Skip to main content Skip to footer
HomeHome
 
  • Homepage
  • Searching for patents

    Patent knowledge

    Access our patent databases and search tools.

    Go to overview 

    • Overview
    • Technical information
      • Overview
      • Espacenet - patent search
      • European Publication Server
      • Searching Asian documents: patent search and monitoring services
      • EP full-text search
      • Bibliographic coverage in Espacenet and OPS
      • Full-text coverage in Espacenet and OPS
    • Legal information
      • Overview
      • European Patent Register
      • European Patent Bulletin
      • European Case Law Identifier sitemap
      • Searching Asian documents
      • Third-party observations
    • Business information
      • Overview
      • PATSTAT
      • IPscore
      • Patent insight reports
    • Data
      • Overview
      • Linked open EP data
      • Bulk data sets
      • Web services
      • Coverage, codes and statistics
    • Helpful resources
      • Overview
      • First time here?
      • Asian patent information
      • Patent information centres
      • Patent Translate
      • Patent Knowledge News
      • Business and statistics
      • Unitary Patent information in patent knowledge

    UP search

    Learn about the Unitary Patent in patent knowledge products and services

  • Applying for a patent

    Applying for a patent

    Practical information on filing and grant procedures.

    Go to overview 

    • Overview
    • European route
      • Overview
      • European Patent Guide
      • Oppositions
      • Oral proceedings
      • Appeals
      • Unitary Patent & Unified Patent Court
      • National validation
      • Request for extension/validation
    • International route (PCT)
      • Overview
      • Euro-PCT Guide – PCT procedure at the EPO
      • EPO decisions and notices
      • PCT provisions and resources
      • Extension/validation request
      • Reinforced partnership programme
      • Accelerating your PCT application
      • Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH)
      • Training and events
    • National route
    • MyEPO services
      • Overview
      • Understand our services
      • Get access
      • File with us
      • Interact on your files
      • Online Filing & fee payment outages
      • Tutorials
    • Find a professional representative
    • Forms
      • Overview
      • Request for examination
    • Fees
      • Overview
      • European fees (EPC)
      • International fees (PCT)
      • Unitary Patent fees (UP)
      • Fee payment and refunds
      • Warning

    UP

    Unitary Patent

  • Law & practice

    Law & practice

    European patent law, the Official Journal and other legal texts.

    Go to overview 

    • Overview
    • Legal texts
      • Overview
      • European Patent Convention
      • Official Journal
      • EPC Guidelines
      • PCT-EPO Guidelines
      • Guidelines revision cycle
      • Extension / validation system
      • London Agreement
      • National law relating to the EPC
      • Unitary patent system
      • National law relating to the UP
    • Court practices
      • Overview
      • European Patent Judges' Symposium
    • User consultations
      • Overview
      • Ongoing consultations
      • Completed consultations
    • Substantive patent law harmonisation
      • Overview
      • The Tegernsee process
      • Group B+
    • Convergence of practice
    • Options for professional representatives

    legal text

    Legal texts

  • News & events

    News & events

    Our latest news, podcasts and events, including the European Inventor Award.

    Go to overview 

     

    • Overview
    • News
    • Events
    • European Inventor Award
      • Overview
      • About the award
      • Categories and prizes
      • Meet the finalists
      • Nominations
      • Watch the 2022 ceremony
    • Press centre
      • Overview
      • Patent Index and statistics
      • Search in press centre
      • Background information
      • Copyright
      • Press contacts
      • Call back form
      • Email alert service
    • Innovation and patenting in focus
      • Overview
      • Firefighting technologies
      • Green tech in focus
      • CodeFest on Green Plastics
      • Clean energy technologies
      • IP and youth
      • Research institutes
      • Women inventors
      • Fighting coronavirus
      • Lifestyle
      • Space and satellites
      • The future of medicine
      • Materials science
      • Mobile communications
      • Biotechnology
      • Patent classification
      • Digital technologies
      • The future of manufacturing
      • Books by EPO experts
    • "Talk innovation" podcast

    Podcast

    Listen to our podcast

  • Learning

    Learning

    The e-Academy – the point of access to your learning

    Go to overview 

    • Overview
    • European Patent Academy
      • Overview
      • Learning activities
      • Learning paths
    • Professional hub
      • Overview
      • EQE - European qualifying examination
      • EPAC - European patent administration certification
    • Learning resources by area of interest
      • Overview
      • Patent granting
      • Technology transfer and dissemination
      • Patent enforcement and litigation
    • Learning resources by area by profile
      • Overview
      • Business and IP managers
      • EQE candidates
      • Judges, lawyers and prosecutors
      • National offices and IP authorities
      • Patent attorneys and paralegals
      • Universities, research centres and technology transfer centres (TTOs)

