Can embedded software be patented in the EU?
<p>I know that no software can be patented in Europe. But what if I use software in an electronic board, and introduce that hardware?  Can that be patented?</p>

<p>Software cannot be patented although it does have copyright.</p>

<p>Hardware can be the subject of a patent, however, that would not cover any software aspects such as the programming built into a PROM.</p>

<p>While it is possible to render any software into an integrated circuit, practically, anything simple enough to make this feasible is probably too simple to patent.</p>

european-union patents