[** ] Gregory A. Stobbs is a principal in the patent law firm of Harness, Dickey & Pierce P.L.C. where he handles patent, trademark, and copyright matters involving complex computer software, networks, database, and speech processing. Mr. Stobbs holds a B.S. in electrical engineering and a J.D.

[1] O'Reilly v. Morse, 56 U.S. (15 How.) 62, 86 (1853).

[2] WILLIAM GIBSON, NEUROMANCER (1984).

[3] Letter from Thomas Jefferson to Isaac McPhereson (Aug. 13, 1813).

[4] Le Roy v. Tatham, 55 U.S. (14 How.) 156 (1852).

[5] O'Reilly v. Morse, 56 U.S. (15 How.) 62 (1853).

[6] Rubber-Tip Pencil v. Howard, 87 U.S. (20 Wall.) 498 (1874).

[7] Cochrane v. Deener, 94 U.S. 780 (1876).

[8] Expanded Metal Co. v. Bradford, 214 U.S. 366 (1909).

[9] MacKay Radio & Tel. v. Radio Corp. of Am., 306 U.S. 86 (1939).

[10] Funk Bros. Seed v. Kalo Inoculant, 333 U.S. 127 (1948).

[11] Gottschalk v. Benson, 409 U.S. 63 (1972).

[12] Parker v. Flook, 437 U.S. 584 (1978).

[13] Diamond v. Chakrabarty, 447 U.S. 303 (1980).

[14] Diamond v. Diehr, 450 U.S. 175 (1981).

[15] 3 Cai. R. 175 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 1805).

[16] Id.

[17] 980 F.2d 1439 (Fed. Cir. 1992).

[18] 33 F.3d 1354 (Fed. Cir. 1994).

[19] 32 F.3d 1579 (Fed. Cir.), reh'g denied, 1994 U.S. App. LEXIS 36805 (1994).

[20] 60 F.3d 807 (Fed. Cir. 1995).

[21] 980 F.2d 1439 (Fed. Cir. 1992).

[22] 33 F.3d 1354 (Fed. Cir. 1994).

[23] 32 F.3d 1579 (Fed. Cir.), reh'g denied, 1994 U.S. App. LEXIS 36805 (1994).

[24] 60 F.3d 807 (Fed. Cir. 1995).

[25] 980 F.2d 1439 (Fed. Cir. 1992).

[26] 60 F.3d 807 (Fed. Cir. 1995).

[27] 33 F.3d 1354 (Fed. Cir. 1994).

[28] 32 F.3d 1579 (Fed. Cir.), reh'g denied, 1994 U.S. App. LEXIS 36805 (1994).

[29] Warmerdam, 33 F.3d at 1357.

[30] Lowry, 32 F.3d at 1580.

[31] Examination Guidelines for Computer Related Inventions, 61 Fed. Reg. 7478 (1996).

[32] Id. at 7482.

[33] Id.

[34] Id. at 7483.

[35] See Jefferson Airplane v. Berkeley Systems, 886 F. Supp. 713 (N.D. Cal. 1994).