Intangible Intangibles: Patent Law's Engagement with Dematerialised Subject Matter

The book explores the dematerialisation of subject matter in recent debates and examines three historical cases where US patent law has dealt with dematerialised subject matter, including nineteenth-century chemical inventions, computer-related inventions in the 1970s, and biological subject matter across the twentieth century. It provides a history of patentable subject matter in the United States and explores the role of science and technology in the process.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 09 May 2024
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

This book explores the dematerialization of subject matter in the context of recent developments in information technology, molecular biology, and related fields, which have led to a subject matter with no obvious material form or trace. It challenges the notion that dematerialization is a uniquely twenty-first century problem and examines three historical cases where US patent law has already dealt with dematerialized subject matter: nineteenth century chemical inventions, computer-related inventions in the 1970s, and biological subject matter across the twentieth century. By analyzing these historical accounts, the book provides a history of patentable subject matter in the United States and sheds light on the role that science and technology played in shaping the legal response to dematerialization. The book is available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

Weight: 442g
ISBN-13: 9781009479608