Defending Patent Quality

As the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Monday in Bilski v. Kappos – a case to determine what types of business methods should be eligible for patent protection – Microsoft issued the following statement:

“Microsoft has urged the Supreme Court to reaffirm its precedents holding that mere abstract ideas like those claimed in the Bilski patent cannot, and should not, be patentable.  Because the Bilski patent does not relate to a computer-implemented invention, reaffirming the appropriate standard for patent eligibility set by the Supreme Court in prior cases should not have an adverse effect on commercial software companies that, like Microsoft, have built up a diverse portfolio of high quality patents that reflect strong investment in innovation.”

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