The Arguments For Patents for Business Methods and Software-Implemented Inventions
September 2009
By: Eric L. Amundsen and Steven J. Henry
Groklaw
Let’s begin with something on which we—hopefully—can agree. Since a landmark 1998 U.S. court decision granted patentability for inventions in the fields of business methods and software-implemented inventions, a controversy has raged between those in favor of patents for such inventions and those believing these patents are, at least, unnecessary and, at most, an impediment to innovation.
Recognizing that the majority of Groklaw readers are in the latter camp, the goals of this article are to present a historical perspective through which to view the debate, clarify some of the facts surrounding it, and provide answers to the primary arguments in opposition to the idea of allowing patents on business method and software-implemented inventions.
