The US Patent Office is now granting fewer business method patents
following the introduction of new procedures that follow widespread
criticism of past leniency shown by the Office, according to a
report by WSJ.com.
In the last three months of 2000, the Office rejected 64% of
business method patent applications, up from a rejection rate of
44% in the first three months of the same year. A total of 899
business method patents were granted last year in the US. In 1999,
the rejection rate for applications was 38%.
Since March 2000, the Office has required all applications in
the class of business methods to undergo a second review, unlike
other applications. WSJ.com reports that patent examiners are also
being given industry “field trips” to help them identify which
processes are obvious or routine and therefore ineligible for
patent protection.
Among the rejected ideas was an “invention” for selling books
through a web page. A customer would browse through the selection
of books, place an order by filling out a form and submit the order
with credit card information so that the customer can be charged
and the order sent in just a few days.
The UK Government recently voiced support for opening the door
to software patents in the UK, but said it is still against
business method patents. The results of a recent European
Commission study on the same issues are awaited.
