The U.S. Supreme Court will <A HREF="http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1943498,00.asp?kc=EWRSS03119TX1K0000594">hear arguments in a patent case</A> involving online auctioneer eBay that is part of a wider struggle between the software and pharmaceutical industries over the future of the U.S. patent system. Lawyers for eBay and small e-commerce company MercExchange will square off over whether eBay should be barred from using its popular "Buy it Now" feature, which infringes on two MercExchange patents.