[Nolug] Software patents

"John Souvestre" <johns@sstar.com> writes:

> The distinction between software and hardware becomes somewhat blurry when you
> start talking about custom designed ASIC's. Some software can even be patented.

I was under the (mis?) understanding that since business process patents
had been overturned, software patents had little basis as well.

    Rejecting a landmark 1998 case that allowed financial firms and
    others to patent ideas and processes in addition to things and
    machines, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, in
    Washington, voted 9-3 that patents should be limited to "physical
    objects or substances" and not be awarded to "abstractions" like a
    bank's risk-hedging strategy. (See http://xrl.us/o3jfj)

Also http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2008/11/18/95589.htm

Mark.
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Received on 12/15/08