simply implementing a well-known business process on a computer. The immediate response of the USPTO to this decision as of July 2014 has been to essentially stop allowing business method patents. The key issue is that examiners do not yet have clear guidance as to what is allowable under the Alice decision. Classification In the 8th edition of the International Patent Classification (IPC), which entered into force on January 1, 2006, a special subclass has been created for business methods: "G06Q" (Data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial, supervisory or forecasting purposes). In the previous editions, business methods were classified in "G06F 17/60". This is purely a classification matter and will not change the patent laws however. US patents describing methods of doing business that involve the use of a computer are classified in Class 705 ("data processing: financial, business practice, management or cost/price determination"). Class 705 includes sub-categories for industries such as health care, insurance, electronic shopping, inventory management, accounting, and finance. See also Software patent debate Decision T 931/95 (Pension Benefit Systems Partnership) of August 9, 2000 of the Boards of Appeal of the European Patent Office (EPO) DDR Holdings v. Hotels.com References External links Software and Business Methods on the WIPO web site Australia's Advisory Council on Intellectual Property, Report on a Review of the Patenting of Business Systems, September 2003 United States Patent and Trademark Office, Interim Guidelines for Examination of Patent Applications for Patent Subject Matter Eligibility, October 2005 Papers "Patents on Methods of Doing Business", United States Congressional Research Service, June 1, 2000 Business law Patent law