Current Issues with Patenting Software

In an increasingly technological world, where computers and electronic devices are prevalent in many aspects of our lives, companies are constantly striving to find new and better ways of implementing their ideas. Behind this dr ive to invent the next "big thing" is the desire to gain the largest market share possible. Behind that desire lies the fundamental concern of protecting innovation. Legally protecting inventions has been one of the goals of modern society and is usually rather mechanical and straightforward. However, when it comes to protecting software, the process is not as simple as one might think. For the first time in over 30 years, the U.S. Supreme Court recently granted an appeal to be heard for a case that deals directly with software patentability. The case, CLS Bank Int\´l v. Alice Corp., will give the U.S. Supreme Court the opportunity to provide clearer guidelines for understanding intellectual property protection for software.