G 0002/98 (Requirement for claiming priority of the "same invention") of 31.5.2001

European Case Law Identifier:

ECLI:EP:BA:2001:G000298.20010531

Date of decision:

31 May 2001

Case number:

G 0002/98

Application number:

-

IPC class:

-

Language of proceedings:

EN

Distribution:

A

Download and more information:

Decision text in EN (PDF, 1Â MB)
-
Bibliographic information is available in:	EN
Versions:	OJ \| Published

Title of application:

-

Applicant name:

-

Opponent name:

-

Board:

EBA

Headnote:

The requirement for claiming priority of "the same invention", referred to in Article 87(1) EPC, means that priority of a previous application in respect of a claim in a European patent application in accordance with Article 88 EPC is to be acknowledged only if the skilled person can derive the subject-matter of the claim directly and unambiguously, using common general knowledge, from the previous application as a whole.

Relevant legal provisions:

European Patent Convention 1973 Art 54(2)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 54(3)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 56
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 60(2)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 83
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 84
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 87(1)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 87(4)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 88(2)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 88(3)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 88(4)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 89
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 93
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 112(1)(b)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 123(2)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 123(3)
Paris Convention Art 4a(1)
Paris Convention Art 4c(4)
Paris Convention Art 4f
Paris Convention Art 4h
Paris Convention Art 19
Rules of procedure of the Enlarged Board of Appeal Art 11b

Keywords:

Interpretation of the concept of "the same invention" referred to in Article 87(1) EPC
Consistency of the interpretation with the Paris Convention and the EPC
Conformity of the interpretation with principles of equal treatment and legal certainty and with the requirement of consistency as regards assessment of novelty and inventive step

Catchwords:

-

Cited decisions:

G 0001/93
G 0003/93
J 0015/80
T 0116/84
T 0184/84
T 0016/87
T 0085/87
T 0295/87
T 0301/87
T 0073/88
T 0255/91
T 0582/91
T 0311/93
T 0669/93
T 1056/93
T 0364/95
T 0077/97

Citing decisions:

