On Monday, the US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that was expected to shed light on the patent eligibility of software. Petitioner Alice Corporation, an Australian company owned in 50% part by National Australia Bank, has been battling Respondent CLS Bank International over a group of patents since 2007. The patents-in-suit relate to transaction settlements through a third party; the inventions’ claims, says Alice Corp., recite an electronic intermediary that facilitates settlement between parties in an executory transaction (5,970,479, 6,912,510, 7,149,720, 7,725,375). According to CLS, Alice Corp. has never practiced the patents-in-suit.