Patents
Several specific patents have been filed to protect the intellectual property rights of US TMS development corporations. However, judgments against several foreign software companies in 2009, 2010 and 2012 have thus far proven unenforceable. Several "job shop" developers in India, China and other Asian countries have been knowingly violating existing US patents. The US Patent Office has been working on a long term solution to protect US TMS patents but enforcement has proven difficult.
The most notable and largest number of TMS patents have been filed by IBM, SAP, Manhattan Associates, TheFreeTMS.com, Oracle, JDA, and Sterling. Each holds over 15 patents protecting various aspects of their technology.
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