Are "instructions on how business should be conducted" regarded as patentable subject matter?

The appropriate understanding of the patentability of "instructions on how business should be conducted" aligns with the principle that abstract ideas, including business methods and concepts, are generally not considered patentable subject matter under U.S. patent law. The Supreme Court and the Federal Circuit have established that merely providing instructions or guidelines on conducting business does not meet the criteria of being a new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter.

When analyzing business methods, if the instructions do not incorporate a novel technical solution or result in a tangible outcome beyond the idea of conducting business itself, they are likely to be classified as abstract ideas. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) follows these guidelines to ensure that abstract concepts, such as mere instructions or schemes for conducting business, do not receive patent protection, as this would hinder innovation rather than promote it.

Although there can be situations where business methods that involve a technical aspect might be patentable, the generic notion of simply instructing on business conduct typically fails to satisfy the requirements for patentable subject matter, supporting the position that such instructions oppose patentability.