T 0641/00 (Two identities/COMVIK) of 26.9.2002

European Case Law Identifier:

ECLI:EP:BA:2002:T064100.20020926

Date of decision:

26 September 2002

Case number:

T 0641/00

Application number:

IPC class:

H04Q 7/20
H04B 7/26

Language of proceedings:

EN

Distribution:

A

Download and more information:

Decision text in EN (PDF, 36Â KB)
Documentation of the appeal procedure can be found in the Register
Bibliographic information is available in:	EN
Versions:	OJ \| Published

Title of application:

Method in mobile telephone systems in which a subscriber identity module (SIM) is allocated at least two identities which are selectively activated by the user

Applicant name:

COMVIK GSM AB

Opponent name:

DeTeMobil Deutsche Telekom MobilNet GmbH
GIESECKE & DEVRIENT GmbH

Board:

3.5.01

Headnote:

1. An invention consisting of a mixture of technical and non-technical features and having technical character as a whole is to be assessed with respect to the requirement of inventive step by taking account of all those features which contribute to said technical character whereas features making no such contribution cannot support the presence of inventive step.
2. Although the technical problem to be solved should not be formulated to contain pointers to the solution or partially anticipate it, merely because some feature appears in the claim does not automatically exclude it from appearing in the formulation of the problem. In particular where the claim refers to an aim to be achieved in a non-technical field, this aim may legitimately appear in the formulation of the problem as part of the framework of the technical problem that is to be solved, in particular as a constraint that has to be met.

Relevant legal provisions:

European Patent Convention 1973 Art 52(1)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 52(3)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 56

Keywords:

Inventive step (no)
Problem-and-solution approach: treatment of non-technical aspects

Catchwords:

-

Cited decisions:

T 0026/81
T 0026/86
T 0072/95
T 0470/95
T 0931/95
T 0027/97
T 0157/97
T 0158/97
T 0176/97
T 1053/98

Citing decisions:

