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18 Hastings Comm. & Ent. L.J. 659 (1995-1996)
Patent Protection for Computer-Related Inventions: The Past, the Present, and the Future

handle is hein.journals/hascom18 and id is 675 raw text is: Patent Protection for Computer-Related Inventions: The Past, the Present, and the Future by NANCY J. LINCK and KAREN A. BUCHANAN* Table of Contents I. The Past: The U.S. Supreme Court Interrupts an Earlier Evolution of the Law ............................................................... 662 II. The Turning Point: The Federal Circuit Decides In re Alappat And In re Lowry ........................................................ 666 III. The Present: The PTO Reassesses the Patentability of Computer-Related Inventions in Light of A lappat and Lowry .................................................................. 668 A. Development of the Practical Application Test ........ 669 B. Non-Statutory Subject Matter ........................................ 670 1. D escriptive M aterial ................................................... 670 2. Natural Phenom ena .................................................... 673 3. Laws of Nature and Abstract Ideas Expressed Through Mathematical Algorithms: Numbers to N um bers ..................................................................... 6 73 C. Statutory Subject Matter .................................................. 674 1. The Safe H arbors. ................................................... 674 2. Statutory Products ........................ 675 IV. The Future: Software Protection Will Continue to E volve ........................................................................................ 677 V . C onclusion ................................................................................ 678 VI. Appendix: Examination Guidelines for Computer- Related Inventions, 61 Fed. Reg. 7478 (1996) ...................... 679 * Ms. Linck is the Solicitor of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) and was formerly a partner with the intellectual property law firm Cushman, Darby & Cushman; Ms. Buchanan is an Associate Solicitor with the PTO. The views expressed in this paper are the personal views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the PTO.

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