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You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office Decisions >> Mr Kamal Taouabit (Patent) [2002] UKIntelP o40102 (10 October 2002)
URL: http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKIntelP/2002/o40102.html
Cite as: [2002] UKIntelP o40102
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Mr Kamal Taouabit [2002] UKIntelP o40102 (10 October 2002)
For the whole decision click here: o40102
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.