- BL number
- O/255/17
- Concerning rights in
- GB1204971.4
- Hearing Officer
- Mr S Brown
- Decision date
- 25 May 2017
- Person(s) or Company(s) involved
- Tata Consultancy Services Limited
- Provisions discussed
- PA 1977 Sections 1(2) & 76(2)
- Keywords
- Added subject matter, Excluded fields (refused)
- Related Decisions
- None
Summary
The application relates to a computer-implemented system for providing an optimised manpower plan and schedule. The system uses distributed architecture so that central servers are interfaced with local computers at a remote location. The Hearing Officer applied the Aerotel/Macrossan test and decided that the contribution made by the invention fell solely within excluded matter. He also considered the decision in Halliburton Energy Services Inc and concluded that the contribution did not have a relevant technical effect. The issue of added matter was also considered briefly but the Hearing Officer decided that the invention would remain excluded whether or not the features in question were present. The application was thus refused as no more than a method of doing business as such.