European Patent Office

T 1556/06 of 24.06.2008

European Case Law Identifier
ECLI:EP:BA:2008:T155606.20080624
Date of decision
24 June 2008
Case number
T 1556/06
Petition for review of
-
Application number
97201482.3
IPC class
B23K 26/12
Language of proceedings
English
Distribution
Distributed to board chairmen and members (B)
OJ versions
No OJ links found
Other decisions for this case
-
Abstracts for this decision
-
Application title
Friction stir welding with simultaneous cooling
Applicant name
The Boeing Company
Opponent name
Airbus SAS
Board
3.2.06
Headnote
-
Keywords
Inventive step (no) - patent as granted
Late-filed documents - partly admitted
Clarity (no) - patent as maintained
Late-filed auxiliary requests I to VI - not admitted because not clearly allowable
Late-filed auxiliary request VII - admitted [reasons, 4.4.1]
Remittal (yes)
Substantial procedural violation (no) - allowing a PowerPoint presentation during oral proceedings is a matter of discretion for the competent tribunal
Apportionment of costs (no)
Catchword
The Opposition Division has a discretion as to the way oral proceedings are conducted. It is not a wrongful exercise of this discretion, and thus not a procedural violation, to refuse to allow a party to use a PowerPoint presentation during oral proceedings if the party is not thereby prevented from presenting its arguments orally (reasons, 5.2.1-5.2.7).
Citing cases
T 0601/06T 0099/08

ORDER

For these reasons it is decided that:

1. The decision under appeal is set aside.

2. The case is remitted to the Opposition Division for further prosecution.

3. The appellant/patent proprietor's request for reimbursement of the appeal fee is refused.

4. The appellant/opponent's request for an apportionment of costs is refused.