Software is at the core of many of the patent skirmishes that have punctuated the wireless space. Now the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed examine to whether software is legally patentable as it takes the case of Alice Corporation Pty. Ltd. v CLS Bank International. As ExtremeTech noted, the patent debate comes down to whether or not discovering a new algorithm or method of doing things in software is an activity entitled to a patent. Those arguing against software patents say such "inventions" entail the application of mathematics, which is not patentable in the United States. Tech companies, as well as patent trolls, can rake in massive revenue streams by licensing their portfolios of intellectual property, which has led to ongoing patent warfare. Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) reportedly acquired Motorola in part for the latter's patents, and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) actually makes more from its patent licensing fees from Android than it does from Windows Phone, ExtremeTech said. For more, see this article.