European Patent Office

T 0482/02 (Program Guide/UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES) of 09.02.2005

European Case Law Identifier
ECLI:EP:BA:2005:T048202.20050209
Date of decision
9 February 2005
Case number
T 0482/02
Petition for review of
-
Application number
96911607.8
Language of proceedings
English
Distribution
Distributed to board chairmen and members (B)
OJ versions
No OJ links found
Abstracts for this decision
-
Application title
Interactive program guide systems and processes
Applicant name
United Video Properties, Inc.
Opponent name
Interessengemeinschaft für Rundfunkschutzrechte GmbH
Schutzrechtsverwertung & Co. KG
Board
3.5.01
Headnote
-
Keywords
Admissibility of opposition (no)
UK Partnership
Catchword
In accordance with decision G 3/99, where it is doubtful whether an opposition is filed on behalf of a body which enjoys legal personality in its own right or on behalf of several natural persons acting in common, the opponents (here a UK partnership) should be invited to establish that the body is a legal person or an equivalent thereto. If this is not established, the opposition is to be considered as having been filed on behalf of the several natural persons as common opponents. In that case the opponents still have to furnish the names and addresses of the partners in order to comply with Rule 55, sub-paragraph (a) EPC. If this information is not received within a period specified by the Board, the opposition must be rejected as inadmissible under Rule 56(2) EPC, irrespective of whether or not such information would have been sufficient to prevent rejection under Rule 56(1) EPC.
Cited cases
G 0003/99

ORDER

For these reasons it is decided that:

1. Insofar as relating to the admissibility of the opposition filed by respondents 02, the decision under appeal is set aside.

2. The opposition filed by respondents 02 is rejected as inadmissible.