G 0003/08
G 0001/19
T 1177/97
T 0060/98
T 0244/00
T 0643/00
T 0214/01
T 0619/02
T 0764/02
T 0914/02
T 1001/02
T 1097/02
T 1121/02
T 0172/03
T 0258/03
T 0531/03
T 0767/03
T 0928/03
T 0958/03
T 0959/03
T 1102/03
T 0049/04
T 0125/04
T 0154/04
T 0537/04
T 0717/04
T 0872/04
T 0901/04
T 1058/04
T 1106/04
T 1242/04
T 1284/04
T 0074/05
T 0279/05
T 0309/05
T 0365/05
T 0588/05
T 0619/05
T 0656/05
T 0688/05
T 0912/05
T 0920/05
T 1148/05
T 1227/05
T 1482/05
T 1568/05
T 1577/05
T 0116/06
T 0164/06
T 0198/06
T 0421/06
T 0511/06
T 0658/06
T 0690/06
T 0740/06
T 0756/06
T 0784/06
T 1023/06
T 1102/06
T 1108/06
T 1254/06
T 1274/06
T 1326/06
T 1466/06
T 1483/06
T 1543/06
T 1658/06
T 1672/06
T 1784/06
T 1928/06
T 1930/06
T 0050/07
T 0290/07
T 0335/07
T 0336/07
T 0384/07
T 0416/07
T 0509/07
T 0528/07
T 0530/07
T 0749/07
T 0823/07
T 0857/07
T 0859/07
T 1044/07
T 1196/07
T 1349/07
T 1406/07
T 1418/07
T 1456/07
T 1493/07
T 1537/07
T 1579/07
T 1686/07
T 1793/07
T 1798/07
T 1806/07
T 1814/07
T 1992/07
T 0012/08
T 0102/08
T 0274/08
T 0506/08
T 0634/08
T 0686/08
T 0702/08
T 0789/08
T 0823/08
T 0946/08
T 1025/08
T 1026/08
T 1256/08
T 1261/08
T 1420/08
T 1421/08
T 1512/08
T 1869/08
T 1901/08
T 1954/08
T 1973/08
T 2061/08
T 2078/08
T 2124/08
T 0127/09
T 0134/09
T 0754/09
T 0816/09
T 0843/09
T 0844/09
T 0905/09
T 0907/09
T 1000/09
T 1072/09
T 1081/09
T 1138/09
T 1265/09
T 1344/09
T 1547/09
T 1602/09
T 1782/09
T 1870/09
T 1883/09
T 2057/09
T 2063/09
T 2084/09
T 2127/09
T 2158/09
T 2216/09
T 2297/09
T 2348/09
T 2439/09
T 0120/10
T 0309/10
T 0398/10
T 0401/10
T 0519/10
T 0562/10
T 0913/10
T 1036/10
T 1117/10
T 1121/10
T 1201/10
T 1211/10
T 1220/10
T 1225/10
T 1311/10
T 1448/10
T 1755/10
T 1769/10
T 1824/10
T 1834/10
T 1842/10
T 1940/10
T 2079/10
T 2096/10
T 2187/10
T 2270/10
T 2316/10
T 2407/10
T 2449/10
T 2530/10
T 0039/11
T 0144/11
T 0188/11
T 0197/11
T 0218/11
T 0483/11
T 0513/11
T 0551/11
T 0566/11
T 0579/11
T 0594/11
T 0625/11
T 0630/11
T 0683/11
T 0698/11
T 0797/11
T 0892/11
T 0983/11
T 0984/11
T 1072/11
T 1321/11
T 1370/11
T 1375/11
T 1393/11
T 1463/11
T 1734/11
T 1969/11
T 2037/11
T 2041/11
T 2277/11
T 2428/11
T 2488/11
T 2519/11
T 0155/12
T 0188/12
T 0273/12
T 0414/12
T 0436/12
T 0464/12
T 0477/12
T 0657/12
T 0658/12
T 0744/12
T 0821/12
T 0845/12
T 0912/12
T 0988/12
T 1170/12
T 1248/12
T 1306/12
T 1331/12
T 1385/12
T 1461/12
T 1498/12
T 1503/12
T 1722/12
T 1793/12
T 1896/12
T 1936/12
T 1952/12
T 1989/12
T 2009/12
T 2019/12
T 2101/12
T 2184/12
T 2214/12
T 2307/12
T 2313/12
T 2321/12
T 2372/12
T 2469/12
T 2491/12
T 2558/12
T 0005/13
T 0022/13
T 0136/13
T 0231/13
T 0268/13
T 0434/13
T 0509/13
T 0520/13
T 0548/13
T 0748/13
T 0823/13
T 0930/13
T 0934/13
T 1039/13
T 1082/13
T 1308/13
T 1650/13
T 1798/13
T 1802/13
T 1884/13
T 1895/13
T 1902/13
T 1914/13
T 1959/13
T 2130/13
T 2249/13
T 2330/13
T 2334/13
T 2362/13
T 2401/13
T 2455/13
T 2457/13
T 0077/14
T 0232/14
T 0239/14
T 0336/14
T 0489/14
T 0552/14
T 0556/14
T 0737/14
T 0886/14
T 0904/14
T 1028/14
T 1031/14
T 1297/14
T 1472/14
T 1495/14
T 1761/14
T 1817/14
T 1818/14
T 1863/14
T 0944/15
T 1396/15
T 1658/15
T 2087/15
T 0277/16
T 0426/16
T 0517/16
T 0818/16
T 1442/16
T 1994/16
T 2314/16
T 2315/16
T 2316/16
T 2379/16
T 2486/16
T 0697/17
T 0731/17
T 0886/17
T 1089/17
T 1125/17
T 1243/17
T 1310/17
T 1563/17
T 1849/17
T 1865/17
T 1895/17
T 1924/17
T 2630/17
T 0505/18
T 0543/18
T 1352/18
T 2805/19
T 2825/19

Source: http://www.epo.org/law-practice/case-law-appeals/recent/t000641ex1.html

Date retrieved: 17 May 2021

139 references found.

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

EPO Guidelines - G Patentability

X GL G VII 5.2 Formulation of the objective technical problem

X GL G VII 5.4 Claims comprising technical and non-technical features

X GL G VII 5.4.1 Formulation of the objective technical problem for claims comprising technical and non-technical features

X GL G VII 5.4.2.1 Example 1

X GL G VII 5.4.2.3 Example 3

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, p2 - I. PATENTABILITY

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 2019, A86 - Interlocutory decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.5.07 dated 22 February 2019 - T 489/14

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

Case Law Book: I Patentability

X CLR I A 2.2.2 Mathematical methods

X CLR I A 2.4.3.B Technical effect on a physical entity

X CLR I D 4.1 Determination of the technical problem

X CLR I D 8.1.1 Definition

X CLR I D 8.1.4 Identification of the skilled person in the case of computer-implemented inventions

X CLR I D 9.1.1 Technical character of an invention

X CLR I D 9.1.2 Inventions having both technical and non-technical features

X CLR I D 9.1.3.B The Comvik approach

X CLR I D 9.1.3.C Non-technical features and technical contribution

X CLR I D 9.1.3.D Non-technical features and interaction with technical subject matter

