The Supreme Court is expected to decide Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank International before the end of June, 2014.  As this case may provide significant new guidance regarding the subject matter eligibility of business method patents, the case has enormous importance for Covered Business Method Review cases where challenges for subject matter eligibility under 35 U.S.C. § 101 may be considered. 

In three cases styled Callidus Software Inc. v. Versata Software, Inc., and Versata Development Group, Inc., patents owned by Patent Owner Versata Software have been challenged under 35 U.S.C. § 101 as being directed to unpatentable abstract ideas.  The cases are CBM2013-00052, CBM2013-00053, and CBM2013-00054.  Anticipating that the Supreme Court decision in Alice Corp., “may provide additional guidance” regarding abstract ideas and the arguments made in the CBM Review cases, the PTAB ordered that the deadlines for the cases be extended to allow the parties to react to the Supreme Court’s ruling.  Paper 33, June 2, 2014, CBM2013-00052, CBM2013-00053, and CBM2013-00054. (CBM2013-00052)