For the whole decision click here: o21407
Summary
The application related to a system for extracting information from databases via telephone in which data could be retrieved relating to, e.g. car sales, within a desired distance of a telephone dialing code area. The hearing officer followed the four-step approach to the assessment of patentability under section 1(2) approved by the Court of Appeal in Aerotel/Macrossan [2006] EWCA Civ 1371 in determining whether the invention was excluded from patentability. He held that the contribution defined by the claims was a system which will extract data from a database, receiving and sending information over a telephonic system, in response to specifying a telephone area code and a location parameter. The benefits alleged by the applicant, or speed and ease of use, could only arise from the choice of which data to use to access the database - there was no change to the telephone system itself. Therefore the claims were excluded from patentability as a computer program as such.