NTP v. RIM: The Diverging Law Between System and Method Claim Infringement

[Excerpt] “Almost thirty years after the landmark decision of Decca Ltd. v. United States, the Federal Circuit had an opportunity to reevaluate the extraterritorial limits of U.S. patent law in NTP, Inc. v. Research in Motion, Ltd. After withdrawing its initial opinion (“NTP I”) and issuing a second opinion (“NTP II”), the court held that a system having a component located outside U.S. jurisdiction could be subject to U.S. patent law. The court held as a matter of law, however, that a process in which a step is performed outside U.S. jurisdiction could not be subject to U.S. patent law. In NTP I and NTP II, the infringing system included a component located in Canada. Ironically, that infringing system was the platform on which the non-infringing process operated. The court’s justification for this result was based on the “collective” nature of systems compared to the “individual” nature of processes. This article analyzes the court’s decision and recommends an alternative holding in order to unify “system” and process infringement law. Additionally, this article examines the history of “system” claims to determine whether their current use as “machine” claims is consistent with their historical use. Given its historical context, this article then evaluates whether a preamble including a “system” should limit a claim’s scope under the current law. Finally, this article evaluates the effect of the court’s decision on communications and secondary-use patents.

(WP 2016-06) The Effectiveness of Central Bank Forward Guidance under Inflation and Price-Level Targeting

This paper examines the effectiveness of central bank forward guidance under inflation and price-level targeting monetary policies. The results show that the attenuation of the effects of forward guidance can be solved if a central bank switches from inflation targeting to price-level targeting. Output and inflation respond more favorably to forward guidance with price-level targeting than inflation targeting. A monetary policy rule that aggressively reacts to inflation and includes interest rate inertia narrows the performance gap between the two policy regimes. However, forward guidance with price-level targeting is still preferred to forward guidance with inflation targeting after performing multiple robustness checks

The Effectiveness of Central Bank Forward Guidance Under Inflation and Price-level Targeting

This paper examines the effectiveness of central bank forward guidance under inflation and price-level targeting monetary policies. The results show that the beneficial effects of forward guidance increase if a central bank pursues price-level targeting instead of inflation targeting. Output and inflation respond more favorably to forward guidance with price-level targeting than inflation targeting. A monetary policy rule that aggressively reacts to inflation and includes interest rate inertia narrows the performance gap between the two policy regimes. However, forward guidance with price-level targeting is still preferred to forward guidance with inflation targeting after performing multiple robustness checks

(WP 2016-02) The Limits of Central Bank Forward Guidance under Learning

Central bank forward guidance emerged as a pertinent tool for monetary policymakers since the Great Recession. Nevertheless, the effects of forward guidance remain unclear. This paper investigates the effectiveness of forward guidance while relaxing two standard macroeconomic assumptions: rational expectations and frictionless financial markets. Agents forecast future macroeconomic variables via either the rational expectations hypothesis or a more plausible theory of expectations formation called adaptive learning. A standard Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE) model is extended to include the financial accelerator mechanism. The results show that the addition of financial frictions amplifies the differences between rational expectations and adaptive learning to forward guidance. The macroeconomic variables are overall more responsive to forward guidance under rational expectations than under adaptive learning. During a period of economic crisis (e.g. a recession), output under rational expectations displays more favorable responses to forward guidance than under adaptive learning. These differences are exacerbated when compared to a similar analysis without financial frictions. Thus, monetary policymakers should consider the way in which expectations and credit frictions are modeled when examining the effects of forward guidance

Comparative analysis of the seismic hazard of Central China

Seismic hazard assessment is globally recognised as a tool in identifying levels of earthquake ground shaking within an area. However, methodologies for seismic hazard calculation are wide ranging and produce variations in results and maps. As a case study seismic hazard and results from Gumbel’s method of extremes are determined for the area of greatest intraplate seismicity in China covering the provinces of Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan. This area is termed the North-South Seismic Zone. Devastating earthquakes in this zone include the 8.4 MS 1920 Haiyuan earthquake causing over 220,000 deaths and the 1996 Lijiang earthquake. Most recently the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake caused over 69,000 deaths with more than 18,000 people missing. These results and seismic hazard maps are compared with the publicly available maps of GSHAP and the national seismic hazard map of China at the level of 10% probability of exceedance in a 50 year period. The distributions of high and low hazard areas are similar and adjacent to the major thrust and strike-slip faults dominating in this area. However, results from the Gumbel method of extremes suggest that the hazard levels within certain areas are slightly different compared to the other two models. This is primarily because the Gumbel methodology is based on determining hazard from earthquakes that have already taken place whereas the other two models determine maximum hazard levels in areas which may exhibit no previous strong hazard. Additionally the Chinese national hazard map does not indicate levels of ground shaking intensity greater than IX in detail, whereas such zones are identified using the extreme value method. This work should be used to strengthen the seismic hazard analysis of this area of China

Using eSkel to Implement the Multiple Baseline Stereo Application

We give an overview of the Edinburgh Skeleton Library eSkel, a structured parallel programming library which offers a range of skeletal parallel programming constructs to the C/MPI programmer. Then we illustrate the efficacy of such a high level approach through an application of multiple baseline stereo. We describe the application and show different ways to introduce parallelism using algorithmic skeletons. Some performance results will be reported

The application of international economic sanctions: the united nations, European community and 'Yugoslavia'

The thesis is concerned with the international mechanism for the imposition and implementation of economic sanctions and the role of the European Community within it. Chapter 1 examines the classification of responses available to States to violations of international obligations. It deals with the conditions which must be satisfied for the legitimate introduction of counter-measures by States, restrictions placed upon their exercise, and their relationship to the law of treaties. Finally it is concerned with the conditions which must be met to enable the Security Council of the United Nations to impose sanctions against a State, and with the obligations which stem from such measures on Members of the UN. The relationship of the European Community to the UN Security Council is discussed in the second Chapter. The questions of whether the EC needs to seek authorisation from the Security Council to introduce sanctions and whether it is bound by the tatter's resolutions are considered. The power of the EC to apply counter-measures in defence of its own interests and of those of its Member States is examined. Chapter 3 is concerned with the basis in European Community law for the EC to apply counter-measures and to implement UN sanctions. This involves a discussion of the respective competences of the Community and its Member States in the field of external relations to determine in which of them is competent to take particular measures. Chapter 4 consists of a chronological account of the sanctions introduced by the United Nations and the European Community against Serbia and Montenegro and of the events which led to their adoption

Factors influencing the retention of senior 4-H members in rural Tennessee : a focus group study

The purpose of this study was to identify factors which influence teen participation in the Tennessee 4-H program. The focus group research method was employed in order to obtain the attitudes and opinions of former 4-H members regarding the 4-H program. Teenagers who were once involved in the 4-H program but currently are not involved were identified in eight rural counties in Tennessee. Rural teens were targeted because of their influence on the total enrollment figures. Nearly 70 percent of the total 4-H enrollment comes from rural areas or farms. These students were then contacted and asked to participate in the study. Several major themes regarding the 4-H program emerged from the focus group sessions. First, students felt that 4-H programs were not adequately marketed to their age group. Second, the students felt that many 4-H programs and activities were not meeting their needs and interests. Third, the students stated that time was also a major barrier to teen participation in 4-H programs. Finally, the students stated that 4-H agents were not receiving the proper training required to work with older youth. In conclusion, several recommendations about teen involvement in the Tennessee 4-H program can be made. Better marketing of the current programs, new programs, more collaboration with the school systems (for in class time), and agent training and support all seem to be ways of increasing the retention of older youth in the 4-H program