Patent decision

BL number

O/039/03

Concerning rights in

GB 2252270 B.

Hearing Officer

Mr S N Dennehey

Decision date

7 February 2003

Person(s) or Company(s) involved

Pendawell (2000) Limited v (1) Orange Personal Communications Services Limited and (2) Page White & Farrer

Provisions discussed

PA 1977 section 27

Keywords

Added subject matter, Amendment, Inventive step, Novelty

Related Decisions

None

Summary

Orange and Page White & Farrer opposed Pendawells application to amend the patent in suit on the grounds that the proposed amendments added subject matter, introduced ambiguity and did not distinguish over the prior art which was the reason for the application. They also argued that the comptroller should refuse the application as a matter of discretion. The Hearing Officer allowed the amendments, but made an award of costs in favour of the opponents in view of the influence they had had on the final form of amendment.

Full decision O/039/03 52Kb