Software technology has evolved rapidly to satisfy the demands from the expansion of various applications of information technology. From the applications perspective, the demands for producing high-quality software for real-time systems, distributed computing infrastructure, internet, mobile and ubiquitous (or pervasive) computing systems, etc. are enormous. The quality involved may include not only robustness, high performance and security, but also light weight, composibility and situation awareness. During the last three decades, the phenomenal progress and changes in software technology have been obvious. New paradigms and techniques in developing and maintaining software systems have been introduced, such as object- and aspect-oriented software development, component-based software development, situation-aware and adaptive software, middleware, service-oriented architecture and secure software engineering.
Today, over 1.5 billion people use the Internet. In order to address the need for more information from these many users, marketing companies are developing new methods for collecting and using the rich marking data the Internet provides. This has led to the introduction of several new technologies to assist in the information gathering process. Many of these developments are Internet-based technologies that include enhanced tracking, improved communication, research tools, and virtual reality and simulations.
The Internet offers an unparalleled ability to track and monitor customers. As tracking software becomes more sophisticated, the use of tracking data will be a routinely used research tool.
Not only does the Internet enable marketers to monitor customers’ website activity, it also offers significant improvement in customer-to-company communication, which is vital for marketing research. Also, a large number of Internet services have added options for conducting research. Marketers can also use computer-developed virtual worlds to simulate real world customer activity such as store shopping.
GPS technologies enable marketers to track inventory and even track mobile sales and service personnel. Also, a number of software and statistical programs have been refined to give marketers greater insight into what the data really mean.
The Internet is facilitated by bi- or multi-lateral commercial contracts (e.g., peering agreements), and by technical specifications or protocols that describe how to exchange data over the network. Indeed, the Internet is defined by its interconnections and routing policies. The complex communications infrastructure of the Internet consists of its hardware components and a system of software layers that control various aspects of the architecture.
As the software technologies and Internet applications markets continue to grow, new inventions and innovations will continue to occur. All of these developments point to increasing activity in the laws, business transactions, and disputes concerning IP in software technologies and Internet applications.
Strong patent rights are imperative to encourage investments in R&D and for commercialization of software technologies and Internet applications. Small innovative firms rely on patent rights to build businesses around software technologies and Internet applications.
>> To see examples of patents recently issued to protect software technologies & Internet applications inventions, click the above  U.S. Patents/Applications icon.
>> The IP professionals at HULSEYIP possess a long and successful history in protecting, commercializing, and enforcing the IP rights of our clients in a broad array of software technologies technologies, as well as experience is a variety of internet applications. To see a selection of patents and patent applications prepared and prosecuted by us over the years, click icon. |
