Patent decision

BL number

O/0142/23

Concerning rights in

GB2210837.7

Hearing Officer

Mr P Mason

Decision date

8 February 2023

Person(s) or Company(s) involved

Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc

Provisions discussed

Patents Act 1977 Section 1(2)

Keywords

Excluded fields (allowed)

Related Decisions

None

Summary

The invention relates to a portable device used for communicating with distinct field device (i.e. sensors, valves, transmitters, positioners, etc.) of an industrial plant, wherein the devises operate over different communication protocols. The portable device has a swappable module associated with the discrete devices and a help application that instructs a user on a specific functionality of the field device.

In applying the four-step approach set out in the Court of Appeal judgment in Aerotel the Hearing Officer found that the hardware was unconventional and therefore was included in the contribution. As such, he found the invention to be allowable and remitted the case to the examiner.

Full decision O/0142/23 304Kb