X CLR I D 9.1.3.E Technical implementation of excluded subject-matter

X CLR I D 9.1.4 The aim to be achieved in the formulation of the technical problem

X CLR I D 9.1.5 Credible technical effects

X CLR I D 9.1.6.A Mental activities based on data visualisation

Case Law of the Enlarged Board

X G 0003/08 (Programs for computers) of 12.5.2010

General Case Law

X T 0026/81 (Containers) of 28.10.1981

X T 0026/86 (X-ray apparatus) of 21.5.1987

X T 0072/95 (Ionizing liquid/IBBOTT) of 18.3.1998

X T 0931/95 (Controlling pension benefits system/PBS PARTNERSHIP) of 8.9.2000

X T 0027/97 (Crypthographie Ã clÃ©s publiques/FRANCE TELECOM) of 30.5.2000

X T 0157/97 (Ionizing fluids/IBBOTT) of 18.3.1998

X T 0158/97 (Treating electical conductive fluid/IBBOTT) of 4.4.2000

X T 0176/97 (Ionizing fluid/IBBOTT) of 18.3.1998

X T 1177/97 (Translating natural languages/SYSTRAN) of 9.7.2002

X T 1053/98 () of 22.10.1999

X T 0244/00 (Remote-control/MATSUSHITA) of 15.11.2001

X T 0643/00 (Searching image data/CANON) of 16.10.2003

X T 0214/01 (Teletext receiver/EDICO) of 7.3.2003

X T 0619/02 (Odour selection/QUEST INTERNATIONAL) of 22.3.2006

X T 0764/02 (Banking Services/ONLINE RESOURCES) of 20.9.2005

X T 0914/02 () of 12.7.2005

X T 1121/02 (Electric Fencing Element) of 24.11.2003

X T 0172/03 (Order management/RICOH) of 27.11.2003

X T 0258/03 (Auction method/HITACHI) of 21.4.2004

X T 0531/03 (Discount certificates/CATALINA) of 17.3.2005

X T 0928/03 (Video game/KONAMI) of 2.6.2006

X T 0958/03 (Purchase incentives/CATALINA MARKETING) of 17.1.2007

X T 1102/03 (Online trading system/CITIBANK) of 28.5.2008

X T 0049/04 (Text Processor/WALKER) of 18.10.2005

X T 0125/04 (Assessment system/COMPARATIVE VISUAL ASSESSMENTS) of 10.5.2005

X T 0154/04 (Estimating sales activity / DUNS LICENSING ASSOCIATES) of 15.11.2006

