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G 0001/93 (Limiting feature) of 2.2.1994

European Case Law Identifier:

ECLI:EP:BA:1994:G000193.19940202

Date of decision:

02 February 1994

Case number:

G 0001/93

Referral:

Application number:

IPC class:

G02B 5/00
B29D 11/10

Language of proceedings:

EN

Distribution:

A

Download and more information:

Decision text in EN (PDF, 864Â 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 for the manufacture of a thin optical membrane

Applicant name:

Adv. Semiconductor

Opponent name:

Mitsui Petrochemical

Board:

EBA

Headnote:

1. If a European patent as granted contains subject-matter which extends beyond the content of the application as filed in the sense of Article 123(2) EPC and which also limits the scope of protection conferred by the patent, such patent cannot be maintained in opposition proceedings unamended, because the ground for opposition under Article 100(c) EPC prejudices the maintenance of the patent. Nor can it be amended by deleting such limiting subject-matter from the claims, because such amendment would extend the protection conferred, which is prohibited by Article 123(3) EPC. Such a patent can, therefore, only be maintained if there is a basis in the application as filed for replacing such subject-matter without violating Article 123(3) EPC.
2. A feature which has not been disclosed in the application as filed but which has been added to the application during examination and which, without providing a technical contribution to the subject-matter of the claimed invention, merely limits the protection conferred by the patent as granted by excluding protection for part of the subject-matter of the claimed invention as covered by the application as filed, is not to be considered as subject-matter which extends beyond the content of the application as filed in the sense of Article 123(2) EPC. The ground for opposition under Article 100(c) EPC therefore does not prejudice the maintenance of a European patent which includes such a feature.

Relevant legal provisions:

European Patent Convention 1973 Art 123(2)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 123(3)

Keywords:

Conflicting requirements of Article 123, paragraphs (2) and (3) EPC

Catchwords:

-

Cited decisions:

G 0003/89
T 0231/89

Citing decisions:

G 0002/98
G 0001/03
G 0002/03
G 0001/05
G 0001/06
G 0002/10
G 0001/16
T 0384/91
T 0526/92
T 0802/92
T 0911/92
T 0031/93
T 0082/93
T 0197/93
T 0271/93
T 0413/93
T 0493/93
T 0508/93
T 0828/93
T 1049/93
T 1082/93
T 0011/94
T 0297/94
T 0504/94
T 0859/94
T 0873/94
T 0939/94
T 0112/95
T 0254/95
T 0307/95
T 0309/95
T 0364/95
T 0526/95
T 0542/95
T 0615/95
T 0981/95
T 0064/96
T 0173/96
T 0216/96
T 0239/96
T 0357/96
T 0359/96
T 0583/96
T 0594/96
T 0684/96
T 0915/96
T 1046/96
T 1080/96
T 0056/97
T 0101/97
T 0160/97
T 0188/97
T 0271/97
T 0276/97
T 0323/97
T 0364/97
T 0541/97
T 0659/97
T 0666/97
T 0701/97
T 0783/97
T 0815/97
T 0895/97
T 0934/97
T 1149/97
T 1154/97
T 0033/98
T 0283/98
T 0351/98
T 0494/98
T 0546/98
T 0816/98
T 1021/98
T 1047/98
T 1066/98
T 1146/98
T 0024/99
T 0025/99
T 0201/99
T 0220/99
T 0371/99
T 0451/99
T 0507/99
T 0518/99
T 0525/99
T 0553/99
T 0568/99
T 0592/99
T 0642/99
T 0716/99
T 0725/99
T 1050/99
T 0118/00
T 0122/00
T 0285/00
T 0301/00
T 0422/00
T 0664/00
T 0827/00
T 0845/00
T 0894/00
T 0924/00
T 0969/00
T 1066/00
T 1139/00
T 0002/01
T 0087/01
T 0192/01
T 0230/01
T 0657/01
T 0792/01
T 1004/01
T 1195/01
T 1228/01
T 0023/02
T 0048/02
T 0085/02
T 0161/02
T 0419/02
T 0777/02
T 0868/02
T 0948/02
T 1018/02
T 1189/02
T 0081/03
T 0175/03
T 0335/03
T 0404/03
T 0566/03
T 0580/03
T 0621/03
T 0756/03
T 0910/03
T 1058/03
T 0084/04
T 0133/04
T 0273/04
T 0352/04
T 0412/04
T 0421/04
T 0486/04
T 0491/04
T 0016/05
T 0046/05
T 0083/05
T 0139/05
T 0142/05
T 0250/05
T 0307/05
T 0458/05
T 0575/05
T 0639/05
T 0662/05
T 0788/05
T 0905/05
T 1141/05
T 1180/05
T 1207/05
T 1223/05
T 1387/05
T 1464/05
T 0276/06
T 0347/06
T 0584/06
T 0603/06
T 0876/06
T 1107/06
T 1374/06
T 1457/06
T 1726/06
T 0094/07
T 0107/07
T 0783/07
T 1032/07
T 1184/07
T 1202/07
T 1206/07
T 1220/07
T 2006/07
T 0122/08
T 0210/08
T 0375/08
T 0535/08
T 0567/08
T 0582/08
T 0647/08
T 0725/08
T 0824/08
T 1248/08
T 1533/08
T 1650/08
T 1653/08
T 1769/08
T 1870/08
T 1874/08
T 1878/08
T 1925/08
T 2001/08
T 2165/08
T 2202/08
T 2230/08
T 2330/08
T 0195/09
T 0356/09
T 0481/09
T 0748/09
T 0810/09
T 0964/09
T 1045/09
T 1418/09
T 1498/09
T 1736/09
T 1779/09
T 1975/09
T 2045/09
T 2085/09
T 2175/09
T 2284/09
T 0648/10
T 0712/10
T 1070/10
T 1227/10
T 2136/10
T 2392/10
T 2426/10
T 0074/11
T 1147/11
T 1595/11
T 1685/11
T 1896/11
T 2038/11
T 0108/12
T 0218/12
T 0418/12
T 0614/12
T 0866/12
T 1246/12
T 1363/12
T 1414/12
T 1994/12
T 0389/13
T 0540/13
T 0801/13
T 0854/13
T 0865/13
T 1055/13
T 1360/13
T 1833/13
T 1889/13
T 2079/13
T 2299/13
T 0060/14
T 0437/14
T 0469/14
T 1001/14
T 1121/14
T 1872/14
T 1983/14
T 2151/14
T 2203/14
T 0036/15
T 0474/15
T 0734/15
T 0913/15
T 0958/15
T 1686/15
T 1689/15
T 0021/16
T 0312/16
T 0836/16
T 1127/16
T 1583/16
T 1621/16
T 1946/16
T 0155/18
T 1255/18

