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Index of Subject Matter Eligibility Examples

Eligibility examples2024-07-17source PDF ↗
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Index of Subject Matter Eligibility Examples

<b>All Examples: Issue Spotting</b> Removing Malicious Code from Email Generating a Composite Webpage Digital Image Processing ( <i>RCT</i> ) Global Positioning System Digital Image Processing ( <i>Digitech</i> ) Game of Bingo E-Commerce transactions Distribution of Products over the Internet Gunpowder & Fireworks Pomelo Juice Amazonic Acid Purified Proteins
Example Number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Claim Type aka Statutory Category
Process • • • • • • • •
Product (Composition of Matter, Manufacture, and/or Machine) • • • • • • • • •
Judicial Exception
Abstract Idea • • • • • •
Law of Nature
Product of Nature • • •
Multiple exceptions in same claim
No recited exception • • • • • •
Detailed Analysis
Streamlined Analysis
Step 2A Prong One: Generally * • • • • • • • • • • • •
Step 2A Prong One: Markedly Different Characteristics analysis • • • •
Step 2A Prong Two: Exception Integrated Into A Practical Application ** • • • • •
Step 2B: Generally • • •
Step 2B: Claim is eligible because it provides an Inventive Concept
Considerations Discussed in Step 2A Prong Two and/or Step 2B
Improvements to Functioning of a Computer or Other Technology • •
Particular Treatment or Prophylaxis (Prong Two only)
Particular Machine
Particular Transformation
Other Meaningful Limitations • •
Mere Instructions To Apply An Exception • •
Insignificant Extra-Solution Activity • •
Field of Use and Technological Environment •
Well-Understood, Routine, Conventional (WURC) Activity (Step 2B only) † • •
No additional elements, so no Prong Two or Step 2B analysis • • • •
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Index of Subject Matter Eligibility Examples

<b>All Examples: Issue Spotting</b> Genetically Modified Bacterium Bacterial Mixtures Nucleic Acids Antibodies Cells Food Hip Prosthesis Robotic Arm Assembly Transmission of Stock Quote Data GUI for Meal Planning GUI for Relocating Obscured Text Updating Alarm Limits
Example Number 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Claim Type aka Statutory Category
Process • • •
Product (Composition of Matter, Manufacture, and/or Machine) • • • • • • • • •
Judicial Exception
Abstract Idea • • • •
Law of Nature
Product of Nature • • • • • • •
Multiple exceptions in same claim •
No recited exception • • • • • • •
Detailed Analysis
Streamlined Analysis • •
Step 2A Prong One: Generally * • • • • • • • • • •
Step 2A Prong One: Markedly Different Characteristics analysis • • • • • •
Step 2A Prong Two: Exception Integrated Into A Practical Application ** • • •
Step 2B: Generally • • • • •
Step 2B: Claim is eligible because it provides an Inventive Concept • •
Considerations Discussed in Step 2A Prong Two and/or Step 2B
Improvements to Functioning of a Computer or Other Technology • •
Particular Treatment or Prophylaxis (Prong Two only)
Particular Machine
Particular Transformation
Other Meaningful Limitations • •
Mere Instructions To Apply An Exception • • • •
Insignificant Extra-Solution Activity •
Field of Use and Technological Environment • • •
Well-Understood, Routine, Conventional (WURC) Activity (Step 2B only) † • • • •
No additional elements, so no Prong Two or Step 2B analysis • • • • • • •
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Index of Subject Matter Eligibility Examples

<b>All Examples: Issue Spotting</b> Rubber Manufacturing Internal Combustion Engine BIOS System Software Vaccines Diagnosing and Treating Julitis ✧ Dietary Sweeteners Screening of Gene Alterations Paper-making Machine Hydrolysis of Fat Filtering Internet Content ATM Transactions Tracking Inventory
Example Number 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36
Claim Type aka Statutory Category
Process • • • • • •
Product (Composition of Matter, Manufacture, and/or Machine) • • • • • • •
Judicial Exception
Abstract Idea • • • • • • •
Law of Nature •
Product of Nature • •
Multiple exceptions in same claim • •
No recited exception • • • •
Detailed Analysis
Streamlined Analysis • • • •
Step 2A Prong One: Generally * • • • • • • • •
Step 2A Prong One: Markedly Different Characteristics analysis • • • •
Step 2A Prong Two: Exception Integrated Into A Practical Application ** • • • • •
Step 2B: Generally • • • • • •
Step 2B: Claim is eligible because it provides an Inventive Concept • • • • • •
Considerations Discussed in Step 2A Prong Two and/or Step 2B
Improvements to Functioning of a Computer or Other Technology • •
Particular Treatment or Prophylaxis (Prong Two only) •
Particular Machine • •
Particular Transformation •
Other Meaningful Limitations • • •
Mere Instructions To Apply An Exception • • • •
Insignificant Extra-Solution Activity • • • • •
Field of Use and Technological Environment •
Well-Understood, Routine, Conventional (WURC) Activity (Step 2B only) † • • • • • • • •
No additional elements, so no Prong Two or Step 2B analysis • •
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Index of Subject Matter Eligibility Examples