G 0001/03
G 0002/03
G 0002/10
G 0001/15
G 0001/16
T 0607/95
T 0216/96
T 0311/96
T 1036/96
T 0323/97
T 0400/97
T 0633/97
T 0647/97
T 0659/97
T 0693/97
T 0701/97
T 0785/97
T 0903/97
T 0909/97
T 0948/97
T 0093/98
T 0268/98
T 0342/98
T 0351/98
T 0779/98
T 0976/98
T 0977/98
T 0201/99
T 0420/99
T 0451/99
T 0481/99
T 0507/99
T 0518/99
T 0525/99
T 0736/99
T 0744/99
T 0884/99
T 0906/99
T 1084/99
T 0013/00
T 0120/00
T 0279/00
T 0356/00
T 0515/00
T 0639/00
T 0664/00
T 0665/00
T 0827/00
T 0876/00
T 0923/00
T 1066/00
T 1074/00
T 1120/00
T 1127/00
T 0008/01
T 0012/01
T 0015/01
T 0030/01
T 0136/01
T 0238/01
T 0244/01
T 0297/01
T 0351/01
T 0423/01
T 0454/01
T 0462/01
T 0639/01
T 0788/01
T 0805/01
T 0932/01
T 0973/01
T 1034/01
T 1080/01
T 1100/01
T 1228/01
T 1243/01
T 0018/02
T 0030/02
T 0049/02
T 0139/02
T 0250/02
T 0253/02
T 0302/02
T 0420/02
T 0576/02
T 0678/02
T 0886/02
T 0888/02
T 0936/02
T 1033/02
T 1093/02
T 0175/03
T 0178/03
T 0404/03
T 0494/03
T 0495/03
T 0525/03
T 0537/03
T 0563/03
T 0843/03
T 0910/03
T 0925/03
T 0957/03
T 1127/03
T 1228/03
T 0001/04
T 0020/04
T 0152/04
T 0157/04
T 0270/04
T 0293/04
T 0449/04
T 0562/04
T 0832/04
T 0899/04
T 1331/04
T 1399/04
T 0005/05
T 0062/05
T 0070/05
T 0080/05
T 0295/05
T 0313/05
T 0516/05
T 0609/05
T 0666/05
T 0667/05
T 0689/05
T 0776/05
T 0795/05
T 0825/05
T 0842/05
T 0891/05
T 0903/05
T 0974/05
T 1077/05
T 1196/05
T 1213/05
T 1240/05
T 1380/05
T 1443/05
T 1574/05
T 0092/06
T 0184/06
T 0197/06
T 0224/06
T 0308/06
T 0321/06
T 0333/06
T 0434/06
T 0493/06
T 0608/06
T 0876/06
T 0910/06
T 1078/06
T 1147/06
T 1172/06
T 1338/06
T 1459/06
T 0110/07
T 0146/07
T 0331/07
T 0902/07
T 1241/07
T 1523/07
T 1533/07
T 0059/08
T 0578/08
T 0680/08
T 0971/08
T 1312/08
T 1579/08
T 1782/08
T 1877/08
T 2006/08
T 2165/08
T 2170/08
T 0132/09
T 0476/09
T 0840/09
T 1149/09
T 1334/09
T 1457/09
T 1779/09
T 1834/09
T 2034/09
T 2311/09
T 0050/10
T 0334/10
T 0571/10
T 0759/10
T 2311/10
T 2406/10
T 0059/11
T 0383/11
T 0468/11
T 1222/11
T 2527/11
T 2561/11
T 2646/11
T 0096/12
T 0192/12
T 0250/12
T 0282/12
T 0367/12
T 1035/12
T 1246/12
T 1525/12
T 1580/12
T 1954/12
T 1994/12
T 2230/12
T 2473/12
T 0089/13
T 0379/13
T 0424/13
T 0557/13
T 0730/13
T 1117/13
T 1271/13
T 1434/13
T 1852/13
T 2057/13
T 2061/13
T 2184/13
T 2466/13
T 0189/14
T 0213/14
T 0260/14
T 0437/14
T 1082/14
T 1201/14
T 1397/14
T 1450/14
T 1589/14
T 1845/14
T 1872/14
T 1934/14
T 1983/14
T 2051/14
T 2154/14
T 2215/14
T 0149/15
T 1362/15
T 1821/15
T 1860/15
T 0085/16
T 0189/16
T 0336/16
T 0600/16
T 0664/16
T 1001/16
T 1260/16
T 1400/16
T 1487/16
T 1921/16
T 2072/16
T 0507/17
T 1213/17
T 1583/17
T 2087/17
T 0321/18
T 2571/18

Source: http://www.epo.org/law-practice/case-law-appeals/recent/g980002ex1.html

Date retrieved: 17 May 2021

187 references found.

Click X to load a reference inside the current page, click on the title to open in a new page.

EPC Articles

X A.54 EPC Novelty

X A.56 EPC Inventive step

X A.60 EPC Right to a European patent

X A.83 EPC Disclosure of the invention

X A.84 EPC Claims

X A.87 EPC Priority right

X A.88 EPC Claiming priority

X A.89 EPC Effect of priority right

X A.93 EPC Publication of the European patent application

X A.112 EPC Decision or opinion of the Enlarged Board of Appeal

X A.123 EPC Amendments

EPO Guidelines - F The European Patent Application

X GL F VI 1.3 Validly claiming priority

X GL F VI 2.2 The same invention

Offical Journal of the EPO

X OJ EPO SE 1/2021, p179 - Annex 1 - Index of published decisions of the boards of appeal and the Enlarged Board of Appeal - (as at 31 December 2020)

X OJ EPO SE 4/2020, p23 - II. PATENT APPLICATION AND AMENDMENTS

X OJ EPO SE 1/2020, p174 - Annex 1 - Index of published decisions of the boards of appeal and the Enlarged Board of Appeal - (as at 31 December 2019)

X OJ EPO SE 1/2019, p158 - XVI. - Index of published decisions of the boards of appeal and the Enlarged Board of Appeal - (as at 31 December 2018)

X OJ EPO SE 3/2018, p91 - ANNEX 2

X OJ EPO SE 3/2018, p2 - BOARDS OF APPEAL AND ENLARGED BOARD OF APPEAL CASE LAW 2017

X OJ EPO 2018, A70 - Decision of the Enlarged Board of Appeal dated 18 December 2017 – G 1/16

