金融與科技之交會──後Alice時代金融科技專利標的之適格性

The Subject Matter Eligibility of FinTech Patent in Post-Alice Era

金融與科技結合並非創新，早在90年代電腦科技產業已開始將電腦科技運用於金融服務業，並利用專利保護其創新。然而，與金融服務相關之商業方法或軟體專利，常常因為保護標的過於抽象，因此其專利適格性往往備受爭議。90年代末期，美國聯邦法院宣告商業方法可為適格的專利標的之後，隨之帶動有關金融相關的專利申請。2000年至2010年間，隨著網路發達，美國商業方法專利申請量達到鼎盛時期，然而卻因為品質不佳，遂引發商業方法專利改革之浪潮。2010年美國最高法院在Bilski v. Kappos案，判定本案商業方法專利之標的屬於抽象概念，非適格之專利標的，並宣告「機械」（machine）或「轉換」（transformation test）測試並非判斷商業方法或軟體專利之適格性之「唯一」標準後，再度引發商業方法專利標的適格性判斷標準之爭議。4年後，美國最高法院在Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank Alice Corp.案正式提出Alice/Mayo二階段測試標準，藉以適用所有涉及抽象概念之專利標的是否適格之判斷，此一標準造成商業方法專利申請之核駁率明顯上升，另外更有許多商業方法專利因標的不適格被宣告無效。Alice/Mayo二階段專利適格性測試標準顯然已經嚴重威脅商業方法專利生存。後Alice時代專利標的適格性要件之標準，將影響未來金融企業布局相關金融服務相關商業方法或軟體專利，因此，本文將研究Alice案後對專利標的判斷標準之影響，以及探討未來金融科技專利標的之適格要件，以作為企業金融科技專利布局之參考，並提供我國金融科技專利保護政策研擬之參考。

The idea to apply the technology in financial industry is not new. As early as the 1990s, the computer industry has begun to apply computer technology to the financial industry and use patents to protect its innovation. However, patents for financial service or doing business are controversial because there are abstract in nature. In the late 1990s, the U.S. federal circuit held that there is no business method patent exception, such opinion led to the rise of financial patent application. From 2000 to 2010, with the development of the Internet, the applications for business patents reached its peak, but because of poor quality, it also triggered the reforms of business method patents. In 2010, in Bilski v. Kappos, the U.S. Supreme Court held that “machine or transformation test” is not only test to determine the validity of the business software patents, this opinion brings the disputes of subject matter eligibility of business method patents again. In 2014, the Court of Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank presented the Alice/Mayo two-stage test to screen the patentable subject matter of business method and almost rewrote the law of patent eligibility. The rejection of validity based on section 101 has increased not only in federal court but also in US Patent Office after Alice case. In the Post-Alice era, the requirements of subject matter eligibility based on the case of Alice significantly affect the development of financial innovation. This article will define the eligible financial patents, and exam the evolution of the business method patent standards, as well as in order to analyze a suitable standard to balance the interests between financial innovation and substantial development of financial industry. Finally, it also aims to develop workable patent strategies for company, and also aims to reinforce the business patent jurisprudence of Taiwanese patent Act.