美國專利局已釋出2019專利標的適格審查指導修正(以下簡稱「2019適格指導」),期盼以更明快的2019適格指導,更加統一並且明確化今後的專利局適格審查標準。詳細請見:搭上美國專利局澄清專利適格的便車:簡評最新重大35 U.S.C. 101 適格指導。 2019適格指導頒布之後,美國專利審理暨訴願委員會(Patent Trial and Appeal Board,以下簡稱PTAB)已將之具體適用於Ex parte Smith訴願案(以下簡稱「史密斯案」)的訴願決定[1]中,推翻了原先審查委員專利標的不適格的裁定,並將史密斯案決定列為參考決定(informative decision)。
史密斯專利申請案代表圖(美國專利申請號US13/715,476)。
史密斯案的權利項 1 如以下所示。PTAB認為不足以與足以將權利項整併入實際應用的文字分別以斜體與粗體標明。 1. A method of trading derivatives in a hybrid exchange system comprising:
collecting orders, via a communication network and order routing system, for derivatives and placing them in an electronic book database;
identifying at an electronic trade engine a new quote from a first in-crowd market participant, wherein one of a bid or an offer price in the new quote matches a respective price in an order in the electronic book database from a public customer;
removing at least a portion of the order in the electronic book database, delaying automatic execution of the new quote and the order, and starting a timer; reporting, via the communication network and an electronic reporting system, a market quote indicative of execution of the at least a portion of the order while delaying automatic execution;
receiving at the electronic trade enginea second quote from a second in-crowd market participant after receiving the new quote from the first in-crowd market participant and before an expiration of the timer, wherein the second quote matches the respective price of the public customer order in the electronic book database; and
allocating the order between the first and second in-crowd market participants at the electronic trade engine, wherein the order is not executed until expiration of the timer.