books-stack.jpgIPNews® – A patent was issued last week to economics professor Joseph Henry Vogel for a system and method for controlling use of academic texts. 

Patent 8,195,571 requires students to participate in a web-based online discussion board, which would count toward their final course grade.  The code to gain access to the discussion board would be obtained when the students purchase the associated textbooks directly from publishers and is meant to curb piracy.  To continue reading, click: Textbook Piracy Patent