Case:
Claimed Subject Matter:
A compiler system.
The subject-matter of claim 1 differs from the disclosure of the prior art in the following features:
- information on data definitions is in the form of a common language file represented in a different language to first and second source code languages;
- the first source language has an import statement that imports a common language file; and
- as part of said examination, determining if the statement is an import statement related to the common language file and, if so, reading the common language file into a symbol table by parsing the common language file and adding type and method information in metadata in the common language file to the symbol table.
Comments:
This case demonstrates that features of a compiler system may be seen as technical features. Information on data definitions was provided in the form of a common language file represented in a different language to first and second languages for compilation. The first language had an “import” statement that imported the common language file.
The board concluded that these features did provide an inventive step when compared to the cited art. In particular, the board considered that the cited art suggested a particular solution that differed from the claimed solution; as such the skilled person had no motivation to introduce the novel compiler features.
