Patent decision

BL number

O/530/19

Concerning rights in

GB1602643.7

Hearing Officer

Miss J Pullen

Decision date

9 September 2019

Person(s) or Company(s) involved

Adobe Systems Incorporated

Provisions discussed

Patents Act 1977 section 1(2)

Keywords

Excluded fields (refused)

Related Decisions

None

Summary

The invention relates to Internet web browsers. Specifically, the claimed invention provides a computer program (or “computerized method”) for more effectively loading content from a web page. It does so by indexing links in a current page, creating a “trigger area” around each link, and preloading and caching content associated with a link if a cursor enters its trigger area. If the link is subsequently clicked in the usual way, the target page is loaded using the cached content. By preloading and caching content in this way, the user experiences a quicker transition to the target page once a link is subsequently selected.

The Hearing Officer applied the Aerotel/Macrossan four step test, considered the AT&T/CVON signposts and found that the contribution fell solely within the excluded category of a computer program as such. The application was refused under section 18(3).

Full decision O/530/19 273Kb