What is Section 101 patent eligibility?

Covers laws of nature, natural phenomena, abstract ideas. Alice test : step one (abstract

Why was McFadden's information exchange patent rejected?

Claim 14: abstract math on distributions for info presentation. Generic computers, no tech improvement. PTAB/Fed Cir affirmed.

Does this ruling affect ad tech patents?

Yes—broad info processing claims vulnerable. Narrow to specific tech solves for eligibility boost.

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Federal Circuit Buries Info Exchange Patent Under Alice

Pro se inventor Brian McFadden's bid for an information exchange patent crashed hard Tuesday. Federal Circuit says it's just math on generic computers—no eligibility under Section 101.

Legal AI Beat Apr 11, 2026 3 min read

Federal Circuit seal over patent application documents and gavel

⚡ Key Takeaways

Federal Circuit affirms PTAB: claim 14 is abstract idea under §101, no inventive concept. 𝕏
Means-plus-function failed; spec disclosed only generic software structures. 𝕏
Reinforces Alice scrutiny on info exchange/math patents—pivot to practical apps advised. 𝕏

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#Alice eligibility #Alice test #Federal Circuit #PTAB decision #PTAB decisions #Section 101 #patent eligibility

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Originally reported by IPWatchdog

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