Patent decision

BL number
O/748/18
Concerning rights in
GB1120938.4
Hearing Officer
Mr P Mason
Decision date
23 November 2018
Person(s) or Company(s) involved
Suunto OY
Provisions discussed
1(1)(a), 1(1)(b) and 1(2)
Keywords
Excluded fields (allowed), Inventive step
Related Decisions
None

Summary

The application relates to improving the adaptability of wristop computers i.e. portable microcontroller-operated computer devices adapted for attachment to a user’s wrist. In the invention the wristop computer obtains physical data such as velocity, position or a physiological variable. Users may define a mathematical formula by selecting different mathematical operators with different physical variables and arranging them how they wish. An interpreter in the device converts the mathematical formula into computer-readable instructions. The instructions can be read by the device to perform the mathematical function using the physical variable. The new result is then communicated to the user. In this way information available to a user can be configured by the user after purchase of the device according to their own requirements.

The Hearing Officer found that the invention was both novel and involved an inventive step in light of four documents cited by the examiner. Further, the Hearing Officer found the contribution made by the invention to be limited to the narrow field of wristop computers and to include a technical effect that takes the contribution outside the excluded field of a computer program as such. The application was remitted to the examiner.

Full decision O/748/18 PDF document283Kb