Accepted Answer

You can file a petition to make special if you are over 65, in bad health, or for a few other reasons that I do not think you qualify for.
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<br />Alternatively you could file for expedited examination. This requires that the application has been filed electroncially. So if you filed a paper application you would need to file a fresh application (Continutaion, CIP, etc.). You also have to pay for a prior art search and careful analysis of all prior art. This would cost at least twice as much attorney time as preparing the patent. So yes, much more complication and cost involved.
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<br />In order to get a patent in most countries you must be the first to invent the invention. So noone can copy your invention in order to get a patent, though I have seen this attempted in China. If filing in China it is wise to have someone monitoring patent applications that may be copying you so that you can block them.
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<br />A patent creates liability for other people importing or using the invention in the country the patent is granted in. So even if they bought infringing software from a country where you did not hold a patent they could not legally use it on their computers in the country where you hold a patent. Of course there will be people using pirate software but that is unavoidable for most software.
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<br />You would be wise to have an attorney review your application. Though your specification may be sufficient it generally takes an expert to draft valuable claims. Claims are very important and require careful crafting. It should take an hour or two to look over your application, but I can guess that they are going to tell you that your claims need work if you have not studied patent law.
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<br />I am located on the West Coast but if you tell me where you live I can refer you to a reputable law firm.
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Edited by Patent Expert on 6/11/2009 at 5:56 AM