For example, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said if a new way was found to extract the ingredients of a cookie, a company still wouldn't be able to patent flour, eggs or salt.
NPR: Can Human Genes Be Patented? Utah Firm At US Court
2.
"I can't imagine getting a patent simply on the basic items of salt, flour and eggs, simply because I've created a new use or a new product from those ingredients, " she said.
NPR: Can Human Genes Be Patented? Utah Firm At US Court
3.
Of course, take any of these patent applications with a generous pinch of salt -- we haven't seen an Apple stylus yet, for example -- but perhaps this is the reason Apple bought fingerprint sensor maker AuthenTec back in July.
ENGADGET: Apple files patent application for fingerprint sensor that can be transparent or opaque