The USPTO Updates Patent Eligibility Guide

Things are changing in the patent world. The USPTO has issued new guidelines for patent eligibility to address public comments about the following six major themes: 

1. requests for additional examples, particularly for claims directed to abstract ideas and laws of nature; 
2. further explanation of the markedly different characteristics analysis; 
3. further information regarding how examiners identify abstract ideas; 
4. discussion of the prima facie case and the role of evidence with respect to eligibility rejections; 
5. information regarding application of the 2014 Interim Patent Eligibility Guidance in the Patent Examining Corps; and 
6. explanation of the role of preemption in the eligibility analysis, including a discussion of the streamlined analysis. 

The information includes:

• Federal Register Notice:  (link is external)July 2015 Update on Subject Matter Eligibility (link is external)^NEW
• July 2015 Update:  Subject Matter Eligibility^NEW
• July 2015 Update Appendix 1:  Examples^NEW
• July 2015 Update Appendix 2:  Index of Eligibility Examples^NEW
• July 2015 Update Appendix 3:  Subject Matter Eligibility Court Decisions^NEW
• July 2015 Update:  Interim Eligibility Guidance Quick Reference Sheet^NEW

For additional information, see this link at the USPTO. 

http://www.uspto.gov/patent/laws-and-regulations/examination-policy/2014-interim-guidance-subject-matter-eligibility-0