1、dramaticabout-face,becauseitwasthefederalcircuititselfthatintroducedsuchpatentswithis1998decisioninso-calledstateStreetBankcase,approvingpatentonwayofpoolingmutual-fundassets.Thatrulingproducedanexplosionfilings,initiallybyemerginginternetcompaniestryingtostakeoutexclusiverightsspecifictypesonlinetr
2、ansactions.Later,moveestablishedracedaddtheirfiles,ifonlyasdefensiveagainstrivalsmightbeatthempunch.In2005,IBMnotedcourtfilinghadbeenissuedmorethan300despitefactquestionedlegalbasisforgrantingthem.Similarly,someWallinvestmentfilmsarmedthemselvesfinancialproducts,eventheytookpositionscasesopposingpractice.28.Theword“about-face”(Line1,Para3)mostprobablymeansAlossgoodwillBincreasehostilityCchangeattitudeDenhancementdignity