{"id":457565,"date":"2026-03-04T19:17:08","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T19:17:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/457565\/"},"modified":"2026-03-04T19:17:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T19:17:08","slug":"form-vs-function-a-new-ipec-copyright-ruling-patent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/457565\/","title":{"rendered":"Form vs. Function: A New IPEC Copyright Ruling – Patent"},"content":{"rendered":"

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MC<\/p>\n

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Marks & Clerk<\/p>\n


\n <\/a><\/p>\n

More<\/p>\n


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\n \"Marks
\n <\/a><\/p>\n


\nMarks & Clerk is one of the UK\u2019s foremost firms of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys. Our attorneys and solicitors are wired directly into the UK\u2019s leading business and innovation economies. Alongside this we have offices in 9 international locations covering the EU, Canada and Asia, meaning we offer clients the best possible service locally, nationally and internationally. <\/p>\n

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\n Just because two platforms exhibit the same functionality, doesn’t mean copyright has been infringed. That is the clear message from the recent decision in Edozo Ltd v Valos (UK) Ltd [2026] EWHC 93 (IPEC). \n <\/p>\n


\n United Kingdom
\n Intellectual Property \n <\/p>\n


\n To print this article, all you need is to be registered or login on Mondaq.com. \n <\/p>\n

Just because two platforms exhibit the same functionality,
\ndoesn’t mean copyright has been infringed. That is the clear
\nmessage from the recent decision in\u00a0Edozo Ltd v Valos (UK)
\nLtd [2026] EWHC 93 (IPEC).\u00a0<\/p>\n

The court struck out a counterclaim which argued that by
\nreplicating a specific sequence of steps in a user interface, a
\ncompetitor had indirectly infringed the copyright in the underlying
\nsource code.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The judge in this case referred to a “pudding” analogy
\nto make the point: just because two puddings look and taste
\nidentical to the customer (referring to user experience of the
\ninterface), doesn’t mean one chef infringed the copyright in
\nthe other’s written recipe (referring to the source code that
\nproduces the user experience).\u00a0<\/p>\n

The point made by this analogy, therefore, is that, with respect
\nto copyright in software, functionality is distinct from
\nexpression. You can largely replicate a competitor’s business
\nlogic or user flow without infringing the literary copyright of
\ntheir computer program, provided you do not rely on the
\ncompetitor’s own source code to replicate it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This case highlights the difference between copyright, which in
\nthe UK protects individual expressions, and patents which protect
\ngeneral concepts and ideas. Many companies overlook this difference
\nand don’t consider the value a patent can provide to protect
\ntheir software, which is a mistake.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A well-rounded intellectual property (IP) strategy for
\ncompanies, particularly for those operating in the software space
\n(as demonstrated in this case), must therefore consider all
\navailable forms of IP, not just copyright, and must consider the
\ndifferences between the different forms.\u00a0<\/p>\n

N.B. this article is not legal advice.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The content of this article is intended to provide a general
\nguide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought
\nabout your specific circumstances.<\/p>\n

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