CBM

Abbreviation with 2 meanings

CBM
Stands forCubic meter (freight)
Meanings2
CategoriesUnits & Measurements, Law & Legal

CBM has two meanings. It stands for Cubic meter (freight) (metric and SI unit) or Covered business method review (intellectual property).

Meanings of CBM at a glance

#CBM stands forContext
1Cubic meter (freight)Units & Measurements › Metric and SI Unit
2Covered business method reviewLaw & Legal › Intellectual Property

1. Cubic meter (freight)

Units & Measurements · Metric and SI Unit Abbreviations · also used in business

Shipping and logistics abbreviation for cubic meter, the unit used to quote less-than-container-load (LCL) ocean freight and container capacity. A standard 20-foot container offers roughly 33 CBM of cargo space.

Example: The quote is $85 per CBM for consolidated cargo to Rotterdam.

Forwarders bill LCL shipments by volume or weight, whichever is greater, commonly treating 1 CBM as equivalent to 1,000 kg. A 40-foot container offers about 67 CBM. To calculate, multiply the carton's length, width and height in meters, then by the number of cartons.

2. Covered business method review

Law & Legal · Intellectual Property Abbreviations

Transitional PTAB proceeding, available from 2012 to 2020, that let parties sued on financial-services business method patents challenge them on any ground of invalidity. It was used heavily against patents on banking and payment processes.

Example: The bank filed a CBM petition arguing the claims covered an abstract idea.

Created by section 18 of the America Invents Act, the program expired on September 16, 2020. Many petitions argued ineligible subject matter, especially after Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank (2014). Its decisions remain part of PTAB case law.

More metric and SI unit abbreviations

  • amu – Atomic mass unit
  • AU – Astronomical unit
  • Bq – Becquerel
  • c – Centi- (hundredth)
  • cc – Cubic centimeter
  • cd – Candela
  • CGS – Centimeter-gram-second system
  • cL – Centiliter

See all 64 metric and SI unit abbreviations →

More intellectual property abbreviations

  • BRI – Broadest reasonable interpretation
  • CC BY – Creative Commons Attribution License
  • CC0 – Creative Commons Zero
  • CCB – Copyright Claims Board
  • CIP – Continuation-in-part
  • CNIPA – China National Intellectual Property Administration
  • Copr. – Copyright
  • DOE – Doctrine of equivalents

See all 50 intellectual property abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.

This entry is for general education and is not legal advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.