G 0001/06 (Sequences of divisionals/SEIKO) of 28.06.2007

European Case Law Identifier: ECLI:EP:BA:2007:G000106.20070628
Date of decision: 28 June 2007
Case number: G 0001/06
Petition for review of: T 1409/05 2006-03-30
Application number: 01128824.8
IPC class: G09G 3/36
Language of proceedings: English
Distribution: Published in the EPO's Official Journal (A)
Download: Decision in English
OJ versions: German
English
French
Other decisions for this case: -
Abstracts for this decision: -
Application title: Liquid Crystal Device
Applicant name: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Opponent name: -
Board: -
Headnote: In the case of a sequence of applications consisting of a root (originating) application followed by divisional applications, each divided from its predecessor, it is a necessary and sufficient condition for a divisional application of that sequence to comply with Article 76(1), second sentence, EPC that anything disclosed in that divisional application be directly and unambiguously derivable from what is disclosed in each of the preceding applications as filed.
Relevant legal provisions: European Patent Convention Art 100(c) 1973 European Patent Convention Art 102(3) 1973 European Patent Convention Art 112(1)(a) 1973 European Patent Convention Art 113(1) 1973 European Patent Convention Art 123(1) 1973 European Patent Convention Art 123(2) 1973 European Patent Convention Art 138(1)(c) 1973 European Patent Convention Art 138(2) 1973 European Patent Convention Art 54(3) 1973 European Patent Convention Art 75(2) 1973 European Patent Convention Art 76(1) 1973 European Patent Convention Art 76(2) 1973 European Patent Convention Art 76(3) 1973 European Patent Convention Art 77(5) 1973 European Patent Convention Art 82 1973 European Patent Convention Art 96(2) 1973 European Patent Convention Art 97(1) 1973 European Patent Convention R 25(1) 1973 European Patent Convention R 25(2) 1973 European Patent Convention R 51(2) 1973 European Patent Convention R 86(3) 1973 European Patent Convention R 86(4) 1973Hydroacoustics Incorporated's Applications [1981] FSR 538Rules of procedure of the Enlarged Board of Appeal Art 8UK Patents Act 1977: Sections 76(1), 130(7)
Keywords: Invalidity as a result of non-compliance with Article 76(1) EPC on filing a divisional application - no
Amendment to conform with Article 76(1) EPC - allowable, even if at time of amendment earlier application no longer pending
Content of a member of a sequence of divisional applications must be disclosed in each of the preceding applications in the sequence as filed.
Claims of a member of a sequence of divisional applications need not be directed to subject matter within the scope of the claims of the preceding applications in the sequence as filed.
Catchword: -
Cited cases: G 0001/93 G 0004/98 J 0015/85 J 0002/01 T 0514/88 T 0527/88 T 0122/90 T 0860/90 T 0441/92 T 0873/94 T 0276/97 T 0904/97 T 1074/97 T 0555/00 T 0561/00 T 0743/00 T 1158/01 T 0720/02 T 0797/02 T 0039/03 T 0090/03 T 0873/04 T 1040/04 T 1092/04
Citing cases: G 0002/10 G 0004/19 J 0002/08 J 0019/13 T 0307/03 T 1026/03 T 0936/04 T 1207/04 T 0047/05 T 0175/05 T 0687/05 T 0840/05 T 1208/05 T 1387/05 T 1409/05 T 0314/06 T 0341/06 T 1018/06 T 1491/06 T 1497/06 T 1688/06 T 1033/07 T 1391/07 T 1423/07 T 1500/07 T 1501/07 T 1502/07 T 0463/08 T 0464/08 T 0465/08 T 1653/08 T 1714/08 T 2082/08 T 0549/09 T 0925/09 T 0961/09 T 0962/09 T 1418/09 T 2175/09 T 1972/10 T 2402/10 T 2426/10 T 2461/10 T 0649/11 T 1036/11 T 1155/11 T 1483/11 T 2347/11 T 2563/11 T 0879/12 T 1780/12 T 1808/12 T 2511/12 T 0558/13 T 0560/13 T 1765/13 T 1766/13 T 1871/13 T 2041/13 T 0318/14 T 0470/14 T 1208/14 T 1856/14 T 1878/14 T 1146/15 T 0344/16 T 0921/16 T 1089/16 T 1278/16 T 2622/17 T 0363/18 T 1098/18 T 1255/18 T 1839/18 T 2327/18 T 1369/19 T 1589/19 T 2185/19 T 2540/19 T 3272/19 T 0897/20 T 1828/21 T 1327/24

ORDER

For these reasons, the questions of law which were referred to the Enlarged Board of Appeal are answered as follows:

In the case of a sequence of applications consisting of a root (originating) application followed by divisional applications, each divided from its predecessor, it is a necessary and sufficient condition for a divisional application of that sequence to comply with Article 76(1), second sentence, EPC that anything disclosed in that divisional application be directly and unambiguously derivable from what is disclosed in each of the preceding applications as filed.