European Patent Office

T 0781/04 (Online filed appeal/FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES) of 30.11.2005

European Case Law Identifier
ECLI:EP:BA:2005:T078104.20051130
Date of decision
30 November 2005
Case number
T 0781/04
Petition for review of
-
Application number
00300249.0
IPC class
G01S 5/14
Language of proceedings
English
Distribution
Distributed to board chairmen and members (B)
OJ versions
No OJ links found
Abstracts for this decision
-
Application title
On-board GPS sensor systems
Applicant name
Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
Opponent name
-
Board
3.5.03
Headnote
-
Keywords
Requirement of written form pursuant to Article 108 EPC
Electronic filing (inadmissible)
Catchword
An appeal filed via electronic means - epoline® - does not comply with the requirement of Article 108 EPC that an appeal must be filed in writing. The appropriate sanction for non-compliance is inadmissibility.
If the electronic filing took place well before the end of the appeal period (in the present case nearly one month) and the appeal, although inadmissible, is treated by the Boards as having been duly filed, then the principle of good faith may require that a request for restitutio in integrum be granted.
Interlocutory Decision

ORDER

For these reasons it is decided that:

1. The main request, that the electronically filed appeal be deemed to have been filed correctly, is refused.

2. The auxiliary request, that the appellant be re-established in his rights, is allowed.