A more thorough explanation:

The Business Methods Patent Initiative is a program created by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to reduce the number of business-method patents that are issued. This program adds a second level of review to business-method-patent applications to ensure that examiners are properly approving them.

Before the initiative, many business-method patents were approved without proper examination, leading to complaints from the public. Now, after an examiner approves an application, a second examiner must review it completely and either reject the application or affirm the issuance of the patent.

One example of a business-method patent that may have been improperly approved before the initiative is a patent for a method of online shopping. This patent may have been too broad and not specific enough to be granted. However, with the Business Methods Patent Initiative, the patent would have gone through a second level of review to ensure that it met all the necessary requirements.

The Business Methods Patent Initiative helps to ensure that only valid and necessary business-method patents are granted, which can prevent companies from unfairly monopolizing certain industries or ideas.