X OJ EPO 2017, A82 - Decision of the Enlarged Board of Appeal dated 29 November 2016 - G 1/15

X OJ EPO 2017, A50 - Interlocutory decision of the Technical Board of Appeal 3.3.09 dated 17 October 2016 - T 437/14

X OJ EPO SE 3/2016, p1 - ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BOARDS OF APPEAL OF THE EPO 2015

X OJ EPO 2016, A87 - Interlocutory decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.3.06 dated 17 July 2015 - T 557/13

X OJ EPO SE 4/2015, p19 - PART II

X OJ EPO SE 2/2015, p117 - IV. PRIORITY

X OJ EPO 2015, A101 - Communication from the Enlarged Board of Appeal concerning case G 1/15

X OJ EPO 2015, A92 - Notice from the European Patent Office dated 2 October 2015 concerning the staying of proceedings due to referral G 1/15

X OJ EPO SE 5/2014, p166 - ANNEX 2

X OJ EPO SE 5/2014, p25 - PART II

Case Law Book: II Conditions to be met by an Application

X CLR II D 1 Introduction

X CLR II D 3.1.1 ‍‍G 2/98 – interpretation of "the same invention"

X CLR II D 3.1.2 ‍‍G 2/98 and the concept of disclosure – interpretation in the same way as for Art. 123(2) EPC

X CLR II D 3.1.3 Disclosure in the previous application as a whole

X CLR II D 3.1.4 Reference to common general knowledge

X CLR II D 3.1.5 Explicit or implicit disclosure of the features of the invention in the priority document

X CLR II D 3.1.6 Enabling disclosure in the priority document

X CLR II D 3.1.7 Error margins and definitions of limits

X CLR II D 3.1.8 Selection from generic disclosure

X CLR II D 3.1.9 Inventions relating to nucleotide and amino acid sequences

X CLR II D 3.2 Claiming in the subsequent application the invention disclosed in the previous application

X CLR II D 4.1 Identity of invention

X CLR II D 5.2 Different priorities for different parts of a European patent application

X CLR II D 5.3 Multiple priorities or partial priority for one claim

X CLR II D 5.3.1 Development of the case law after G 2/98 in respect of generically formulated "OR" claims

X CLR II D 5.3.2 Referral case G 1/15 ("Partial priority")

X CLR II D 5.3.3 Application of G 1/15 in the jurisprudence of the boards

X CLR II E 1.1 General principles

X CLR II E 1.4.4.C Decisions criticising the three-point test

X CLR II E 1.15 "Comprises", "consists of", "consists essentially of", "contains"

X CLR II E 3.3 Addition to the claim of an undisclosed feature limiting protection conferred, without providing a technical contribution

