Patent decision

BL number
O/401/02
Concerning rights in
GB0026184.2
Hearing Officer
Mr S Probert
Decision date
10 October 2002
Person(s) or Company(s) involved
Mr Kamal Taouabit
Provisions discussed
PA 1977 Section 1(2)(c), Section 1(1)(a), Section 1(1)(b)
Keywords
Excluded fields (refused)
Related Decisions
None

Summary

The invention relates to a method of developing computer programs by assembling components. Ordinarily, such components would be "connected" on screen using a visual editor, although the description does not actually confirm this. More specifically the ‘invention’ is concerned with providing a set of generic (or standard) components that could be used to supplement application specific components already available.

The ‘invention’ was found to be a method of performing a mental act and a program for a computer as such. There was no technical contribution, such as would have avoided both of these exclusions.

Although no statutory search had been performed, the examiner had referred to JavaBeans® and a few other examples of "component-ware". The applicant also admitted that such systems were well known. Consequently the claim was found to be anticipated and obvious. The hearing officer also found that there was no inventive step in the application as a whole.

Full decision O/401/02 PDF document21Kb