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A.82 EPC Unity of invention

The European patent application shall relate to one invention only or to a group of inventions so linked as to form a single general inventive concept.

[ R. 43 44 64 164 ]

See decision/opinion of the Enlarged Board of Appeal G 1/91, G 2/92, G 1/11 (Annex I).

Source: http://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/epc/2016/e/ar82.html

Date retrieved: 17 May 2021

61 references found.

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EPC Articles

X Chapter I Filing and requirements of the European patent application

EPC Implementing Rules

X R.43 EPC Form and content of claims

X R.44 EPC Unity of invention

X R.64 EPC European search report where the invention lacks unity

X R.164 EPC Unity of invention and further searches

EPO Guidelines Foreword

X GL FOREWORD 2.1 Overview

EPO Guidelines - B Search

X GL B VIII 3.4 Applications to which Rule 63 applies which also lack unity

X GL B VIII 4.5 Applications to which Rule 62a applies which also lack unity

X GL B XI 5 Unity in relation to the search opinion

EPO Guidelines - C Procedureal Aspects of Substantive Examination

X GL C III 2.3 Searches under Rule 164(2)

X GL C III 3.1 Relation to unity in search; limitation to searched invention

X GL C III 3.1.3 Invitation to pay additional search fees combined with invitation to restrict the scope of the search

X GL C IX 1.2 Voluntary and mandatory division

EPO Guidelines - D Opposition and Limitation/Revocation Procedures

X GL D IV 5.3 Filing of amended documents in reply to the notice of opposition

X GL D V 2.2 Examination of the grounds for opposition

EPO Guidelines - F The European Patent Application

X GL F IV 3.1 Categories

X GL F IV 3.2 Number of independent claims

X GL F IV 3.3 Objection under Rule 43(2) or Rule 137(5)

X GL F IV 3.7 Alternatives in a claim

X GL F V 1 Introduction

X GL F V 2 Requirement of unity of invention

X GL F V 2.1 Insufficient grounds for lack of unity

X GL F V 3 Assessment of unity

X GL F V 3.2.1 Plurality of independent claims in the same category

EPO Guidelines - G Patentability

X GL G VI 7.1 First or further medical use of known products

EPO Guidelines - H Amendments and Corrections

X GL H II 6.2 Subject-matter taken from the description

X GL H II 7.3 No restriction to a single invention searched

X GL H IV 4.2 In examination proceedings

X GL H IV 4.3 In opposition proceedings

EPO PCT GL - F (not assigned)

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

EPO Guide for Applicants, part II Int. - C The EPO as ISA and SISA

X GA C5.15 5.15

Offical Journal of the EPO

X OJ EPO SE 2/2021, p19 - II. PATENT APPLICATION AND AMENDMENTS

X OJ EPO 2020, A104 - Interlocutory Decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.3.01 dated 7 February 2019 - T 318/14

X OJ EPO SE 4/2017, p2 - BOARD OF APPEAL AND ENLARGED BOARD OF APPEAL CASE LAW 2015/2016

X OJ EPO 2009, 481 - Notice from the European Patent Office dated 20 August 2009 concerning amended Rule 36(1) and (2) EPC (European divisional applications) and consequential amendments to Rules 57(a) and 135(2) EPC

X OJ EPO 2008, 329 - Decisions of the Boards of Appeal

X OJ EPO 2008, 271 - Decisions of the Enlarged Board of Appeal

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

X CLR II B 1 Introduction

X CLR II B 2.1 Plurality of independent claims

X CLR II B 2.2 Dependent claims

X CLR II B 3.1 General approach – content of claims

X CLR II B 3.3 Assessment of lack of unity and of requests for refund of further search fees in examination proceedings

X CLR II B 5.1 General

X CLR II F 3.6.2 Interpretation of Rule 36(1)(a) and (b) EPC

Case Law Book: IV Divisional Applications

X CLR IV B 4.2 Non-payment of further search fees under Rule 64 EPC

Case Law of the Enlarged Board

X G 0001/91 (Unity) of 9.12.1991

X G 0002/92 (Non-payment of further search fees) of 6.7.1993

X G 0001/11 (Non-refund of further search fees/BAUER) of 19.3.2014

X G 0003/14 () of 24.3.2015

General Case Law

X J 0003/09 () of 28.5.2010

X J 0013/13 (Frist zur Einreichung einer Teilanmeldung) of 15.9.2016

X T 0840/07 (Immunomodulatory peptide/CELLACT PHARMA) of 14.9.2011

X T 1818/08 (Plug and play sensor/LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION) of 4.3.2011

X T 1285/11 (Polymorphs/PFIZER) of 15.12.2011

X T 0158/12 () of 25.10.2013

X T 1981/12 () of 24.9.2013

X T 2248/12 (Functional Apo-2 ligand variants suitable for PEGylation/GENENTECH) of 29.10.2015

X T 2284/12 (Catalyst carriers/SAINT-GOBAIN) of 12.8.2014

X T 2482/12 (Optoelektronischer Sensor/SICK) of 21.9.2018

X T 0129/14 () of 17.9.2014

X T 0755/14 () of 21.5.2015