T 0150/82 (Claim Categories) of 7.2.1984

European Case Law Identifier: ECLI:EP:BA:1984:T015082.19840207
Date of decision: 07 February 1984
Case number: T 0150/82
Application number: 79101037.4
IPC class: -
Language of proceedings: EN
Distribution: A
Download and more information:
Decision text in EN (PDF, 466 KB)
Documentation of the appeal procedure can be found in the Register
Bibliographic information is available in: EN
Versions: OJ | Published
Title of application: -
Applicant name: IFF
Opponent name: -
Board: 3.3.01
Headnote: I. Claims relying on references to the description in the specification in respect of all their technical features (known in the patent practice of the United Kingdom as "omnibus" claims) are unallowable as contrary to Rules 29(4) and 29(6) EPC, unless absolutely necessary, e.g. when a plurality of conditions would not lend themselves to verbal expression without such a reference. The onus is on the applicant to show such exceptionality.
II. Claims for products defined in terms of processes for their preparation (known as "product-by-process" claims) are admissible only if the products themselves fulfil the requirements for patentability and there is no other information available in the application which could enable the applicant to define the product satisfactorily by reference to its composition, structure or some other testable parameter.
Relevant legal provisions:
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 52(1)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 64(2)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 84
European Patent Convention 1973 R 29(4)
European Patent Convention 1973 R 29(6)
Keywords: Claim categories
Product-by-process claims
Omnibus claims
Catchwords:

-

Cited decisions:
-
Citing decisions:
G 0002/12
G 0002/13
T 0148/87
T 0434/87
T 0271/88
T 0601/88
T 0411/89
T 0563/89
T 0130/90
T 0407/90
T 0493/90
T 0664/90
T 0792/90
T 0339/91
T 0478/91
T 0656/91
T 0957/91
T 0073/92
T 0555/92
T 0881/92
T 0882/92
T 0124/93
T 0141/93
T 0333/93
T 0412/93
T 0659/93
T 0815/93
T 0020/94
T 0752/94
T 0749/95
T 0223/96
T 0532/96
T 0644/97
T 0948/97
T 0950/97
T 1048/97
T 1074/97
T 0068/98
T 0238/98
T 0726/98
T 0728/98
T 0748/98
T 0375/99
T 1029/99
T 0360/00
T 0363/00
T 0872/01
T 0933/01
T 0288/02
T 0179/03
T 1044/03
T 1200/03
T 0447/04
T 0582/04
T 0956/04
T 1430/04
T 0046/06
T 0912/06
T 1087/06
T 1316/06
T 1962/07
T 1960/08
T 0360/09
T 2019/09
T 0967/10
T 2186/11
T 0150/12
T 0834/12
T 0863/12
T 1988/12
T 2533/12
T 1304/13
T 0081/14

47 references found.

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

EPO Guidelines - F The European Patent Application

Offical Journal of the EPO

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

Case Law of the Enlarged Board

General Case Law