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Litigating the Business Method Patent: Pitfalls for Unwary Defendants

The lion's share of business method and e-commerce patents is grouped in the now infamous Class 705 at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ('USPTO'). This specialized class that encompasses data processing involving financial, business practice, management, and cost/price determination has experienced a surge in popularity rivaled only by the likes of nanotechnology. From 2001 to 2005, more than 5000 U.S. patents were issued in Class 705. Growth in 705 patenting has been so pronounced that this 5-year period has produced about the same number of new patents as the previous 15-year period.

25 minute readAugust 31, 2006 at 04:36 PM
By
William G. Pecau
Seth A. Watkins, Ph.D.
Litigating the Business Method Patent: Pitfalls for Unwary Defendants

The lion's share of business method and e-commerce patents is grouped in the now infamous Class 705 at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ('USPTO'). This specialized class that encompasses

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