Storyline and fashion patents

Film, literature, and fashion are examples of innovative fields where ideas cannot be patented. (Another article descibes how software innovation also happens without patents.)

Storylines

The complete lack of patents for storylines and the centuries of innovation in story writing provide proof that patents are not necessary for innovation or investment of effort.

However, the USPTO has agreed to review one such patent. (to check: See Ben D. Manevitz "What's the Story with Storyline Patents - An Argument Against the Allowance of Proposed Storyline Patents and for the Rejection of Currently Pending Storyline Patent Applications" (2006) 24 Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal 717.)

Fashion

Fashion is another example. Here are some articles that explore this topic:

• Control of creativity? Fashion's secret
• More Research Shows How The Fashion Industry Is Helped By The Lack Of Intellectual Property Rights
• The Coming Software Patent Apocalypse (the first part is about another topic)
• Lessons from fashion's free culture, this video talks about copyright but might apply to patents too

Related pages on ESP Wiki

• Analogies - including a literature patents analogy
• Software progress happens without patents

External links

• A Potentially New IP: Storyline Patents, a 2004 article by patent lawyer Andrew Knight
• Somewhat related: Film sued for showing use of a patented idea ("Knowing" - a fiction, staring Nicholas Cage)
  • Also reported on techdirt, thresq, cyberlaw