Research On The Copyright Protection Of Computer Fonts

Computer fonts are not a strange object in the field of China’s intellectual property rights. Cases about this fonts are not uncommon but as for whether it is protected by the property copyright in our country, there are different results and discussion on this issue encourages diverse thinking and shows brilliant splendor. Different from calligraphy fonts, computer fonts are able to conduct the digital design of fonts by taking computer screen output and computer print as the medium. Based on thought expression dichotomy and object elements of copyright requirements, computer fonts that are consistent with the expression form of copyright and the object of copyright protection are likely to be protected by the copyright law. However, as for how to protect the computer fonts and how to identify the boundaries of protection, the writer designs the theory to explore the limits of computer font protection and the path of judicial activity on the basis of the mode of civil liability, legal dogmatics, law and policy and relevant systems.In addition to the introduction part, this paper consists of four parts.The first part analyzes the basic structure of Chinese characters, namely, font, form and meaning. It expounds that the object to be protected by copyright law is the font of Chinese characters and introduces the development course of the traditional calligraphy font which paves the way for the introduction of computer fonts, explains the difference between computer fonts and calligraphy fonts and defines the meaning of computer fonts.The second part analyzes the expression form of the font based on thought expression dichotomy. Explore the possibility of fonts’protection from the object elements required by the copyright such as originality, tangible reproduction and objective manifestation and further generally analyze whether the computer fonts can be protected by copyright law.On the premise that computer fonts are under the protection of copyright law, the third part distinguishes the level of protection or limits of protection and classifies and characterizes the act of infringement and thus uses different methods of civil liability for a variety of infringements.The fourth part quotes the basic principles of copyright law from the development process of the computer font and the definition of the concept and uses the applied theory of legal dogmatics and law and policy to demonstrate the possibility and rationality of the exemption of the computer font infringement.