Clarity and consensus seemed beyond the U.S. Supreme Court’s reach on March 31 as justices struggled to decide whether software and computer-dependent inventions are eligible for patents. During arguments in Alice Corp. Ltd. v. CLS Bank International, several justices seemed dubious, viewing such innovations as “abstract ideas” ineligible under federal law — and no more patentable just because they are implemented by computers.
At issue is a computer system developed and patented by the Australian company Alice Corp. that tracks, backs up and reduces the risk of global financial transactions. CLS Bank provides similar services. They sued each other over patents and have been in litigation since 2007.
