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Martin Goetz

is a pioneer in the development of the commercial software industry, and is known within the industry as “the Father of Third Party Software.” He is also widely regarded as the inventor on the first software patent ever granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, U.S. Patent No. 3,380,029.

PBS Digital Studios profiled Goetz and his pursuit of the first software patent in the YouTube video below.

In 2007, Goetz was the “Unsung Innovator” of the computer industry by ComputerWorld. Goetz is also a member of the Mainframe Hall of Fame.

Recent Articles by Martin Goetz

50 Years of Controversy Rages On: A Closer Look at Computer-Implemented Inventions

This article reviews the 50 years of controversy on software patents. Because there continues to be a cloud over computer-implemented inventions, the article makes the argument, through indisputable facts, that computer-implemented inventions are no different from inventions that have been patented since the beginning of the Patent System in 1790. Finally, the article reviews three innovative patented computer-implemented inventions and explains why the phrase “software patent” is meaningless.

After Alice: Is New Legislation Needed? Before Alice: Was there a Precedent?

the Courts have found it difficult to use the Mayo two-part test in the examination of a patent’s validity thus creating great uncertainty… One should not confuse the uncertainty of the complex U.S. patent system with the clarity of the Alice decision. There is no reason to believe any new legislation will provide any improvement in deciding what should, and what should not, be patentable.