Patent Law

Bilski v. Doll (Supreme Court 2009)

The Supreme Court has granted certiorari in an important case challenging the scope of patentable subject matter. [Order]

Questions Presented:

Whether the Federal Circuit erred by holding that a ?process? must be tied to a particular machine or apparatus, or transform a particular article into a different state or thing (?machine-or-transformation? test), to be eligible for patenting under 35 U.S.C. § 101, despite this Court?s precedent declining to limit the broad statutory grant of patent eligibility for ?any? new and useful process beyond excluding patents for ?laws of nature, physical phenomena, and abstract ideas.?

Whether the Federal Circuit?s ?machine-or-transformation? test for patent eligibility, which effectively forecloses meaningful patent protection to many business methods, contradicts the clear Congressional intent that patents protect ?method[s] of doing or conducting business.? 35 U.S.C. § 273.

Prior Coverage of the Case:

• Supreme Court Docket
• Mar 5, 2009: Bilski v. Doll: Round I of Amicus Briefs  
• Mar 1, 2009: Patentable Subject Matter Redux: Bilski 2009
• Jan 30, 2009: BPAI Again Rejects System Claims under Bilski  
• Jan 28, 2009: Bilski Petitions Supreme Court to Decide Issues of Patentable Subject Matter
• Jan 27, 2009: Should Patent Attorneys Support Bilski?
• Nov 18, 2008: Software Method Claims: Bilski in light of Benson  
• Nov 13, 2008: Post-Bilski BPAI Approves of Beauregard Claims
• Nov 10, 2008: Applying Bilski to Metabolite?s Diagnosis Claim   
• Nov 4, 2008: Holman: Applying Bilski to Biotechnology and the Life Sciences
• Nov 2, 2008: Collins: In re Bilski: Tangibility Gone ?Meta?
• Oct 30, 2008: In re Bilski: Patentable Process Must Either (1) be Tied to a particular machine or (2) Transform a Particular Article
• May 8, 2008: CAFC Hears En Banc Bilski Case (oral arguments)
• Apr 10, 2008: Ex Parte Bilski: On the Briefs
• Mar 28, 2008: Ex Parte Bilski: Once Again Rethinking the Scope of Patentable Subject Matter   
• Feb 15, 2008: Bilski: Full CAFC to Reexamine the Scope of Subject Matter Patentability

• Supreme Court: Bilski Petition for Certiorari
• Supreme Court: Government Opposition to Certiorari, Bilski Government Opposition to Certiorari
• Supreme Court: Bilski Reply in Support of Certiorari, Bilski.reply.pdf
• Supreme Court: Nine Amicus Briefs In Support of Certiorari.
• Federal Circuit: En Banc Decision: 07-1130.pdf
• Federal Circuit: Dozens of Amicus Briefs
• PTO Board of Patent Appeals & Interferences Bilski Decision: BPAI.Bilski.pdf

Amicus Support:

• According to the Supreme Court rule, the petitioner (here Bilski) now has 45 days to file its opening brief on the merits. The respondent's brief is ordinarily due within thirty days of that date. Any amicus brief would be due 7 days after the filing of the brief for the party being supported. This pushes the deadline for the first round of amicus briefs to the week of July 20.