IPO The claimed invention was a method of visually representing the state of a communications network on a display, using (in combination) an expandable/collapsible tree structure, and indication gauges to represent the state of selected components of the network.
The Hearing Officer used the test for patentability as set out RiM v Inpro, ie. ‘Taking the claims correctly construed, what does the claimed invention contribute to the art outside excluded subject matter?’ The contribution to the art was a way of visually representing data to the eye; one that enabled the human mind to assimilate the content of the data more quickly.. Although in the specific embodiments claimed, the data represented the state of a communications network, this did not impart any technical advantage to the invention. The only contribution to the art fell entirely within excluded subject matter i.e. presentation of information. Although a computer program was used, there was no contribution to the art in the field of computer programs.
The invention was also found to lack an inventive step.
Judges:
Mr S Probert
Citations:
[2006] UKIntelP o18406, O/184/06
Links:
Intellectual Property
Updated: 14 October 2022; Ref: scu.454760