“In re Bilski – The Future of Business Methods Patents” and Holiday Dinner

Speaker:  Brian Hickman, Partner, Hickman Palermo Truong & Becker LLP
As you all know or have recently heard, the Federal Circuit affirmed the PTO's Board of Patent Appeals finding last month in its decision in In re Bilski that Bilski's claimed invention (a method of hedging risks in commodities trading) does not satisfy the patentable subject matter requirements of 35 U.S.C. § 101.  Even though Bilski was viewed as a business methods case, the court also tackled the question of patent subject-matter eligibility.  Accordingly, patents in technologies as diverse as software and medical devices will be subject to the same test for patent eligibility.  Mr. Hickman will address these issues in his presentation.