Patent decision

BL number
O/097/11
Concerning rights in
GB0500914.7
Hearing Officer
Mrs C L Davies
Decision date
9 March 2011
Person(s) or Company(s) involved
Vodafone Group PLC
Provisions discussed
PA 1977 Section 1(2)(c)
Keywords
Excluded fields (refused)
Related Decisions
None

Summary

The application relates to a mobile communication device and a method for updating information for a mobile communication device. During operation of a mobile communication device, a user may activate a communication session between the device and a network where information required by the user is downloaded. The device has a cache for storing the downloaded information wherein each information item has an associated time limit. The time limit is used to determine whether a stored information item requires revalidation/refreshing. When the time limit has been exceeded the device automatically revalidates/refreshes the information item when access to the network is available.

The Hearing Officer found, on applying the Aerotel/Macrossan test, that the contribution lay solely within the excluded field of a business method and a computer program. The communication device has a “user agent” implemented by the device’s processor through a computer program to control the decision making process to revalidate/refresh the information. The Hearing Officer subsequently refused the application.

Full decision O/097/11 PDF document56Kb