Source: http://www.epo.org/law-practice/case-law-appeals/recent/g930001ex1.html

Date retrieved: 17 May 2021

149 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.123 EPC Amendments

EPO Guidelines - H Amendments and Corrections

X GL H IV 2.1 Basic principle

X GL H IV 3.1 Basic principles

X GL H IV 3.2 Protection conferred by the patent as granted

X GL H IV 3.5 Conflicts between Art. 123(2) and Art. 123(3)

Offical Journal of the EPO

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

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

X OJ EPO SE 6/2017, p79 - E. Claims

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 2016, A27 - Decision of the Enlarged Board of Appeal dated 25 March 2015 - G 2/12

X OJ EPO SE 4/2015, p156 - ANNEX 1

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

X OJ EPO SE 4/2015, p0 - CONTENTS

X OJ EPO SE 2/2015, p89 - III. CLAIMS

X OJ EPO 2015, A78 - DE Germany

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

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

X OJ EPO 2014, A39 - Decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.3.04 dated 8 July 2013 T 83/05

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

X CLR II E 1.1 General principles

X CLR II E 1.4.1 Broadening of claim – permissible within the limits of the original disclosure

X CLR II E 1.7.2.B Principles established in G 2/10 for disclosed disclaimers

X CLR II E 2 ‍‍Article 123(3) EPC – extension of the protection conferred

X CLR II E 2.1 Purpose of Article 123(3) EPC

X CLR II E 2.3.1 ‍‍Article 123(3) EPC and Article 69 EPC

X CLR II E 2.4.1 Deletion of a limiting feature in a claim

X CLR II E 2.4.10 Replacement of an inaccurate technical statement in a claim

X CLR II E 3.1 Inescapable trap

X CLR II E 3.2 Attempts to resolve the conflict

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

X CLR II F 2.1 Subject-matter extending beyond content of the earlier application

Case Law of the Enlarged Board

X G 0003/89 (Correction under Rule 88, second sentence, EPC) of 19.11.1992

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

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

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

X G 0001/05 (Exclusion and objection/XXX) of 7.12.2006

X G 0001/06 (Sequences of divisionals/SEIKO) of 28.6.2007

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

X G 0001/16 (Disclaimer III) of 18.12.2017

General Case Law

X T 0231/89 (Flat torsion spring) of 14.6.1991

X T 0384/91 (Conflict) of 11.11.1992

X T 0526/92 (Lubricating oil additive/BP) of 25.10.1994

X T 0082/93 (Cardiac pacing) of 15.5.1995

X T 0493/93 (Dampfsterilisatoren / TOLZIN) of 30.1.1997

X T 0828/93 () of 7.5.1996

X T 1049/93 (Emulsions/NITRO NOBEL) of 3.8.1999

X T 1082/93 () of 14.11.1997

X T 0859/94 (Colour photographic material/FUJI) of 21.9.1999

X T 0873/94 (Amended divisional application) of 10.7.1996

X T 0112/95 () of 19.2.1998

X T 0364/95 () of 20.11.1996

X T 0615/95 (Acridinium esters/CIBA CORNING) of 16.12.1997

X T 0064/96 () of 30.9.1997

X T 0239/96 () of 23.10.1998

X T 1046/96 (Pertussis/LELAND STANFORD) of 19.1.1998

X T 0056/97 ("Thiazide diuretics"/EURO-CELTIQUE) of 30.8.2001

X T 0188/97 (NANBV/CHIRON CORPORATION) of 8.2.2001

X T 0276/97 (Demande divisionnaire/CROUZET) of 26.2.1999

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

X T 0541/97 () of 21.4.1999

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

X T 0666/97 () of 1.10.1999

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

X T 1149/97 (Fluid transducer/SOLARTRON) of 7.5.1999

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 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 0553/99 (Undisclosed limiting feature/MANNESMANN) of 21.2.2001

