The IT Law Wiki

Definitions[]

U.S. copyright law[]

Literal infringement of a copyright occurs when all or more than a de minimus amount of a copyrightable work is copied verbatim.

U.S. patent law[]

Literal infringement of a patent

requires that the accused device embody every element of the claim as properly interpreted. If the claim describes a combination of functions, and each function is performed by a means described in the specification or an equivalent of such means, then literal infringement holds.”[1]

References[]

  1. Texas Instr., Inc. v. United States Int’l Trade Comm’n, 805 F.2d 1558, 1562, 231 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 833 (Fed. Cir. 1986) (full-text).