The Future of Business Method Patenting
The recent Supreme Court ruling on Bilski v. Kappos left the door open for companies to continue to file for business method patents providing their claims are not too abstract. Some have interpreted this to mean that computer-oriented processes will likely remain patentable subject matter, whereas computer-implemented innovations will require additional evidence of the fact that the concept is nonobvious and patentable.
All this talk about the ruling got me wondering just how prevalent business method patenting is. So we did some research on the history of such patents. Here’s what the data showed:
- Global business method patenting has been on the rise for more than a decade, dipped slightly from 2003-2006, then rebounding with an increase of 637% from 1998 – 2009
- Over 43,000 business method patents filed and granted in 2009
- The United States and Japan are, by far, the most prevalent business-method-patenting countries. Their leading positions can likely be attributed to the technologically-saavy mentality of these nations and their awareness of the opportunity such patents present. The US and Japan are also world financial leaders, and business method patenting has strong origins in that industry.
To learn more, download our special report, The Evolution of Business Method Patenting.
