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A.52 EPC Patentable inventions

(1)

European patents shall be granted for any inventions, in all fields of technology, provided that they are new, involve an inventive step and are susceptible of industrial application.

(2)

The following in particular shall not be regarded as inventions within the meaning of paragraph 1:

(a)

discoveries, scientific theories and mathematical methods;

(b)

aesthetic creations;

(c)

schemes, rules and methods for performing mental acts, playing games or doing business, and programs for computers;

(d)

presentations of information.

(3)

Paragraph 2 shall exclude the patentability of the subject-matter or activities referred to therein only to the extent to which a European patent application or European patent relates to such subject-matter or activities as such.

[ Art. 54 56 57 100 138 R. 26 27 29 ]

Amended by the Act revising the European Patent Convention of 29.11.2000.

See decisions of the Enlarged Board of Appeal G 1/98, G 1/03, G 2/03, G 3/08, G 1/16 (Annex I).

Source: http://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/epc/2016/e/ar52.html

Date retrieved: 17 May 2021

271 references found. Limiting display to 200 references.

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EPC Articles

X Chapter I Patentability

X A.54 EPC Novelty

X A.56 EPC Inventive step

X A.57 EPC Industrial application

X A.100 EPC Grounds for opposition

X A.138 EPC Revocation of European patents

EPC Implementing Rules

X R.26 EPC General and definitions

X R.27 EPC Patentable biotechnological inventions

X R.29 EPC The human body and its elements

EPO Guidelines Foreword

X GL FOREWORD 2.1 Overview

EPO Guidelines - B Search

X GL B VIII 1 General remarks

X GL B VIII 2.2 Subject-matter excluded from patentability under Art. 52(2) and (3)

X GL B X 8 Restriction of the subject of the search

X GL B X 9.2.1 Particularly relevant documents

X GL B XI 6 The search opinion in cases of a limitation of the search

EPO Guidelines - C Procedureal Aspects of Substantive Examination

X GL C VIII 7 Enlargement of the examining division; consultation of a legally qualified examiner

EPO Guidelines - D Opposition and Limitation/Revocation Procedures

X GL D III 5 Grounds for opposition

X GL D IV 1.2.2 Deficiencies which, if not remedied, lead to the opposition being rejected as inadmissible

X GL D IV 1.2.2.1 Deficiencies under Rule 77(1)

X GL D V 2.2 Examination of the grounds for opposition

X GL D V 3 Non‑patentability pursuant to Art. 52 to Art. 57

EPO Guidelines - E General Procedural Matters

X GL E VI 2 Late-filed submissions

X GL E VI 3 Observations by third parties

EPO Guidelines - F The European Patent Application

X GL F II 4.6 Rule 42(1)(c) vs. Art. 52(1)

X GL F II 4.9 Industrial application

X GL F III 3 Insufficient disclosure

X GL F IV 3.9.1 Cases where all method steps can be fully implemented by generic data processing means

X GL F V 2.2 Division's approach

EPO Guidelines - G Patentability

X GL G I 1 Patentability requirements

X GL G II 1 General remarks

X GL G II 2 Examination practice

X GL G II 3 List of exclusions

X GL G II 3.1 Discoveries

X GL G II 3.2 Scientific theories

X GL G II 3.3 Mathematical methods

X GL G II 3.3.1 Artificial intelligence and machine learning

X GL G II 3.3.2 Simulation, design or modelling

X GL G II 3.4 Aesthetic creations

X GL G II 3.5.1 Schemes, rules and methods for performing mental acts

X GL G II 3.5.2 Schemes, rules and methods for playing games

X GL G II 3.5.3 Schemes, rules and methods for doing business

X GL G II 3.6 Programs for computers

X GL G II 3.6.3 Data retrieval, formats and structures

X GL G II 3.6.4 Database management systems and information retrieval

X GL G II 3.7 Presentations of information

X GL G II 4.2.1 Limitations of exception under Art. 53(c)

X GL G III 1 General remarks

X GL G III 3 Industrial application vs. exclusion under Art. 52(2)

