ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the growth of a technological and legal center in “Silicon Valley”, and also certain aspects of the interrelationship among technological, economic, and legal developments. ”Silicon Valley” is a nickname given to part of the Santa Clara Valley, in Northern California. The valley is located on the San Francisco Bay peninsula, to the south of the city of San Francisco. ”Intellectual property” is a general umbrella term, which covers patents, copyright, trademark and trade secret protection. Companies in the Silicon Valley stand or fall on technological innovation, that is, on developing products or processes which are or can be considered “intellectual property.” Patent law is vitally important to industries that are based upon technological innovation. The importance of patents has, however, varied throughout the existence of the American patent system. The new phase in the patent system thus reflects the globalization of world markets.