Case Law of the Enlarged Board

X G 0001/93 (Limiting feature) of 2.2.1994

X G 0003/93 (Priority interval) of 16.8.1994

X G 0001/03 (Disclaimer/PPG) of 8.4.2004

X G 0002/03 (Disclaimer/GENETIC SYSTEMS) of 8.4.2004

X G 0002/10 (Disclaimer/SCRIPPS) of 30.8.2011

X G 0001/15 () of 29.11.2016

X G 0001/16 (Disclaimer III) of 18.12.2017

General Case Law

X J 0015/80 (Priority/earlier deposit of industrial design) of 11.6.1981

X T 0184/84 () of 4.4.1986

X T 0016/87 (Catalyst) of 24.7.1990

X T 0085/87 () of 21.7.1988

X T 0295/87 (Polyetherketones) of 6.12.1988

X T 0301/87 (Alpha-interferons) of 16.2.1989

X T 0073/88 (Snackfood) of 7.11.1989

X T 0255/91 (Priority) of 12.9.1991

X T 0582/91 () of 11.11.1992

X T 0311/93 (Pteridin derivative/KANEGAFUCHI) of 16.1.1997

X T 0669/93 () of 13.2.1995

X T 1056/93 () of 16.1.1996

X T 0364/95 () of 20.11.1996

X T 0077/97 (TaxoÃ¯des/RHÃNE-POULENC) of 3.7.1997

X T 0323/97 (Disclaimer/UNILEVER) of 17.9.2001

X T 0633/97 (Optical members/HERAEUS) of 19.7.2000

X T 0659/97 (Abrasive grits/NORTON) of 22.8.2001

X T 0701/97 (Ceramic article/NORTON) of 23.8.2001

X T 0903/97 () of 31.1.2001

X T 0909/97 () of 13.6.2002

X T 0268/98 (Oxide superconductor/NIPPON STEEL) of 16.5.2001

X T 0342/98 (A. orizae/NOVOZYME) of 20.11.2001

X T 0351/98 (HIV-I/CHIRON CORPORATION) of 15.1.2002

X T 0201/99 (Granulation process/UNILEVER) of 10.9.2004

X T 0451/99 (Synthetic antigens/GENETIC SYSTEMS) of 14.3.2003

X T 0481/99 () of 21.6.2002

X T 0507/99 (Disclaimers/PPG) of 20.12.2002

X T 0518/99 () of 8.11.2001

X T 0525/99 (Fluorohydrocarbons/LUBRIZOL) of 12.9.2002

X T 0736/99 () of 20.6.2002

X T 0744/99 (RDS radio system/BBC) of 15.1.2002

X T 0013/00 (Gel system/MARS) of 27.6.2003

X T 0120/00 (Mycobacteria/COGENT) of 18.2.2003

X T 0515/00 () of 25.6.2003

X T 0664/00 (Dough Products/PILLSBURY) of 28.11.2002

X T 0665/00 () of 13.4.2005

X T 0827/00 () of 19.6.2002

X T 0923/00 (Detergent tablet/UNILEVER) of 1.4.2003

X T 1074/00 (Hematopoietic growth factors/GENETICS INSTITUTE) of 13.5.2004

X T 1127/00 (Ribozymes/GENE SHEARS) of 16.12.2003

X T 0012/01 (Lactoferrin/BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE) of 2.12.2003

X T 0015/01 (Mystery Swine Disease/SDLO) of 17.6.2004

X T 0030/01 () of 29.6.2004

X T 0136/01 () of 30.11.2005

X T 0351/01 (Tissue Factor Protein/GENENTECH) of 2.7.2003

X T 0423/01 (LÃ¤ngenpolymorphismen/MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT) of 25.3.2004

X T 0639/01 (Thiazole compounds/SEARLE) of 9.2.2005

X T 0788/01 () of 13.6.2003

X T 1034/01 () of 29.1.2004

X T 1228/01 (Zona pellucida antigens/ZONAGEN INC.) of 23.4.2003

X T 0030/02 (Xylanase/NOVOZYMES) of 9.10.2006

X T 0250/02 (Pharmaceutical Compositions/NITSAS) of 28.4.2005

X T 0253/02 () of 31.3.2004

X T 0302/02 (Automated amplification/APPLERA) of 12.3.2004

X T 1033/02 (Block copolymer elastomer catheter balloons/SCIMED) of 26.4.2006

X T 0175/03 () of 3.11.2005

X T 0178/03 (Copper pyrithione) of 11.4.2006

X T 0404/03 (Doubles detection/CUMMINS-ALLISON) of 12.7.2006

X T 0494/03 (Transgenic wheat/SYNGENTA) of 18.5.2005

X T 0525/03 () of 27.9.2005

X T 0537/03 () of 10.11.2005

X T 0843/03 (Human papillomavirus/THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER) of 25.10.2004

X T 0910/03 () of 7.7.2005

X T 0020/04 (Flt3 ligands/SCHERING) of 16.3.2005

X T 0449/04 () of 25.2.2006

X T 0562/04 (Factor VIII/von Willebrand factor complex/OCTAPHARMA) of 14.2.2006

X T 0899/04 () of 2.4.2008

X T 1399/04 (Combination therapy HCV/SCHERING) of 25.10.2006

X T 0005/05 (Farbstoffmischungen/DYSTAR) of 9.11.2005

X T 0062/05 () of 14.11.2006

X T 0070/05 (Apoptosis receptors /GENENTECH) of 7.2.2006

X T 0080/05 (Method of diagnosis/UNIVERSITY OF UTAH) of 19.11.2008

X T 0313/05 (Apparatus for monitoring a polymerase chain reaction/APPLERA) of 6.7.2006

