Source: https://www.complexip.com/11-step-computer-method-patent-defines-patent-eligible-subject-matter/
Timestamp: 2019-04-26 02:19:44+00:00

Document:
The Federal Circuit Court of Appeals (“Federal Circuit”) reversed the trial court’s decision that the process – a computer method claim – was not statutory subject matter under 35 U.S.C. § 101. Ultramercial, LLC v. Hulu, LLC, Case No. 2010-1544 (Fed. Cir. Sept. 15, 2011) (available here). The 11 step computer program method patent claim was held to be a machine under the “machine or transformation” (MOT) test. Earlier, the District Court had dismissed the patent owner’s case without formally construing the 11 elements in the method patent claim and this failure to properly construe the claim elements in a Markman ruling was a factor in the reversal.
“This court has never set forth a bright line rule requiring district courts to construe claims before determining subject matter eligibility. Indeed, because eligibility is a ‘coarse’ gauge of the suitability of broad subject matter categories for patent protection, Research Corp. Techs., Inc. v. Microsoft Corp., 627 F.3d 859, 869 (Fed. Cir. 2010), claim construction may not always be necessary for a § 101 analysis. See, e.g., Bilski v. Kappos, 130 S. Ct. 3218, 3231 (2010) (finding subject matter ineligible for patent protection without claim construction).” Slip opn. p. 5.
The § 101 subject matter eligibility analysis is merely a threshold check. Claim patentability ultimately depends on “the statutory conditions the patent statute such as novelty, nonobviousness, and adequate disclosure.” See Ultramercial, p. 6; Classen Immunotherapies, Inc. v. Biogen IDEC, Nos. 2006-1634, 2006-1649, 2011 WL 3835409, at *6 (Fed. Cir. Aug. 31, 2011) (pointing out the difference between “the threshold inquiry of patent-eligibility, and the substantive conditions of patentability”).
Per the Federal Circuit, the claimed invention in this case was a method for monetizing and distributing copyrighted products over the Internet. “As a method, it satisfies § 100’s definition of ‘process’ and thus falls within a § 101 category of patent-eligible subject matter. Thus, this court focuses its inquiry on the abstractness of the subject matter claimed by the ’545 patent.” p. 9.
“‘[I]nventions with specific applications or improvements to technologies in the marketplace are not likely to be so abstract that they override the statutory language and framework of the Patent Act.’ Research Corp., 627 F.3d at 869. The ’545 patent [in suit] seeks to remedy problems with prior art banner advertising, such as declining clickthrough rates, by introducing a method of product distribution that forces consumers to view and possibly even interact with advertisements before permitting access to the desired media product. By its terms, the claimed invention purports to improve existing technology in the marketplace. By its terms, the claimed invention invokes computers and applications of computer technology.” P. 9-10 (emphasis added).
The ’545 patent claims a particular method for monetizing copyrighted products, consisting of the following steps: (1) receiving media products from a copyright holder, (2) selecting an advertisement to be associated with each media product, (3) providing said media products for sale on an Internet website, (4) restricting general public access to the media products, (5) offering free access to said media products on the condition that the consumer view the advertising, (6) receiving a request from a consumer to view the advertising, (7) facilitating the display of advertising and any required interaction with the advertising, (8) allowing the consumer access to the associated media product after such display and interaction, if any, (9) recording this transaction in an activity log, and (10) receiving payment from the advertiser. ’545 patent col.8 ll.5-48. Many of these steps are likely to require intricate and complex computer programming. In addition, certain of these steps clearly require specific application to the Internet and a cyber-market environment.
In conclusion, the many claim elements, which constitute the claimed process restrictions of: viewing, restricting, limiting access, displaying and processing payments, satisfy the “machine” portion of the “machine or transformation” (MOT) test.

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