You can patent a lot of stuff, but you cannot patent laws of nature, physical phenomena or abstract ideas.
Software is subject to copyright. Computer programs can be registered with the copyright office. From the copyright.gov site: “A “computer program” is a set of statements or instructions to be used directly or indirectly in a computer in order to bring about a certain result. Copyright protection extends to all the copyrightable expression embodied in the computer program. Copyright protection is not available for ideas, program logic, algorithms, systems, methods, concepts, or layouts.”
Patent law should not extend to software or business ideas. The SCOTUS has an opportunity here to clarify this point, and I hope they take it.
You can patent a lot of stuff, but you cannot patent laws of nature, physical phenomena or abstract ideas.
Software is subject to copyright. Computer programs can be registered with the copyright office. From the copyright.gov site: “A “computer program” is a set of statements or instructions to be used directly or indirectly in a computer in order to bring about a certain result. Copyright protection extends to all the copyrightable expression embodied in the computer program. Copyright protection is not available for ideas, program logic, algorithms, systems, methods, concepts, or layouts.”
Patent law should not extend to software or business ideas. The SCOTUS has an opportunity here to clarify this point, and I hope they take it.