X GL G IV 1 General remarks and definition

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 5.4.2.1 Example 1

X GL G VII 5.4.2.2 Example 2

X GL G VII 5.4.2.3 Example 3

X GL G VII 5.4.2.4 Example 4

EPO Guidelines - H Amendments and Corrections

X GL H IV 4.4.3 Points to be disregarded

X GL H V 4.1 The subject-matter to be excluded is not disclosed in the application as originally filed (so-called undisclosed disclaimers)

EPO PCT GL - B Search

X GL-PCT B VIII 2 Subject-matter which the ISA is not required to search and examine

EPO PCT GL - F (not assigned)

X GL-PCT FOREWORD 3.1 Annex I: EPC-PCT concordance table

EPO PCT GL - G Patentability

X GL-PCT G II 1 General remarks

X GL-PCT G II 3.1 Discoveries

X GL-PCT G II 3.2 Scientific theories

X GL-PCT G II 3.3 Mathematical theories

X GL-PCT G II 3.4 Aesthetic creations

X GL-PCT G II 3.5 Schemes, rules and methods of doing business, performing purely mental acts or playing games

X GL-PCT G II 3.6 Programs for computers

X GL-PCT G II 3.7 Presentations of information

Case Law Book: I Patentability

X CLR I A Patentable inventions

X CLR I A 1 Patent protection for technical inventions

X CLR I A 1.1 Technical character of an invention

X CLR I A 1.4.1.B Abandonment of the "contribution approach"

X CLR I A 1.4.3 Methods involving technical means

X CLR I A 1.4.4 Methods used in a technical process carried out on a physical entity

X CLR I A 1.4.5 Apparatus constituting a physical entity or concrete product

X CLR I A 2.1 Introduction

X CLR I A 2.2 Discoveries, scientific theories and mathematical methods

X CLR I A 2.2.1 Discoveries and scientific theories

X CLR I A 2.2.2 Mathematical methods

X CLR I A 2.3 Aesthetic creations

X CLR I A 2.4.1 Introduction

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

X CLR I A 2.4.3.C Technical considerations: programming a computer

X CLR I A 2.4.3.E Methods performed by a computer

X CLR I A 2.4.4.A Computer program recorded on the medium

X CLR I A 2.4.4.B Exclusion of computer programs under Article 52(2) and (3) EPC

X CLR I A 2.5 Schemes, rules and methods for performing mental acts, playing games or doing business

X CLR I A 2.5.1 Methods for doing business

X CLR I A 2.5.3 Word-processing

X CLR I A 2.6 Presentations of information

X CLR I A 2.6.1 User Interfaces

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.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 9.1.6.A Mental activities based on data visualisation

X CLR I D 9.1.6.B Display of data and user preferences

X CLR I D 9.1.8 Assesment of features relating to mathematical algorithms

X CLR I E 1 Notion of "industrial application"

