Patents: Are Computer Programs/Algorithms Patentable?

Guide to searching among United States and foreign patents (prior art) to determine whether an idea can be patented.

Not So Easy to Answer

Computer programs, including apps, use mathematical algorithms which are considered laws of nature.
Laws of nature cannot be patented.
Computer programs can be copyrighted.
The operations that computer programs perform can often be patented.
For a detailed discussion about the patentability of computer programs, read Patent-Eligible Inventions, excerpted from the book, Introduction to Intellectual Property.