X T 0717/04 () of 28.2.2007

X T 1242/04 (Provision of product-specific data/MAN) of 20.10.2006

X T 1284/04 (Loan system/KING) of 7.3.2007

X T 0365/05 (Bovine herd management/CORNELL RESEARCH FOUNDATION) of 19.6.2007

X T 0619/05 (Facilitating transactions in diamonds/DIAMONDS.NET) of 28.2.2008

X T 0912/05 () of 15.4.2008

X T 1227/05 (Circuit simulation I/Infineon Technologies) of 13.12.2006

X T 1482/05 () of 8.2.2008

X T 0116/06 (SystÃ¨me informatique d'encaissement/INFOMIL) of 22.10.2008

X T 0690/06 (Financial records/AUKOL) of 24.4.2007

X T 0756/06 (Displaying a schedule/FUJITSU) of 18.4.2008

X T 0784/06 (Genotype determination/BECKMAN) of 23.6.2010

X T 1023/06 () of 7.12.2006

X T 1254/06 (Digitale DatenrundfunkÃ¼bertragung/DEUTSCHE TELEKOM) of 8.3.2007

X T 1326/06 (RSA SchlÃ¼sselpaarberechnung/GIESECKE & DEVRIENT) of 30.11.2010

X T 1543/06 (game machine/GAMEACCOUNT) of 29.6.2007

X T 1658/06 (Digital rights management/MICROSOFT) of 14.1.2011

X T 1784/06 (Classification method/COMPTEL) of 21.9.2012

X T 0336/07 () of 11.10.2007

X T 0384/07 () of 8.9.2009

X T 0416/07 (Von Willebrand Faktor/BAXTER AG) of 27.3.2008

X T 0509/07 () of 30.9.2009

X T 0528/07 (Portal system/ACCENTURE) of 27.4.2010

X T 0823/07 (Identifying commercial suppliers/ADKNOWLEDGE) of 18.2.2011

X T 0859/07 () of 27.11.2007

X T 1044/07 (Combinatorial auction / COMBINENET) of 19.12.2008

X T 1793/07 () of 2.7.2008

X T 1814/07 (Index disorder/CARDIAC INTELLIGENCE CORP.) of 2.9.2008

X T 0012/08 () of 6.2.2009

X T 0102/08 () of 8.11.2011

X T 0506/08 (Online-Auktion / Volkswagen) of 16.8.2012

X T 1954/08 (Marketing simulation/SAP) of 6.3.2013

X T 1000/09 (Vehicle monitoring/BOEING) of 18.11.2014

X T 1265/09 (Call center/IEX) of 24.1.2012

X T 1344/09 () of 19.6.2012

X T 1547/09 () of 8.6.2010

X T 1782/09 () of 5.5.2011

X T 2063/09 () of 29.10.2013

X T 2127/09 () of 12.5.2011

X T 1201/10 (Re-establishment / POLYGONE INTERNATIONAL) of 28.2.2018

X T 1225/10 () of 11.1.2011

X T 1755/10 (Software structure/TRILOGY) of 6.11.2014

X T 1769/10 () of 12.4.2011

X T 1834/10 (Image selection/EBAY) of 25.2.2015

X T 2079/10 (Steuerung von zellulÃ¤r aufgebauten Alarmsystemen/SWISSRE) of 19.4.2018

X T 2270/10 (ProgrammieroberflÃ¤che/RENNER) of 2.7.2014

X T 2316/10 (Projektierung einer BedienoberflÃ¤che/SIEMENS) of 23.7.2014

X T 2449/10 () of 23.9.2011

X T 0144/11 (Security rating System / SATO MICHIHIRO) of 14.8.2018

X T 0188/11 () of 3.5.2013

X T 0218/11 (Self-service checkout terminal/NCR) of 14.1.2014

X T 0483/11 (Document summary/ARIZAN CORPORATION) of 13.10.2015

X T 0566/11 (Datenanalyse/NOLL) of 18.12.2012

X T 0579/11 (Mobile telephone user interface/NOKIA) of 12.12.2013

X T 0625/11 () of 19.1.2017

X T 0630/11 (Gaming Server / Waterleaf) of 13.7.2017

X T 0698/11 (Packaging specification/SAP) of 14.12.2011

X T 0892/11 (Communication system/NOKIA) of 30.1.2014

X T 1370/11 (On-demand property system/MICROSOFT) of 11.3.2016

X T 1375/11 () of 31.3.2016

X T 1463/11 (Universal merchant platform / CardinalCommerce) of 29.11.2016

X T 1734/11 (Presenting rates/EXPEDIA) of 13.1.2015

X T 2488/11 (Quality Control/ROCHE) of 23.5.2018

X T 0414/12 () of 10.4.2013

X T 0658/12 (Network order system and network server/FUJIFILM) of 18.10.2018

X T 1170/12 (Rights object / III HOLDINGS) of 6.2.2018

X T 1306/12 (Mobile commerce by user of an automobile / VISTEON) of 12.7.2018

X T 1331/12 () of 10.4.2013

X T 1461/12 (Two unlock keys/UNILOC) of 4.8.2015

X T 1722/12 (Dynamic ad placement / ALCATEL LUCENT - GREENEDEN U.S HOLDING II) of 1.3.2018

X T 2101/12 (Authentication binding document with signature/VASCO) of 24.1.2018

X T 2313/12 () of 9.5.2018

X T 0231/13 () of 1.8.2017

X T 0268/13 () of 7.7.2017

X T 0509/13 () of 24.11.2017

X T 0548/13 () of 8.12.2017

X T 1802/13 (Brain stimulation/CLEVELAND) of 10.11.2016

X T 2249/13 (Mobile device/TRADE CAPTURE) of 17.10.2014

X T 2330/13 (Checking selection conditions/SAP) of 9.5.2018

X T 0077/14 (Detection of scrolling gestures/PHILIPS) of 30.6.2015

X T 0336/14 (Presentation of operating instructions/GAMBRO) of 2.9.2015

X T 0489/14 (Pedestrian simulation/CONNOR) of 22.2.2019

X T 0556/14 (Masking a private key/CERTICOM) of 28.7.2016

X T 1817/14 (Expert system/SCHINDLER) of 4.7.2017

X T 0697/17 (SQL extensions/MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING) of 17.10.2019

X T 1924/17 (Data consistency management/ACCENTURE GLOBAL SERVICES) of 29.7.2019