European Patent Office

T 0002/09 (Public availability of an e-mail transmitted via the Internet/PHILIPS) of 12.03.2012

European Case Law Identifier
ECLI:EP:BA:2012:T000209.20120312
Date of decision
12 March 2012
Case number
T 0002/09
Petition for review of
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Application number
02077838.7
IPC class
H04N 9/16
Language of proceedings
English
Distribution
Distributed to board chairmen and members (B)
OJ versions
No OJ links found
Other decisions for this case
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Abstracts for this decision
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Application title
Display device
Applicant name
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
Opponent name
DSM IP Assets B.V.
Board
3.5.04
Headnote

1. An opposition filed within the framework of a test case is not inadmissible for that sole reason, provided that the prosecution of the proceedings thereby instituted is contentious because the parties defend mainly opposing positions. (See point 1.3.3)

2. The content of an e-mail did not become available to the public within the meaning of Article 54(2) EPC 1973 for the sole reason that the e-mail was transmitted via the Internet before the filing date of 1 February 2000. (See points 4.6 to 4.8)

Relevant legal provisions
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms Art 8Directive 97/66/EC Art 005Directive 97/66/EC Art 014Directive 97/66/EC Art 015European Patent Convention Art 100(a) 1973European Patent Convention Art 54(2) 1973European Patent Convention Art 99(1) 1973European Patent Convention R 55(a) 1973European Patent Convention R 56(1) 1973European Patent Convention R 76(2) 1973Liberty and Others v. The United Kingdom (ECHR, no. 58243/00)Rules of procedure of the Boards of Appeal Art 13(1)Société Colas Est and others v. France (ECHR, no. 37971/97)Von Hannover v. Germany (no. 2) (ECHR, nos. 40660/08 and 60641/08)
Keywords
Admissibility of a contrived opposition test case (yes)
Novelty and inventive step (yes - no public availability of an e-mail transmitted via the Internet)
Catchword
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ORDER

For these reasons it is decided that:

The appeal is dismissed.