T 0412/23 (Combination of three documents of different complexity) of 22.07.2025
- European Case Law Identifier
- ECLI:EP:BA:2025:T041223.20250722
- Date of decision
- 22 July 2025
- Case number
- T 0412/23
- Petition for review of
- -
- Application number
- 09753877.1
- IPC class
- G01J 3/46
- Language of proceedings
- English
- Distribution
- No distribution (D)
- Download
- Decision in English
- OJ versions
- No OJ links found
- Other decisions for this case
- -
- Abstracts for this decision
- Abstract on Article 056 EPC
- Application title
- METHOD FOR DETERMINATION OF A MATCHING COLOUR VARIANT
- Applicant name
- Akzo Nobel Coatings International B.V.
- Opponent name
- BASF Coatings GmbH
- Board
- 3.4.03
- Headnote
- -
- Relevant legal provisions
- European Patent Convention Art 100(a)European Patent Convention Art 100(b)European Patent Convention Art 52(1)European Patent Convention Art 56Rules of procedure of the Boards of Appeal Art 13(2)
- Keywords
- Inventive step - (yes)
Inventive step - problem and solution approach
Inventive step - non-obvious combination of known features
Sufficiency of disclosure - (yes)
Late-filed argument - justification for late filing (no) - Catchword
- When the teachings of three documents are combined, this has to be done - in circumstances such as the present ones - step by step, i.e. in a first step, the teaching of another document is combined on the basis of the teaching or embodiment of the closest state of the art. In a second step, it must then be examined whether the skilled person would also combine the result of this combination with the teaching of the third document. In doing so, the context of the initial situation as well as the complexity and specific technical context of each document or embodiment has to be taken into account. (2.5.9 of the reasons)
- Citing cases
- -
Order
For these reasons it is decided that:
The appeal is dismissed.