Patent decision

BL number

O/001/06

Concerning rights in

EP(UK) 1144869; PCT/GB99/04323 and others, in particular Norwegian patent application 2001 2918

Hearing Officer

Mr D J Barford

Decision date

4 January 2006

Person(s) or Company(s) involved

Transfer Systems International (UK) Limited and TSI (UK) Limited v International Consultants Group Ltd and Black Spruce Holdings LLC

Provisions discussed

PA.1977 Sections 12, 33, 37, 77, 78

Keywords

Assignment, Entitlement, Jurisdiction, Rectification of register

Related Decisions

None

Summary

In unopposed references under sections 12 and 37, the claimants argued that an earlier, unregistered assignment from the inventor to the claimants took precedence over a later, registered assignment from the inventor to the defendants.

Held, in respect of the section 37 reference, that under section 33 the claimants were entitled to the EP patent by virtue of the earlier assignment. The hearing officer directed that the earlier assignment be registered.

Full decision O/001/06 33Kb