Patent decision

BL number

O/0756/25

Hearing Officer

Dr L Starrs

Decision date

13 August 2025

Person(s) or Company(s) involved

Blackhawk Network Inc

Provisions discussed

Patents Act 1977, Sections 1(2) & 76(2)

Keywords

Excluded fields (refused)

Related Decisions

None

Summary

The application relates to a method of purchasing non-fungible tokens (NFTs) involving scanning a code, such as a barcode, at a point-of-sale (POS). The Hearing Officer agreed with the examiner’s reasoning that the amended claims add matter following the test in Bonzel so the application did not meet the requirements of section 76(2). The Hearing Officer also agreed with the examiner’s reasoning that the contribution does not provide the required technical effect following the four step Aerotel approach: relating instead solely to a method for doing business and a computer program as such. Consequently, the Hearing Officer found that the application did not meet the requirements of section 1(2). The application was refused under section 18(3).

Full decision O/0756/25 249Kb