Go ask Alice – Patentees have a new Supreme Court precedent to consider

Description

Abstract: In a recent decision, a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court continued its trend of finding business methods to be patent-ineligible abstract ideas. The Court, however, declined to squarely define “abstract ideas.” This article examines the Court’s reasoning, while a sidebar describes guidance issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office in response. Alice Corp. Pty. Ltd. v. CLS Bank Int’l, No. 13-298, June 19, 2014 (Supreme Court) Mayo Collaborative Services v. Prometheus Laboratories, Inc., No. 10-1150, March 20, 2012 (Supreme Court) Gottschalk v. Benson, No. 71-485, Nov. 20, 1972 (Supreme Court) Parker v. Flook, No. 77-642, June 22, 1978 (Supreme Court) Bilski v. Kappos, No. 08-964, June 28, 2010 (Supreme Court) Diamond v. Diehr, No. 79-1112, March 3, 1981 (Supreme Court)