Bob Sutor, an IBMer, posted on his blog:

Here’s why we are withdrawing it — IBM adopted a new policy a year ago to sharply reduce business method patent filings and instead stress significant technical content in its patents. Even though the patent application in question was filed eight months before the policy took effect in September, 2006, had the policy been in place at the time, IBM would not have filed the application. We’re glad the community pointed this application out so IBM could take swift action.

IBM must figure wearing a white patent hat is compelling business logic, as its profits are increasingly services-driven, and, having participated in whipping up anti-patent sentiment in geekland, risking animosity from patent hypocrisy is more trouble than its worth.