Webinars
Recent Developments in Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance and Case Law
This webinar will provide practitioners with a comprehensive update on the evolving landscape of patent subject matter eligibility under 35 U.S.C. § 101. Speaker Kirt Iverson will cover three significant USPTO guidance memos, including key reminders on mental process groupings and computer functionality improvements, the proper use of Subject Matter Eligibility Declarations (SMEDs), and the precedential Ex Parte Desjardins decision regarding machine learning patent eligibility. The session will also analyze Federal Circuit case law since Berkheimer, examining what makes software patents eligible versus ineligible, with detailed case studies of Ancora Technologies v. HTC, Universal Secure Registry v. Apple/Visa, and CosmoKey Solutions v. Duo Security. Attendees will gain practical insights into drafting patent-eligible claims that demonstrate specific mechanisms, technological improvements, and inventive concepts.
Kirt Iverson is an intellectual property attorney and principal at SLW. A registered patent attorney with 15+ years of experience, Kirt has prosecuted 400+ patent applications to issuance before the United States Patent & Trademark Office and in foreign jurisdictions. His education includes an M.B.A. and a Master of Science in Engineering from San Jose State University, and a law degree from Santa Clara University School of Law.