<b>All Examples: Issue Spotting</b> Relocation of Icons on GUI Simulating an Analog Audio Mixer Facial Recognition Network Traffic Monitoring Cryptographic Communications Medical Record Updates Treating Kidney Disease Denveric Acid Controller for Injection Mold Livestock Management
Example Number 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46
Claim Type aka Statutory Category
Process • • • • • • • •
Product (Composition of Matter, Manufacture, and/or Machine) • • •
Judicial Exception
Abstract Idea • • • • • • •
Law of Nature • •
Product of Nature •
Multiple exceptions in same claim • •
No recited exception • • • • •
Detailed Analysis
Streamlined Analysis
Step 2A Prong One: Generally * • • • • • • • • • •
Step 2A Prong One: Markedly Different Characteristics analysis • •
Step 2A Prong Two: Exception Integrated Into A Practical Application ** • • • • • • • •
Step 2B: Generally • • • • • • •
Step 2B: Claim is eligible because it provides an Inventive Concept •
Considerations Discussed in Step 2A Prong Two and/or Step 2B
Improvements to Functioning of a Computer or Other Technology • • • •
Particular Treatment or Prophylaxis (Prong Two only) • •
Particular Machine •
Particular Transformation
Other Meaningful Limitations • • • •
Mere Instructions To Apply An Exception • • • • • • •
Insignificant Extra-Solution Activity • • •
Field of Use and Technological Environment • •
Well-Understood, Routine, Conventional (WURC) Activity (Step 2B only) † • • •
No additional elements, so no Prong Two or Step 2B analysis
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Index of Subject Matter Eligibility Examples

<b>All Examples: Issue Spotting</b> Training a Neural Network to Predict Anomalies Speech Separation Fibrosis Treatment
Example Number 47 48 49
Claim Type aka Statutory Category
Process • • •
Product (Composition of Matter, Manufacture, and/or Machine) • •
Judicial Exception
Abstract Idea • • •
Law of Nature •
Product of Nature
Multiple exceptions in same claim • • •
No recited exception •
Detailed Analysis
Streamlined Analysis
Step 2A Prong One: Generally * • • •
Step 2A Prong One: Markedly Different Characteristics analysis
Step 2A Prong Two: Exception Integrated Into A Practical Application ** • • •
Step 2B: Generally • • •
Step 2B: Claim is eligible because it provides an Inventive Concept
Considerations Discussed in Step 2A Prong Two and/or Step 2B
Improvements to Functioning of a Computer or Other Technology • • •
Particular Treatment or Prophylaxis (Prong Two only) •
Particular Machine
Particular Transformation
Other Meaningful Limitations
Mere Instructions To Apply An Exception • • •
Insignificant Extra-Solution Activity • • •
Field of Use and Technological Environment • • •
Well-Understood, Routine, Conventional (WURC) Activity (Step 2B only) † • • •
No additional elements, so no Prong Two or Step 2B analysis
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Index of Subject Matter Eligibility Examples

Explanatory Notes:

* Examples 1-36 were issued prior to the June 2020 revision to MPEP 2106. For these examples, the Step 2A Prong One analysis in MPEP 2106 will differ from the analysis presented in the issued examples for those claims that were identified as reciting abstract ideas. For example, the rationale for why a recited concept is an abstract idea would point to one or more of the abstract idea groupings in MPEP 2106(a)(2) when explaining why the concept is abstract, instead of relying on a direct comparison between a claimed concept and the concepts in one or more judicial decisions. See the “Abstract Idea Examples” chart below for an explanation of how the claim limitations identified as abstract ideas in these examples fall into the abstract idea groupings in MPEP 2106(a)(2).

There has not been a change to the meaning of the term “recite” from how it was used in prior guidance and examples or in terms of how examiners evaluate a claim to determine whether it recites a law of nature, product of nature, or other natural phenomenon. Thus, the Step 2A Prong One analysis in MPEP 2106.04(II)(A)(1) of whether particular claim language is, or is not, a law of nature, product of nature, or a natural phenomenon will be the same as the analysis presented in the issued examples.

