Newly issued patents, 2015-12-04

This week in patents, 6771 patents were issued by the USPTO.  Of those, three were in US Classifications that relate to data processing or computer-implemented methods, that is, something related to software and subjected to the test the Supreme Court created in the Alice Corp. decision.  Let’s take a look at these issued patents.

9,201,814 – Electronic devices and methods for sharing peripheral devices in dual operating systems

This newly-issued patent, US 9,201,814, describes a method for using an electronic device that can operate with two operating systems, and using one or more peripheral devices with that electronic device, sharing the peripheral with both operating systems and sharing settings from one of the operating systems to the other.  The method offers advantages to users by allowing the electronic device to switch between operating systems and have the peripherals transition smoothly from one of the operating systems to the other.  Of the issued patents from this week relating to data processing or computer-implemented methods, this is the one that seemed most likely to have triggered the Alice Corp. test.

9,199,632 – Control device for hybrid vehicle

This patent, US 9,199,632, is issued in US Class 701, relating to Data Processing and vehicles, and the claims describe systems of components to control a hybrid vehicle, by controlling the engine torque.  While the language of the issued patents refers to multiple “electronic control units” to control the various physical components of the hybrid vehicle, the claims describe the physical components and generally avoid discussion of the data processing methods that, presumably, are required for the electronic control units to control the physical components.

9,201,842 – Vehicle event recorder systems and networks having integrated cellular wireless communications systems

This patent, US 9,201,842, is also issued in US Class 701, relating to Data Processing and vehicles, the claims primarily concern a system of recording and transmitting data, using cellular networks, recorded around or in a vehicle.  The system does entail data processing and transmission, but the issued patent claims appear to be tightly tied to the physical components required for data recording and transmission, and not to methods.  Given that, it is relatively unsurprising that these claims survived the Alice Corp. test.

Alice Corp. and your patent

While the Alice Corp. decision and its test continue to create challenges for patent applicants, they can be overcome.  If you have questions about these or other patents relating to software, data processing, or computer-implemented methods, please let me know in the comments below (don’t share confidential information here, of course!) or via my contact me form.  And note that (lawyerly disclaimer alert) this post does not constitute a detailed analysis of these patents, nor is it legal advice.