本篇報導來源：
電腦相關發明，此文件表示為CRI（computer-related invention），在常見的文件用CII（computer-implemented invention）表示。
電腦相關發明就泛指用電腦軟體實現的發明，專利法並沒有禁止這類發明的可專利性為可專利標的(指專利適格性，判斷是否為可被專利保護的標的，clarified, updated on Aug. 3, 2023)，就差各國的國情顯示不同的"寬容度"，反映在各國相關審查指南。
印度專利審查指南提出對於電腦相關發明的可專利標的"例外"為："數學"或是"商業方法"，或是"電腦程式本身(computer programme per se)"或"演算法"。
其他不可專利項目為：
- a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work or any other aesthetic creation whatsoever including cinematographic works and television productions;
- a mere scheme or rule or method of performing mental act or method of playing game;
- a presentation of information;
- topography of integrated circuits.
摘要一些名詞定義：
"computer"定義：
The term “computer” is defined in The Information Technology Act, 2000 (No. 21 of 2000) as “any electronic, magnetic, optical or other high-speed data processing device or system which performs logical, arithmetic, and memory functions by manipulations of electronic, magnetic or optical impulses, and includes all input, output, processing, storage, computer software, or communication facilities which are connected or related to the computer in a computer system or computer network.”
"data"定義：
The term “data” is defined in the Information Technology Act, 2000 (No. 21 of 2000) as “a representation of information, knowledge, facts, concepts or instructions which are being prepared or have been prepared in a formalised manner, and is intended to be processed, is being processed or has been processed in a computer system or computer network, and may be in any form (including computer printouts, magnetic or optical storage media, punched cards, punched tapes) or stored internally in the memory of the computer.”
"function"定義：
The term “function” is defined in the Information Technology Act, 2000 (No. 21 of 2000) as “"function", in relation to a computer, includes logic, control arithmetical process, deletion, storage and retrieval and communication or telecommunication from or within a computer.”
"information"定義：
The term “information” is defined in The Information Technology Act, 2000 (No. 21 of 2000) as "information" includes data, message, text, images, sound, voice, codes, computer programmes, software and databases or micro film or computer generated micro fiche.”
進步性（inventive step）要求：
1. Identify the "person skilled in the art", i.e competent craftsman or engineer as distinguished from a mere artisan;
2. Identify the relevant common general knowledge of that person at the priority date;
3. Identify the inventive concept of the claim in question or if that cannot readily be done, construe it;
4. Identify what, if any, differences exist between the matter cited as forming part of the "state of the art" and the inventive concept of the claim or the claim as construed;
5. Viewed without any knowledge of the alleged invention as claimed, do those differences constitute steps which would have been obvious to the person skilled in the art or do they require any degree of inventive ingenuity?
1. 識別出相關領域的技術人員。
2. 識別出優先權日當下的相關領域通常知識。
3. 識別專利範圍中進步特徵（inventive concept）。
4. 識別專利範圍中進步特徵與當時最先進技術的差異。
5. 上述"差異"對於相關領域技術人員是否為顯而易知（obvious），或是有任何程度的發明獨創性。
產業利用性（industrial applicability）要求：
It has been defined in section 2(1)(ac) of Indian Patents Act, 1970 as follows:
"capable of industrial application", in relation to an invention, means that the invention is capable of being made or used in an industry; The requirement of workability and usefulness are both connected to the requirement of industrial applicability. If an invention is not workable, it means that it is also not industrially applicable. The patent specification must disclose a practical application and industrial use for the claimed invention wherein a concrete benefit must be derivable directly from the description coupled with common general knowledge. Mere speculative use or vague and speculative indication of possible objective will not suffice.
產業利用性就是指在產業中可製造、可利用，就是"可使用性(workability)"與"有用(usefulness)"，證明方式就是在專利說明書中揭露實際的應用、發明的使用，並描述一般知識者可直接理解其具體優點。若專利說明書描述很模糊，僅描述推測性的使用並不足以證明其產業利用性。
就是說明書要揭示"what"與"how"：
有關電腦相關發明的說明書應該揭露：
1. 當專利申請案關於裝置、系統與元件，就是基於硬體的發明，應以適當的圖示描述每個發明特徵；如果發明關於方法，就應以流程清楚描述其中必要步驟，以區隔先前技術。
2. 應描述每個元件彼此的關聯性。
3. 應描述發明的結果以及任何實現這些結果的中間元件或步驟。
這裡提到「best mode」，要求揭露發明的最佳實施方式，不能僅描述其功效。
關於申請專利範圍之撰寫：
1. 請求項內容應清楚定義出發明範疇，並注意發明單一性。
2. 請求項內容應基於說明書內容。
3. 電腦相關發明的請求項解釋應基於發明(claims)的實質，而非依賴請求項的格式與形式。（編按，這應該是指不要拘泥任何寫法，不依賴寫作技巧，例如刻意加入硬體特徵、特別用語，而是要以發明本質來看，重申電腦程式本身不可專利）
提到「請求項形式」，就想到常常連結電腦實現發明的「功能手段用語」，means plus function之撰寫：
在專利請求項中提到的"means"應在說明書清楚以物理結構特徵定義，否則不會被接受。如果說明書支持內容僅關於電腦程式或軟體，仍會被視為電腦程式本身，其功能手段用語將被駁回。
當電腦相關發明的申請專利範圍涉及數學方法（mathematical method）、商業方法（business method）、演算法（algorithm）或電腦程式本身（computer programme per se），即便是涉及指令、程序、儲存媒體、資料庫、電腦記憶體等，都不屬於可專利範圍。
相關範例：
數學方法
商業方法
電腦程式本身
演算法
