Demonstrating Patent Eligibility Post-Alice

The Federal Circuit and other federal courts, as well as the PTAB, are issuing rulings regarding patent eligibility based on and after the Supreme Court’s decision in Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank (2014). These opinions provide guidance on the application of Alice Corp., in which the Court concluded the claims were not patent eligible because they were drawn to a patent-ineligible abstract idea.

The Federal Circuit recently gave additional guidance on the first prong of the two-part test established in Alice Corp. In McRo Inc. v. Bandai Namco Games America Inc. (Fed. Cir. Sept. 2016), the Federal Circuit provides some clarity on the issue of preemption and its importance in the §101 analysis.

Patent counsel should take note of these and other instructive opinions that provide insight into how §101 is being applied to determine patent eligibility.

Michael L. Kiklis, Partner at Oblon McClelland Maier & Neustadt and Stephen G. Kunin, Partner at Oblon McClelland Maier & Neustadt, will examine recent decisions applying the Supreme Court’s decision in Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank on patent eligibility. The panel will discuss the guidance from these opinions and offer best practices for addressing patent eligibility issues.

The panel will review these and other key issues:

  • How are the courts applying the framework for patent eligibility created in Alice Corp.?
  • How can patent litigation defendants take advantage of the guidance for Section 101 challenges?
  • What are best practices for patent counsel to demonstrate patent eligibility?