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Difference between revisions of "Parker v. Flook ruling by US Supreme Court on 22 June 1978"

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{{navbox}}'''Parker v Flook, 437 U.S. 584 (1978)''' was a case in the Supreme Court of the [[USA]].
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{{navbox}}'''Parker v Flook, 437 U.S. 584 (1978)''' was a case in the [[US Supreme Court|Supreme Court]] of the [[USA]].
  
 
This ruling confirmed that math is not patentable, which is useful when arguing that [[software is math]].
 
This ruling confirmed that math is not patentable, which is useful when arguing that [[software is math]].
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[[Category:Patent infringement suits]]
 
[[Category:Patent infringement suits]]
 
[[Category:USA]]
 
[[Category:USA]]

Revision as of 22:52, 9 April 2010

Parker v Flook, 437 U.S. 584 (1978) was a case in the Supreme Court of the USA.

This ruling confirmed that math is not patentable, which is useful when arguing that software is math.

Excerpts

  • "Respondent's method for updating alarm limits during catalytic conversion processes, in which the only novel feature is a mathematical formula, held not patentable under 101 of the Patent Act." (the ruling's first line)
  • "[t]he process itself, not merely the mathematical algorithm [...] must be new and useful." at 591
  • "[t]he notion that post-solution activity, no matter how conventional or obvious in itself, can transform an unpatentable principle into a patentable process exalts form over substance" because "[a] competent draftsman could attach some form of post-solution activity to almost any mathematical formula"

External links