by Dennis Crouch
Planet Bingo v. VKGS (Fed. Cir. 2014)
In a non-precedential decision earlier this week, the Federal Circuit found Planet Bingo's patents invalid as lacking eligible subject matter under 35 U.S.C. 101. The court's opinion self-identifies as a "straightforward application of the Supreme Court’s recent holding in Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank International."
The patent claims a computerized method for managing a game of Bingo - yes, the multi-billion dollar industry of Bingo. The basic idea of the invention is that some folks want to play 'their numbers' each week. The computerized system lets individuals pre-select their numbers and also helps the Bingo-hall to track sales, verify winners, and avoid tampering. VKGS and Planet Bingo compete in the marketplace for bingo equipment.
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