Patent decision

BL number
O/298/09
Concerning rights in
GB0409402.5
Hearing Officer
Mr J Elbro
Decision date
25 September 2009
Person(s) or Company(s) involved
WMS Gaming Inc.
Provisions discussed
Patents Act 1977 Section 1(2)
Keywords
Excluded fields (refused)
Related Decisions
None

Summary

The application concerned a gaming machine of the “fruit machine” type for wagering games with a number of mechanical reels and a video display. The innovation asserted in the application was that this video screen will display different animations depending on the level of award a player has won from the combination of symbols shown on the reels, improving the player’s experience. The hearing officer held that when considering the contribution made by the invention, in accordance with the Aerotel test, it was necessary to consider the contribution to human knowledge, not simply the differences from the prior art. He therefore held that the claimed invention was did not solely relate to a presentation of information, although some aspects of it could be so characterized. However, he found that there was no technical improvement to the gaming machine, instead an improved game was implemented on standard gaming technology. He thus rejected the application as being for a scheme rule or method for playing a game and/or the presentation of information as such.

Full decision O/298/09 PDF document100Kb