X T 0592/99 (Matrix-formulation/EURO-CELTIQUE) of 1.8.2002

X T 0725/99 (Live vaccines/LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY) of 16.5.2001

X T 1050/99 (Carbonyl hydrolases/GENENCOR) of 25.1.2005

X T 0285/00 (Dissolution aid/UNILEVER) of 22.10.2004

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

X T 0827/00 () of 19.6.2002

X T 0087/01 () of 11.9.2003

X T 0230/01 (Descarboethoxyloratadine/SEPRACOR) of 26.4.2005

X T 1004/01 () of 1.9.2004

X T 1195/01 () of 16.12.2005

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

X T 0023/02 () of 19.7.2005

X T 0048/02 () of 21.12.2005

X T 0161/02 (Transgenic Zea mays plants/SYNGENTA) of 13.9.2004

X T 0948/02 () of 5.4.2005

X T 1018/02 (Telecommunications System/BTG) of 9.12.2003

X T 0081/03 (Semiconductor memory device/RAMBUS) of 12.2.2004

X T 0175/03 () of 3.11.2005

X T 0335/03 () of 26.7.2005

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

X T 0621/03 () of 23.5.2006

X T 0910/03 () of 7.7.2005

X T 0273/04 () of 3.3.2006

X T 0352/04 () of 11.10.2007

X T 0083/05 (Broccoli/PLANT BIOSCIENCE) of 22.5.2007

X T 0142/05 () of 13.6.2006

X T 0250/05 (Use of nitric oxide for systemic treatment/THE BRIGHAM AND WOMEN' … of 4.3.2008

X T 0307/05 () of 27.2.2007

X T 0788/05 () of 8.5.2007

X T 1180/05 () of 2.8.2007

X T 1387/05 () of 24.4.2008

X T 1464/05 (Hydrogen-absorbing composition/PRYSMIAN) of 14.5.2009

X T 0276/06 (Intravascular stents/MEDTRONIC) of 25.9.2008

X T 0876/06 () of 8.5.2007

X T 1107/06 (Botulinum toxins/ALLERGAN.) of 3.12.2008

X T 1726/06 (Delivery of audio recordings/KOCHIAN) of 20.2.2009

X T 1202/07 (Aircraft control system/BOEING) of 7.4.2011

X T 1206/07 () of 5.5.2010

X T 0535/08 (Reibbelagmischung/CHEMETALL) of 12.1.2012

X T 0567/08 () of 28.9.2009

X T 0582/08 () of 16.6.2009

X T 0725/08 (Organic Pigment/SUN) of 16.7.2010

X T 0824/08 (Non-segmented negative strand RNA viruses/CRUCELL) of 20.11.2012

X T 1248/08 (Coating solution/SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO. LTD) of 16.2.2012

X T 1650/08 (Pseudotyped HIV-based retrovirus/OXFORD BIOMEDICA) of 2.10.2012

X T 1870/08 () of 13.3.2012

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

X T 2202/08 () of 6.9.2011

X T 2230/08 () of 19.5.2011

X T 0195/09 (Scale inhibiting polymers/UNILEVER) of 8.10.2010

X T 0810/09 () of 25.9.2012

X T 1045/09 () of 17.1.2014

X T 1736/09 () of 30.1.2014

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

X T 1975/09 () of 24.9.2012

X T 2045/09 (Anti-ErbB3 antibody/GENENTECH) of 14.5.2014

X T 2085/09 (Timer-based registration/RESEARCH IN MOTION) of 19.6.2012

X T 2175/09 () of 10.6.2011

X T 2284/09 () of 23.1.2013

X T 0648/10 () of 11.5.2011

X T 0712/10 () of 25.10.2012

X T 1227/10 (Flue gas cleaning process/BELCO) of 19.10.2012

X T 2392/10 () of 12.11.2014

X T 1896/11 () of 25.11.2016

X T 0108/12 (Key agreement and transport protocol with implicit signatures/ … of 29.9.2015

X T 0614/12 () of 10.12.2013

X T 1363/12 () of 12.12.2014

X T 1994/12 () of 19.4.2016

X T 0389/13 () of 19.9.2017

X T 0540/13 (Certifying transmission of electronic documents/KP TWELVE) of 29.3.2017

X T 0801/13 () of 27.2.2014

X T 1889/13 () of 14.3.2017

X T 0437/14 () of 17.10.2016

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

X T 2203/14 (Corrosion resistant part/Shimano) of 17.5.2017

X T 0474/15 () of 28.8.2018