X CLR I E 1.1 Invention and industrial application

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

X CLR II A 1.1 Purpose of claims under Article 84 EPC

X CLR II E 1.7.2.C Explanations in G 1/16

Case Law Book: III Amendments

X CLR III N 1 Introduction

Case Law Book: IV Divisional Applications

X CLR IV C 3.4.1 General

X CLR IV D 1 Limitation/revocation – Article 105a EPC- Article 105c EPC

Case Law Book: V Priority

X CLR V A 4.12.3 Response to objections

X CLR V B 2.4.3 Differing decisions

X CLR V B 2.5.4 Stay of appeal proceedings following a referral

Case Law of the Enlarged Board

X G 0001/98 (Transgenic plant/NOVARTIS II) of 20.12.1999

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

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

X G 0002/07 (Broccoli/PLANT BIOSCIENCE) of 9.12.2010

X G 0001/08 (Tomatoes/STATE OF ISRAEL) of 9.12.2010

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

X G 0002/12 () of 25.3.2015

X G 0002/13 () of 25.3.2015

X G 0001/16 (Disclaimer III) of 18.12.2017

X G 0003/19 (Pepper (follow-up to ÂTomatoes IIÂ and ÂBroccoli IIÂ)) of 14.5.2020

General Case Law

X R 0002/16 (Antrag auf ÃberprÃ¼fung) of 28.10.2016

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

X T 0019/05 (Tannin concentration/PRORAS) of 15.2.2012

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

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

X T 0912/05 () of 15.4.2008

X T 1147/05 (Environmental impact information/RICOH) of 12.3.2008

X T 1417/05 (Printer control/CANON) of 4.12.2008

X T 1482/05 () of 8.2.2008

X T 1567/05 (Designing of building structures/ENU) of 30.4.2008

X T 0477/06 (Content protection system/THOMSON LICENSING) of 20.2.2009

X T 0506/06 (Selective incentive point-of-sale marketing/CATALINA) of 22.9.2009

X T 0514/06 () of 11.2.2009

X T 0601/06 (Rating plugs) of 5.5.2009

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 0869/06 (Game programs having advertisements/SONY) of 5.6.2009

X T 1029/06 (Environmental impact estimation/TOSHIBA) of 22.4.2009

X T 1143/06 (Data selection system/BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS) of 1.4.2009

X T 1171/06 (Objekt-orientierte Modellierung/BOSCH) of 3.11.2010

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

X T 1485/06 (Electronic virtual certification/CHOQUET) of 26.2.2010

X T 1514/06 (Agitateur/MIXEL) of 5.10.2011

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

X T 1749/06 () of 24.2.2010

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

X T 0266/07 () of 25.6.2010

X T 0354/07 (FunktionsplÃ¤ne/SIEMENS AG) of 27.1.2010

X T 0494/07 () of 13.5.2011

X T 0565/07 () of 10.9.2009

X T 0888/07 (Registering new location information and paging of mobile nodes in … of 19.4.2011

X T 0908/07 () of 16.5.2008

X T 1010/07 () of 6.11.2008

X T 1410/07 () of 27.4.2012

X T 1639/07 (E-mail printing apparatus/CANON) of 17.2.2012

X T 1793/07 () of 2.7.2008

X T 1796/07 () of 27.11.2009

X T 1808/07 () of 9.7.2010

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

X T 1865/07 () of 29.1.2009

X T 1875/07 (Predicting internet traffic/YAHOO) of 5.11.2008

X T 1993/07 (Continuous polymerisation/CHEVRON) of 13.10.2011

X T 2050/07 (DNA Mixture Analysis/PERLIN) of 19.2.2013

X T 0012/08 () of 6.2.2009

X T 0037/08 (Controlling subscriber accounts/COMPTEL) of 9.2.2011

X T 0144/08 () of 22.10.2009

X T 0433/08 (Fluorinated ketones/3M) of 4.8.2011

X T 0477/08 (Corporate group database/SAP) of 28.9.2012

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

X T 1257/08 () of 7.7.2010

X T 1989/08 () of 21.7.2010

X T 1997/08 ("Copy and Paste" BegrÃ¼ndung) of 1.7.2009

X T 0233/09 (Comparative analysis of text documents/HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT) of 11.4.2014

X T 0234/09 (Laine minÃ©rale/SAINT-GOBAIN) of 1.6.2012

X T 0533/09 () of 11.2.2014

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

X T 1207/09 () of 15.5.2014

X T 1547/09 () of 8.6.2010

X T 0773/10 () of 24.10.2014

X T 1225/10 () of 11.1.2011

X T 1542/10 (Optical amplifier/FUJITSU) of 6.11.2013

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

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

X T 2255/10 () of 23.4.2015

X T 2258/10 () of 4.10.2011

X T 2308/10 () of 8.10.2015

X T 2383/10 () of 10.10.2012

X T 2449/10 () of 23.9.2011

X T 2485/10 (Tracking mobile communication devices/3 STEP IT GROUP OY) of 9.11.2012

X T 0188/11 () of 3.5.2013

X T 0605/11 (Cholesterol removal/PRONOVA) of 27.5.2014

X T 0617/11 () of 27.3.2015

X T 0625/11 () of 19.1.2017

X T 0690/11 () of 1.3.2016

X T 1060/11 () of 11.10.2016

X T 1306/11 (Tangential flow concentration of cell suspensions/PARKER-HANNIFIN) of 4.4.2014

X T 1375/11 () of 31.3.2016

X T 1589/11 () of 29.9.2015

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

X T 1841/11 () of 3.12.2015

own subtype: guidelines

X GL J G‑II, 3.3.1 Artificial intelligence and machine learning (introduced in GL 2018)