European Patent Office

T 0424/23 of 12.03.2026

European Case Law Identifier
ECLI:EP:BA:2026:T042423.20260312
Date of decision
12 March 2026
Case number
T 0424/23
Online on
10 June 2026
Petition for review of
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Application number
16745726.6
IPC class
G01M 17/007
Language of proceedings
English
Distribution
No distribution (D)
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
APPARATUS TO SIMULATE DRIVING A LAND VEHICLE
Applicant name
VI-grade GmbH
Opponent name
McLaren Racing Limited
Board
3.4.03
Headnote
-
Relevant legal provisions
European Patent Convention Art 100(a)European Patent Convention Art 111(1)European Patent Convention Art 54(1)European Patent Convention Art 56Rules of procedure of the Boards of Appeal 2020 Art 012(3)Rules of procedure of the Boards of Appeal 2020 Art 012(5)
Keywords
Grounds for opposition - lack of novelty (no)
Grounds for opposition - insufficiency of disclosure (no)
Grounds for opposition - lack of inventive step (no)
Patent maintained as granted
Remittal to the department of first instance
Remittal - (no)
Catchword
In the context of the problem-solution-approach, the document to be combined with the closest prior art does not need to state explicitly that it solves the objective technical problem for it to be considered by the skilled person. It suffices that the skilled person is able to recognise that it does so, once the combination document has been found by the skilled person. However, the skilled person still needs a reason to take such a document into consideration (see points 16 to 18 of the Reasons).
Cited cases
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Citing cases
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Order

For these reasons it is decided that:

1. The decision under appeal is set aside.

2. The patent is maintained as granted.