In a landmark decision, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, in Signature Financial v. State Street Bank, held that business methods may be patented. This holding, together with the explosive growth of the Internet, has turned the business method patent into the "hot" new growth area of intellectual property. Business Method Patents is your guide to the unique opportunities and risks in this emerging area of IP law. Depend on it as your authoritative source for court-tested guidance on: - Mechanics of the patent application - Prior art researching - Drafting claims - Drafting the complete specification - Drawings required for business method patents - Illustrating the business system through drawings - Building a patent portfolio for attracting capital - Enforcing and licensing business method patents.

In a landmark decision, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in Signature Financial v. State Street Bank held that business methods may be patented. Recently, the US Supreme Court in Bilski v. Kappos left the door open for the availability of patents for business methods. These holdings, together with the explosive growth of electronic commerce and technology, make the business method patent an important growth area of intellectual property. Now in a revised Looseleaf format, this completely updated Second Edition of Business Method Patents is your guide to the unique opportunities and risks in this emerging area of intellectual property law. Business Method Patents, Second Edition is your authoritative source for expert guidance on: The landmark Supreme Court decision in Bilski v. Kappos USPTO view on business method patents, including an overview of BPAI rulings Mechanics of the patent application Prior art searches Drafting claims for business method or model and e-commerce inventions Drafting the complete specification Drawings required for business method patents Building a strategic patent portfolio Litigating business method patents International protection for business methods

The U.S. patent system is in an accelerating race with human ingenuity and investments in innovation. In many respects the system has responded with admirable flexibility, but the strain of continual technological change and the greater importance ascribed to patents in a knowledge economy are exposing weaknesses including questionable patent quality, rising transaction costs, impediments to the dissemination of information through patents, and international inconsistencies. A panel including a mix of legal expertise, economists, technologists, and university and corporate officials recommends significant changes in the way the patent system operates. A Patent System for the 21st Century urges creation of a mechanism for post-grant challenges to newly issued patents, reinvigoration of the non-obviousness standard to quality for a patent, strengthening of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, simplified and less costly litigation, harmonization of the U.S., European, and Japanese examination process, and protection of some research from patent infringement liability.

Perspectives on Patentable Subject Matter brings together leading scholars to offer diverse perspectives on one of the most pressing issues in patent law: the basic question about which types of subject matter are even eligible for patent protection, setting aside the widely known requirement that a claimed invention avoid the prior art and be adequately disclosed. Some leading commentators and policy-making bodies and individuals envision patentable subject matter to include anything under the sun made by humans, whereas other leaders envision a range of restrictions for particular fields of endeavor, from business methods and computer software to matters involving life, such as DNA and methods for screening or treating disease. Employing approaches that are both theoretically rigorous and grounded in the real world, this book is well suited for practicing lawyers, managers, lawmakers, and analysts, as well as academics conducting research or teaching a range of courses in law schools, business schools, public policy schools, and in economics and political science departments, at either the undergraduate or graduate level.

Never before has one resource broken down the process for drafting software patent specifications and claims into manageable segments. Software Patents, Third Edition will show you how to draft accurate, complete patent applications -- applications that will be approved by the patent office and that will stand in court if challenged. It discusses what a software patent is and the legal protection it offers; who holds software patents and for what inventions; and the steps you can take to protect software inventions in the worldwide marketplace. The book also explores internet and e-commerce patents and information protection using the software patent. Completely revised and updated in a new looseleaf format, Software Patents, Third Edition is your authoritative source for expert guidance on: Strategic software patent protection Prior art searches Drafting claims Drafting the software patent specification Requirements for software patent drawings Patent Office examination guidelines International software patent protection Beta testing software inventions Integrating software patents with industry standards Invalidity defenses in software patent litigation

Emerging Trends in Business Method Patents provides an authoritative, insiders perspective on key strategies for keeping up-to-date on recent developments in the area of business method patents. Featuring partners from some of the nations leading law firms, these experts guide the reader through the process of interpreting relevant decisions and legislation in order to develop an effective patent strategy. These top lawyers reveal their advice on navigating the post-Bilski environment, determining patent eligibility, and overcoming patent drafting challenges. From CyberSource Corp. v. Retail Decisions Inc. to Ultramercial LLC v. Hulu, et al., these authors discuss recent case law that will affect patent applicants going forward. These leaders also share their strategies for understanding Section 101 and the machine-or-transformation test, as well as implications of the America Invents Act. The different niches represented and the breadth of perspectives presented enable readers to get inside some of the great legal minds of today, as these experienced lawyers offer up their thoughts around the keys to success within this ever-evolving area of law.