do not require a PhD to understand. The book also contrasts patents with other forms of Intellectual Property (IP) so that the reader can obtain some balance on where patents fit in within the larger IP spectrum. This book has value both for the lay-inventor, software developer, and even attorneys or business strategists who practice in other areas but want clarification as to what they might tell their software clients. This book clarifies that there is no way anyone can provide guarantees on how the patent system will work for them, how long it will take, or how much it will cost, and explains why, using viewpoints of what a typical patent Examiner's job is like. Instead, this book provides guidance on how to potentially reduce costs, potentially reduce application time, and potentially obtain patents that have legitimate value to an investor or licensee. The author has worked in software development as well as in the software patent industry, and holds 7 patents himself, including in software and computer-implemented arts. The author is also a former patent Examiner with federal patent litigation experience.