An abstract idea is not patentable simply because it is tied to a computer system, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled, potentially making it more difficult to patent some software in the future.
A case before the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this week could have a huge impact on business-method and software patents, with some experts concerned that the court could put significant limits on what can be patented.
The U.S. Supreme Court could wipe out a whole swath of software and business-method patents if justices invalidate four electronic-trading patents, an attorney for patent-owner Alice said.
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a controversial software patent case after a federal appeals court ruled that an abstract idea is not patentable simply because it is tied to a computer system.
A U.S. appeals court has ruled that an abstract idea is not patentable simply because it is tied to a computer system, signaling what one judge described as the "death" of software and business method patents.