X T 0689/05 (-Vienna Convention on the Law of TreatiesArt. 25, 28European … of 7.9.2010

X T 0776/05 () of 27.4.2006

X T 0903/05 (Telomerase peptides/GEMVAX) of 30.8.2007

X T 1196/05 () of 30.4.2008

X T 1213/05 (Breast and ovarian cancer/UNIVERSITY OF UTAH) of 27.9.2007

X T 1443/05 (Biozidzusammensetzung/THOR GmbH) of 4.7.2008

X T 0321/06 () of 5.3.2008

X T 0333/06 () of 13.3.2007

X T 0493/06 (Phagemid/KREBSFORSCHUNGSZENTRUM) of 18.9.2007

X T 0876/06 () of 8.5.2007

X T 0910/06 () of 10.12.2008

X T 1172/06 (Osteogenic proteins/STRYKER) of 15.10.2008

X T 0146/07 (Prenatal diagnosis/ISIS) of 13.12.2011

X T 0902/07 (BRCA2/CANCER RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY) of 7.9.2010

X T 1523/07 (Washing a device for the production of meth(acrylic)acid or esters/ … of 24.11.2009

X T 1533/07 () of 6.10.2009

X T 0578/08 () of 13.7.2011

X T 0971/08 () of 10.1.2012

X T 1312/08 (Proteases containing detergent composition/KAO) of 30.4.2010

X T 1579/08 (Softening detergent tablet/PROCTER & GAMBLE) of 23.7.2010

X T 1877/08 (Refrigerants/E.I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY) of 23.2.2010

X T 2006/08 (Conjugated factor IX/BIOVITRUM) of 18.10.2011

X T 2165/08 (Bi-cyclic nucleoside analogues/EXIQON) of 6.3.2013

X T 2170/08 () of 27.1.2009

X T 0132/09 (Olefin epoxidation/EVONIK DEGUSSA) of 24.7.2012

X T 0476/09 () of 21.9.2012

X T 1457/09 (CTL epitopes of WT-1/GANYMED PHARMACEUTICALS) of 17.1.2014

X T 1779/09 (Function key for data handling/ARENDI) of 21.5.2014

X T 1834/09 (Apo-2DcR/GENENTECH) of 5.4.2011

X T 0571/10 () of 3.6.2014

X T 0759/10 () of 22.3.2012

X T 2311/10 () of 24.9.2012

X T 0059/11 () of 4.9.2014

X T 0383/11 (Hybrid generator apparatus/Da Ponte) of 17.4.2012

X T 1222/11 () of 4.12.2012

X T 2561/11 () of 4.7.2016

X T 0250/12 () of 27.9.2013

X T 0282/12 (Coated tablets /JOHNSON & JOHNSON) of 9.11.2017

X T 1954/12 (Recombinant vitamin K epoxide reductase/UNIVERSITY NORTH CAROLINA) of 27.10.2016

X T 1994/12 () of 19.4.2016

X T 2473/12 () of 5.11.2013

X T 0379/13 (FÃ¤llungskieselsÃ¤ure/Evonik) of 8.1.2016

X T 0557/13 (Partial Priority / Infineum) of 17.7.2015

X T 1271/13 () of 26.1.2018

X T 1434/13 (Container with band header/DUBOIS) of 13.9.2016

X T 1852/13 () of 31.1.2017

X T 2057/13 () of 19.6.2017

X T 2466/13 () of 5.6.2018

X T 0213/14 () of 24.4.2018

X T 0260/14 (Polyether-based preparations) of 13.4.2017

X T 0437/14 () of 17.10.2016

X T 1201/14 (Transfer of right of priority) of 9.2.2017

X T 1397/14 (NACK sequence numbers/INNOVATIVE) of 5.10.2017

X T 1845/14 () of 8.11.2018

X T 1934/14 () of 8.10.2018

X T 1983/14 (Purchase of mobile top-up/JANUARY PATENTS LTD.) of 23.11.2015