About Claims XXII - 商業模式專利

商業模式(business model)

雖然商業模式是否是可專利的法定標的還有爭論，但仍有不少專利獲取美國專利
在美國聯邦巡迴上訴法院（CAFC）早認為只要概念或數學演算有實際應用，即可為可專利的法定標的，其中產生有實際的轉換，而不見得要有實際的產品

相關判例可參考State Street Bank & Trust v. Signature Financial Group

「1998年，CAFC做出State Street Bank & Trust v. Signature Financial Group判決，進一步確認電腦軟體的可專利性，US5,193,056揭露一種用於共同基金的hub and spoke方法（原用於網路技術），其中應用軟體執行判斷基金資產的比例等訊息，銀行宣稱這是不可專利的數學演算法，或是一個商業方法，但是CAFC認為，商業方法可為專利標的，說明軟體或方法產生有用、具體的結果應可被專利。」

根據USPTO白皮書，商業模式方法可歸類為類別705：
Class 705 DATA PROCESSING: FINANCIAL, BUSINESS PRACTICE, MANAGEMENT, OR COST/PRICE DETERMINATION
此為有關金融、商業實務、管理或是定價的資料處理

列舉其中一些大的次要類別（subclass）：
1 AUTOMATED ELECTRICAL FINANCIAL OR BUSINESS PRACTICE OR MANAGEMENT RRANGEMENT
50 BUSINESS PROCESSING USING CRYPTOGRAPHY
80 ELECTRONIC NEGOTIATION

經過檢索，目前以Class 705核准的美國專利約有19611件（關鍵字：CCL/705/$）

商業模式的專利自然會以方法步驟表達，但仍可以means-plus-function表達
(這是個處理訂單的流程, US7,548,877)
1. A method for processing an order comprising:
inputting at least one main order comprising at least one of a first product type, a second product type, or combinations thereof, into a user interface;
storing each of the at least one main order as a main order file;
sending each of the at least one main order file to a product processing unit;
accessing a product database to determine a product type of each of the at least one product comprising each of the at least one main order file, wherein the product type identifies an association between a product and a type of multilevel marketing business model;
accessing a user database to determine a user classification for a user placing the main order, wherein the user classification identifies a classification of a user with respect to one or more multilevel marketing business models;
parsing each of the at least one main order file into a first suborder and a second suborder based at least in part on the user classification of the user placing the order and the product types of the first and second products;
storing each of the first suborder as a first suborder file;
storing each of the second suborder as a second suborder file;
sending the each of the first suborder files to a first product type processing unit to fulfill each of the first suborders;
processing each of the first suborders according to a first multilevel marketing business model;
sending each of the second suborder files to a second product type processing unit to fulfill each of the second suborders; and
processing each of the second suborders according to a second multilevel marketing business model, wherein the first and second multilevel marketing business models are different.
這件案子文字中並未與硬體相連，但是明顯是針對一些「東西」下訂單，且產生有用的結果，算是一個標準的商業方法專利

US7,542,924
7. A system comprising:
a network; and
a network server computer connected to a client computer through the network, the network server computer responding to requests from the client computer to:
associate a primary online shopping basket and at least one secondary online shopping basket with customer-defined rules that define purchasing requirements for items within online shopping baskets, the online shopping baskets including the primary online shopping basket and the at least one secondary online shopping basket;
associate a first customer ID for the primary online shopping basket and a second unique customer ID for the at least one secondary online shopping basket;
determine whether selected items selected for entry into the online shopping baskets satisfy the customer-defined rules;
allow entry into the online shopping baskets of the selected items that satisfy the customer-defined rules;
automatically merge at least one secondary online shopping basket into the primary online shopping basket to create a merged online shopping basket and display contents of the merged online shopping basket on a single web page and being viewable at one time before checkout of the selected items in the merged online shopping basket; and
group the items in the merged online shopping basket according to customer IDs and display the contents of merged online shopping basket in lists grouped according to customer IDs and being viewable at one time.
這件案子為典型的硬體綁軟體的商業方法專利，硬體只有兩個：網路與連接網路的電腦伺服器，再用一連串動詞表達伺服器所做的事情！
不妨也可參考一下！

其他如系統，並使用該方法的裝置皆可為專利標的
整體來說，只要與硬體連結，商業方法本身又具有新穎性與進步性，應為可專利標的！

資料參考:
Landis Mechanics of Patent Claim Drafting
另可參考：
http://enpan.blogspot.com/2008/08/one-click-patent.html
http://enpan.blogspot.com/2009/04/history-of-software-patents-iv.html

Ron