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Patenting the Internet

Will patents on budding business practices and technologies help or hinder the new economy?

CNET News staff
A U.S. Court of Appeals recently ruled that it is legitimate to patent ways of conducting high-tech business, making a few firms happy but potentially creating big headaches for many other Internet shopkeepers. Will legal protection for budding business practices help or hinder the new economy?

Floodgates open for patent cases
news analysis A change in laws and opportunities for ways to make money have opened the floodgates for a raft of new patent cases.

Will patents help e-commerce?
news analysis A July 23 court decision means some Net merchants may find their basic business model is already legally protected.

Who's got the patent?
A look at some recently granted e-commerce patents.

StampMaster to test Net postage
The U.S. Postal Service gives another firm permission to test technology for delivering postage over the Net.

Pitney delivers documents online
Postage meter giant Pitney Bowes jumps into the business of secure online document delivery, entering a market already targeted by UPS.

Patent could push firms' buttons
A small Colorado firm specializing in electronic payments is the latest to be awarded a patent that it says covers push technology.

Priceline.com sets the stage
The Connecticut startup earns legal protection for its "name your price" e-commerce system.