Article: Means-Plus-Function Clause Covering Software Is Definite If The Corresponding Algorithmic Structure Is Understandable To One Skilled In The Art.(Case overview)

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit overturned a summary judgment of indefiniteness of a claim containing means-plus-function (M+F) clauses covering software, holding that the specification of algorithms performing the claimed function "need only disclose adequate defining structure to render the bounds of the claim understandable to one of ordinary skill in the art." Allvoice Computing PLC v. Nuance Communications, Inc., Case No. 06-1440 (Fed. Cir., Oct. 12, 2007) (Rader, J.).

Allvoice owns a patent that covers an interface between a speech recognition engine and various end-user application programs (e.g., word processing programs). Specifically, ...

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