Ex Parte Dietz answers the question, at least as far as this BPAI panel is concerned, as to what structure need be recited in a “software claim” to bring it within the “machine” category of patent eligible subject matter. What is notable perhaps in its absence is any reference to the need to recite any “particular machine,” as opposed to simply just a “server” or the like, in order to bring a claim into the realm of the patent eligibility. Ex Parte Dietz et al In Ex parte Dietz, the following claim 1 was rejected under Section 101 for failure to recite at least one hardware element.
1. In a World Wide Web (Web) communication network with user access via a plurality of data processor controlled interactive receiving display stations for displaying received hypertext Web documents, transmitted from source sites on the Web, including at least one display page containing text, images and a plurality of embedded hyperlinks, each hyperlink being user activatable to access and display a respective linked hypertext Web document from source sites on the web, a system for controlling access activity from activated hyperlinks and their respective Web document source sites comprising:
means for applying said prioritization in the determination of the order in which the web documents linked to activated embedded hyperlinks in said web document are to be accessed.
means at said source sites for prioritizing said plurality of embedded hyperlinks in a Web document; and
