Patent decision

BL number

O/344/17

Concerning rights in

GB1213723.8

Hearing Officer

Mr A Bartlett

Decision date

20 July 2017

Person(s) or Company(s) involved

Geodesixs inc

Provisions discussed

PA 1977 Section 1(2)(c)

Keywords

Excluded fields (refused)

Related Decisions

None

Summary

The application relates to a computer system for electronic trading/auctions comprising multiple trader/bidder systems connected to a trading apparatus. The trading apparatus allows the traders/bidders to submit orders/bids having complex conditions attached. The complex conditions relate to information that is unknown to the trader/bidder at the time the order/bid is made and is only verifiable once all orders/bids have been made. The trading apparatus determines the results of the orders/bids by analysing different potential scenarios and selecting for completion those orders/bids which result in the best outcome. The provision for complex conditions is said to improve price and/or liquidity.

The Hearing Officer applied the Aerotel/Macrossan 4 step test and found that the contribution made by the invention fell solely within excluded matter as a business method and a computer program as such. The contribution was found to relate to a computer implemented trading system which was non-technical. The Hearing Officer did not agree with applicant’s arguments that the system comprised a new arrangement of hardware.

Full decision O/344/17 152Kb