在本Bilski案由Anthony Kennedy大法官所代表撰寫的多數意見判決書指出,美國最高法院過去判例一再提醒,不應導入國會立法時未明示的限制條件。詮釋專利法條文時,除非法規另有定義,否則應以文字的通常意思解釋。對照適格方法發明的相關判例來看,這項通則僅有一組確定之例外,即「自然法則」(Laws of nature)、「物理現象」(natural phenomena)與「抽象概念」(abstract ideas)不可授予專利。此些例外雖未寫入法條內容,但35 USC 101有明文規定,唯有「新而有用」(new and useful)的人為發明才能授予專利,而此些例外皆非人為之新而有用技術研發成果,基本符合本條條文意旨,且行之久遠,已有150年的歷史。
具有專利適格性的程序發明,必須具有特定實際應用
也就是說,美國聯邦最高法院於本案判決中認為,35 USC 101條文明文規定,凡符合新而有用要件之「程序」(process)、「機器」(machine)、「製品」(manufacture)、「物之組合」(composition of matter)四類人為發明皆具有資格可申請專利(若要獲證,還須符合其他本法所規定的條件),但過去150年來的美國法院實務判例(如本文前所述),已將自然法則、物理現象及抽象概念列為除外事項,例如「科學原理」(scientific principles)、「自然現象」(naturally occurring phenomena)、「思考過程」(mental processes)、「數學演算法則」(mathematical algorithms)等,皆列為並不具有專利適格性之客體,美國聯邦最高法院也極為贊同。
CLS Bank International 與 CLS Service Ltd.於2007年5月向哥倫比亞地方法院對Alice Corporation提出確認之訴,地方法院以即決判決(summary judgment)否定此四個專利的可專利性,因其為Bilski案中所確立的抽象概念,而宣布該等專利無效。
CAFC第一次CLS Bank判決
Alice公司不服地院判決而上訴,如前期文章《蘋果與谷歌專利大戰之省思-論專利損賠計算、標準基礎專利與軟體與商業模式的可專利性》所述的,於2012年7月9日,美國聯邦巡迴上訴法院(U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit,簡稱CAFC),在CLS Bank International v. Alice Corp. Pty. Ltd.案(註6) (以下簡稱CLS Bank案),以2-1的判決認為「以電腦實施的方法、系統與產品」(computer-implemented methods, systems and products)所取得之專利,在美國專利法(35 U.S.C. § 101)規定下,除非有「明顯證據」(Manifestly Evident)顯示其包含的是抽象概念,否則仍為有效(註7),因而推翻了地院的判決,認為因該等方法是嵌入於機器,且該電腦之於所請求發明是有技術性的實施,故系爭專利請求項並非抽象概念,而符合美國專利法第101條之要件。此判決的分歧,代表此方法或程序發明之可專利性的議題仍存有極大爭議。
兩週後的另一CAFC判決,在Bancorp Services, L.L.C. v. Sun Life Assur. Co. of Canada(註10)案上,CAFC法官除使用MT Test外,即以系爭請求項(Claim 9 of U.S. Patent No. 5,926,792)所述之電腦並非該方法能夠被實行且產生有用、具體與確實結果的「重要」因素,未能通過此一ME Test,而判決該專利請求項無效(註11)。
“A process claim, to be statutory under 35 U.S.C. 101, must be limited to a particular practical application”, Bilski v. Kappos, 130 S. Ct. 3218 (2010).
美國專利法35 U.S.C. § 100規定:”(b) The term “process” means process, art, or method, and includes a new use of a known process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, or material.”
“Alice Corporation (“Alice”) is the owner of U.S. Patent Nos. 5,970,479 (“the ’479 Patent”), 6,912,510 (“the ’510 Patent”), 7,149,720 (“the ’720 Patent”), and 7,725,375 (“the ’375 Patent”). These patents cover a computerized trading platform for exchanging obligations in which a trusted third party settles obligations between a first and second party so as to eliminate “settlement risk.” Settlement risk is the risk that only one party’s obligation will be paid, leaving the other party without its principal. The trusted third party eliminates this risk by either (a) exchanging both parties’ obligations or (b) exchanging neither obligation.”, see note 26.
Fenwick & West LLP, The Federal Circuit addresses the abstract idea exception to 35 U.S.C. § 101, Lexology, August 27 2012.
如Mayo Collaborative Services v. Prometheus Laboratories, Inc. 132 S. Ct. 1289 (2012).
"Where the 'addition of a machine impose[s] a meaningful limit on the scope of a claim,' and 'play[s] a significant part in permitting the claimed method to be performed, rather than function[ing] solely as an obvious mechanism for permitting a solution to be achieved more quickly, i.e., through the utilization of a computer for performing calculations,' that machine limitation renders the method patent eligible."
“To salvage an otherwise patent-ineligible process, a computer must be integral to the claimed invention, facilitating the process in a way that a person making calculations or computations could not…”, See note 17.
"We hold that the claims at issue are drawn to the abstract idea of intermediated settlement, and that merely requiring generic computer implementation fails to transform that abstract idea into a patent-eligible invention.", http://www2.bloomberglaw.com/.