How should microprocessor code be protected against commercial exploitation by third parties?

Microprocessor code is best protected against commercial exploitation by third parties through copyright. Copyright provides legal recognition to the authors of original works, including software code, granting them exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, and display their work. This means that if someone were to copy or use the code without permission, the creator has the right to pursue legal recourse to protect their intellectual property.

Additionally, copyright protection automatically applies to original works of authorship as soon as they are created and fixed in a tangible medium, making it a robust option for software. This protection lasts for a significant period, allowing the code author to benefit from their work and maintain control over its use.

In contrast to copyright, utility patents provide protection for inventions and processes, but the criteria for patentability are strict and often do not apply to software code unless it meets specific technological criteria. Design patents protect the ornamental aspects of an item rather than its functional aspects, making them less applicable to the coding elements themselves. Trade secrets, while a viable option for protecting proprietary information, require maintaining confidentiality and may not offer the same level of protection if the code is independently discovered or reverse-engineered by others. Thus, copyright stands out as the most effective method for protecting microprocessor code from unauthorized commercial exploitation