Court rules that business concept cannot be patented

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a decision that could reshape the way banks and high-tech firms protect their intellectual property, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday that a man’s business concept was too vague for patent protection.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled against Bernard Bilski, who had attempted to patent a method for managing weather-related risk through commodities trading. The Patent and Trademark Office had rejected his application, saying it did not involve a particular machine and did not physically transform anything.

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