Business Law 12th Edition by Roger LeRoy Miller ,Frank Cross

Exercise 13

Two computer science majors, Trent and Xavier, have an idea for a new video game, which they propose to call Hallowed. They form a business and begin developing their idea. Several months later, Trent and Xavier run into a problem with their design and consult with a friend, Brad, who is an expert in designing computer source codes. After the software is completed but before Hallowed is marketed, a video game called Halo 2 is released for both the Xbox and the Playstation 3 systems. Halo 2 uses source codes similar to those of Hallowed and imitates Hallowed's overall look and feel, although not all the features are alike. Using the information presented in the chapter, answer the following questions.
If Trent and Xavier had obtained a business process patent on Hallowed, would the release of Halo 2 have infringed on their patent? Why or why not?
DEBATE THIS: Congress has amended copyright law several times. Copyright holders now have protection for many decades. Was Congress right in extending these copyright time periods? Why or why not?