Patent: Business Methods

In 1998, the State Street Bank & Trust Co. decision opened up a new arena of competition for the financial services industry—business method patents.

With this decision, the issuance of business method patents surged from the USPTO. Business method patents since have been the subject of increasing number of lawsuits.

Our attorneys help clients assemble strong portfolios for countersuits, future licensing revenue, and to enable cross-licensing arrangements to help settle patent disputes. We have deep experience serving the financial services, energy, e-commerce, and telecommunications industries with regard to patent drafting, patent portfolio development, and freedom-to-operate counseling.

Prominent litigation includes the defense of barnesandnoble.com in a patent infringement action concerning Amazon.com's "1-Click" business method patent and the defense of Microsoft and Expedia against Priceline.com's Name Your Own Price business method patent.

Our attorneys have also served as expert witnesses on numerous business method patents including the federal district court case of Bancorp v. Hartford Life Ins.

Publications

• Litigating the Business Method Patent: Pitfalls for Unwary Defendants
  2006, The Intellectual Property Strategist Vol 12 No 12