Business Method Patents

The explosive growth of the Internet and the landmark decision of the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in State Street Bank & Trust Co. v. Signature Financial Group, Inc. led to a new era of patent law—protecting "business methods."

A business method patent refers to a patent for an invention involving novel "process" or "method" for accomplishing a task that is not based in engineering or the natural sciences. Business method patents are common in the automation field. For instance, a company could obtain a business method patent for a business or mechanical process with various steps that might involve human input, mechanical responses and/or steps controlled by a computer interface. Clients in the biotech field may also require a business method patent when the technology involves a series of steps. Stites & Harbison's patent attorneys have significant experience in handling business method patents in the software, education, accounting, financial and accounting industries. The Intellectual Property and Technology Service Group is currently prosecuting many business method patent applications, many of which are associated with transacting business over the Internet.

For more information on business method patents, see the article: "Can I protect my method of doing business?," Stephen Weyer, Financial Institutions Advisor, Vol. 2, No. 2, June 2004.

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