** For Examples 1-36 (which were issued prior to the June 2020 revision to MPEP 2106), the Step 2A Prong Two analysis can be extrapolated from the existing Step 2B analysis (minus the WURC consideration). Accordingly, some of these examples would now be eligible at Step 2A Prong Two, while others would still proceed to Step 2B. The lists of affected examples are found below.

Examples with claims that are now eligible at Step 2A Prong Two Examples where result is unchanged but that would require analysis under Step 2A Prong Two
3. Digital image processing 6. Game of bingo
4. Global positioning system 7. Transaction performance guaranty
21. Stock quote data (claim 2) 8. Distribution of products over the internet
23. GUI for relocating obscured text (claim 4) 21. Stock quote data (claim 1)
25. Rubber manufacturing 22. GUI for meal planning
29. Julitis (claims 5 and 6) 23. GUI for relocating obscured text (claims 2 and 3)
24. Updating alarm limits
28. Vaccines (claims 3 and 7)
29. Julitis (claims 2-4)
30. Dietary sweeteners (claim 2)
31. Screening for gene alterations (claims 70 and 80)
35. Verifying a bank customer’s identity to permit an ATM transaction
36. Tracking inventory

† Because Examples 1-36 were issued prior to the June 2020 revision to MPEP 2106, the described conclusion that an additional element (or combination of elements) is well understood, routine, conventional activity may not be supported by one of options (1)-(4) as required by MPEP 2106.07(a)(III).

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Index of Subject Matter Eligibility Examples

Abstract Idea Examples Digital Image Processing ( <i>RCT</i> ) Global Positioning System Digital Image Processing ( <i>Digittech</i> ) Game of Bingo E-Commerce transactions Distribution of Products over the Internet Transmission of Stock Quote Alerts GUI for Meal Planning GUI for Relocating Obscured Text Updating Alarm Limits Rubber Manufacturing Diagnosing and Treating Jفاف Screening of Gene Alterations Filtering Internet Content ATM Transactions Tracking Inventory Relocation of Icons on GUI Network Traffic Monitoring Cryptographic Communications Medical Record Updates Treating Kidney Disease Controller for Injection Mold Livestock Management
Example Number 3 4 5 6 7 8 21 22 23 24 25 29 31 34 35 36 37 40 41 42 43 45 46
Mathematical Concepts
Mathematical relationships • • • •
Mathematical formulas or equations • • •
Mathematical calculations • • • • • •
Mental Process
Concepts performed in the human mind • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Certain Methods of Organizing Human Activity
Fundamental economic principles or practices • •
Commercial or legal interactions • •
Managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people • • •
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Index of Subject Matter Eligibility Examples

<b>Abstract Idea Examples</b> Training a Neural Network to Predict Anomalies Speech Separation Fibrosis Treatment
Example Number 47 48 49
Mathematical Concepts
Mathematical relationships
Mathematical formulas or equations •
Mathematical calculations • • •
Mental Process
Concepts performed in the human mind • • •
Certain Methods of Organizing Human Activity
Fundamental economic principles or practices
Commercial or legal interactions
Managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people
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Index of Subject Matter Eligibility Examples

Examples Discussing<br>Markedly Different Characteristics<br>(MDC) Analysis Gunpowder &<br>Fireworks Pomelo Juice Amazonic Acid Purified Proteins Genetically Modified<br>Bacterium Bacterial Mixtures Nucleic Acids Antibodies Cells Food Vaccines Diagnosing and<br>Treating Jفاف Dietary Sweeteners Screening of Gene<br>Alterations Treating<br>Kidney Disease Denveric Acid
Example Number 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 28 29 30 31 43 44
Nature-Based Product (NBP) Limitation(s)
Claim recites single NBP Limitation • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Claim recites an NBP Limitation that is a combination or mixture of multiple components • • • • • • • • •
Claim recites multiple NBP Limitations • • • • •
When to Perform MDC Analysis
Claim is focused on NBP Limitation(s), so MDC analysis is performed • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Process claim is not focused on NBP Limitation(s), because general rule in MPEP 2106.04(c)(1)(c) applies. No MDC analysis performed. • • • •
Process claim is focused on NBP Limitation(s), because exception to general rule in MPEP 2106.04(c)(1)(c) applies. MDC analysis is performed. •
Characteristics Evaluated in MDC analysis
Chemical or Physical Property • • • • •
Function or Activity • • • • • • • • • •
Phenotype •
Structure or Form • • • • • • •