Keeping up with the majority of industrialized countries, Canada has now brought into force a new Act to protect semiconductor layouts and topography design. Entitled the Integrated Circuit Topography Act (ICTA), this statute offers protection for the layers or topographies of integrated circuits and for customization layers. This paper discusses the background surrounding the development of this statute and those currently in force in other countries. The requirements of registration; the scope of protection; some guidelines as to what will be protectable; infringement considerations; and potential problems and pitfalls of this Act are examined.
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