It’s the non-obvious technical contribution!
I was talking about the first hurdle to software patentability in my previous post (technical character) and how it can be easily overcome. When it comes to software patents in…
Category: Software patents
Insights into software patents in Europe and beyond
Technical character, technical contribution… don’t get confused by the EPO lingo
I’m happy to see that my recent LinkedIn post on whether software is patent-eligible at the EPO got 1,200 views in two days! So let’s take a closer look at how the…
Are your patents ready for the 3D printing revolution?
3D printing is one of the hottest topics in tech right now and will probably revolutionize the manufacturing sector as we know it today. But what if your patents only…
How to get your software patent allowed in Europe
Does the European Patent Office grant software patent applications? The short answer is: Yes, but it depends on what the software actually does. On the other hand, “is software patentable?”…
Caching security information of a smart card: technical but obvious
This examination appeal concerns a system for caching information retrieved from a hardware security token, i.e. a smart card or any other tamper-resistant hardware device used to store digital credentials,…
Programming, modelling, and new programming languages are hardly patentable
As in the previous decision, also this decision is rather bad news for software developers who intend to protect their creations with software patents. Some key takeaway messages: Neither modelling…
Software Patents Worldwide — Germany chapter hot off the press
As every year, I’ve used the Christmas holidays to update my contribution to Software Patents Worldwide. It’s a comprehensive loose-leaf collection published by Kluwer Law International and provides expert insights…
Making software quicker is not patentable
This is an interesting decision for programmers, since the EPO Board of Appeal 3.5.06 had to decide whether the reduction of the execution time of a computer-implemented method is a…
Why software patent eligibility is not an issue at the EPO — and what the USPTO can learn from this
Talking about software patent eligibility, allow me a quick rant about the flaws of the USPTO‘s infamous “abstract idea” test: Honestly, I believe the Mayo/Alice two-step test causes much more…
Software patents in Europe: It’s all about the technical contribution!
Is software patentable in Europe? Well, the short answer is “Yes”, but only if it provides a non-obvious technical contribution: In other words, the invention needs to solve a technical…