Patent decision

BL number

O/309/10

Concerning rights in

GB0604646.9

Hearing Officer

Miss Ceri Witchard

Decision date

31 August 2010

Person(s) or Company(s) involved

Martin Anthony Mckenzie

Provisions discussed

Patents Act Section 76

Keywords

Added subject matter, Section 20 period

Related Decisions

None

Summary

The application relates to an improvement to shutters that are used to close up businesses and shops overnight. The invention is aimed at making them more attractive by incorporating lighting or illumination effects. The applicant sought to amend the patent to include claims to shutters incorporating video surveillance equipment, integrated security equipment and shield adaptations. The hearing officer considered the application as filed and as amended and found that the proposed amendments added subject matter. The original specification mentioned the terms the applicant was seeking to include only briefly and in a particular context. The amended claims disclosed an arrangement that was not disclosed in the original specification and therefore contravened section 76. The period for putting the application in order has expired. The hearing officer therefore refused the application.

Full decision O/309/10 36Kb