Supreme Court patent case could be critical to Amazon's 1-Click |
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The U.S. Supreme Court today began hearing a case that could be key to the future of Amazon.com's controversial 1-Click patent. The justices heard oral arguments in the so-called Bilski case, which revolves around two men who seek to patent a way of hedging risk in commodities trading. The case could have broad implications for other business method patents — including Amazon's 1-Click process for buying goods online.
Amazon's 1-Click has come under a lot of fire over the years from critics who question whether such a broad technology should be patented at all. One-click refers to the process by which online shoppers make purchases with a single click, having previously entered their payment and shipping information.
According to various reports from the Supreme Court, the justices expressed some skepticism about the Bilski patent during oral arguments. But it's not clear if the Court will ultimately issue a narrow ruling in the case or take the opportunity to set new guidelines for business method patents. The justices are expected to issue a decision on the case in June.
Amazon is appealing the rejection of its 1-Click patent in Canada.
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ERIC ENGLEMAN is senior technology staff writer for TechFlash and the Puget Sound Business Journal, covering online retail giant Amazon.com. Engleman tracks Amazon's increasingly complex business, spanning ecommerce, Kindle, cloud computing, and more. He's been covering technology and other industries for the Business Journal since 2003.
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WTIA 15th Annual Industry Achievement Awards
Held on March 4th at the Showbox SODO, this casual event celebrates and recognizes some of the best emerging and established companies in the Washington Tech Industry. The evening will feature a finalist company technology showcase and a variety of coffee, chocolate, and wine samples from local companies. More than 800 attendees are expected to be present at the celebration. Public online voting for Technology Leader of Tomorrow Scholarships will open February 3rd on the WTIA site.
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