    European Patent Academy

    Boost your IP knowledge with (e-)training from the European Patent Academy

  • About us

    About us

    Find out more about our work, values, history and vision

    Go to overview 

    • Overview
    • The EPO at a glance
    • 50 years of the EPC
      • Overview
      • A glimpse of the planned activities
      • Kids’ collaborative art competition
      • 50 Leading Tech Voices
    • Legal foundations and member states
      • Overview
      • Legal foundations
      • Member states of the European Patent Organisation
      • Extension states
      • Validation states
    • Governance
      • Overview
      • Communiqués
      • Calendar
      • Select Committee documents
      • Administrative Council
    • Principles & strategy
      • Overview
      • Our mission, vision, values and corporate policy
      • Public consultation on the EPO's Strategic Plan 2028
      • Towards a New Normal
    • Leadership & management
      • Overview
      • President António Campinos
      • Management Advisory Committee
    • Social responsibility
      • Overview
      • Environment and sustainability
      • Art collection
    • Services & activities
      • Overview
      • Our services & structure
      • Quality
      • Consulting our users
      • European and international co-operation
      • European Patent Academy
      • Chief Economist
      • Ombuds Office
      • Reporting wrongdoing
    • Procurement
      • Overview
      • Procurement forecast
      • Doing business with the EPO
      • Procurement procedures
      • About eTendering and electronic signatures
      • Procurement portal
      • Invoicing
      • General conditions
      • Archived tenders
    • Transparency portal
      • Overview
      • General
      • Human
      • Environmental
      • Organisational
      • Social and relational
      • Economic
      • Governance
    • Statistics and trends
      • Overview
      • Statistics & Trends Centre
      • EPO Data Hub
      • Clarification on data sources
    • History
      • Overview
      • 1970s
      • 1980s
      • 1990s
      • 2000s
      • 2010s
      • 2020s

    about us

    Patent Index 2022

 
en de fr
  • Language selection
  • English
  • Deutsch
  • Français
Main navigation
  • Homepage
  • New to patents
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • What's your big idea?
    • Are you ready?
    • What to expect
    • How to apply for a patent
    • Your business and patents
    • Is it patentable?
    • Are you first?
    • Why do we have patents?
    • Patent quiz
    • Unitary patent video
  • Searching for patents
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • Technical information
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Espacenet - patent search
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • National patent office databases
        • Global Patent Index (GPI)
        • Release notes
      • European Publication Server
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Cross-reference index for Euro-PCT applications
        • EP authority file
        • Help
      • Searching Asian documents
      • EP full-text search
      • Bibliographic coverage in Espacenet and OPS
      • Full-text coverage in Espacenet
    • Legal information
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • European Patent Register
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Release notes archive
        • Register documentation
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Deep link data coverage
          • Federated Register
            • Go back
            • Overview
            • BG - Federated Register Service
            • GB - Federated Register Service
            • NL - Federated Register Service
            • MK - Federated Register Service
            • ES - Federated Register Service
            • GR - Federated Register Service
            • SK - Federated Register Service
            • FR - Federated Register Service
            • MT - Federated Register Service
          • Register events
      • European Patent Bulletin
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Download Bulletin
        • EP Bulletin search
        • Help
      • European Case Law Identifier sitemap
      • Searching Asian documents
      • Third-party observations
    • Business information
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • PATSTAT
      • IPscore
        • Go back
        • Release notes
      • Patent insight reports
    • Data
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Linked open EP data
      • Bulk data sets
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Manuals
        • Sequence listings
        • National full-text data
        • European Patent Register data
        • EPO worldwide bibliographic data (DOCDB)
        • EP full-text data
        • EPO worldwide legal event data (INPADOC)
        • EP bibliographic data (EBD)
          • Go back
          • EBD files (weekly download) - free of charge
            • Go back
            • Secure EBD ST.36 files (weekly download) - for national patent offices only
        • Boards of Appeal decisions
        • EP full-text data for text analytics
      • Web services
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Open Patent Services (OPS)
        • European Publication Server
      • Coverage, codes and statistics
        • Go back
        • Weekly updates
        • Updated regularly
    • Helpful resources
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • First time here? Patent information explained.
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Basic definitions
        • Patent classification
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC)
        • Patent families
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • DOCDB simple patent family
          • INPADOC extended patent family
        • Legal event data
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • INPADOC classification scheme
      • Asian patent information
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • China (CN)
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Facts and figures
          • Grant procedure
          • Numbering system
          • Useful terms
          • Searching in databases
        • Chinese Taipei (TW)
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Grant procedure
          • Numbering system
          • Useful terms
          • Searching in databases
        • India (IN)
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Facts and figures
          • Grant procedure
          • Numbering system
        • Japan (JP)
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Facts and figures
          • Grant procedure
          • Numbering system
          • Useful terms
          • Searching in databases
        • Korea (KR)
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Facts and figures
          • Grant procedure
          • Numbering system
          • Useful terms
          • Searching in databases
        • Russian Federation (RU)
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Facts and figures
          • Numbering system
          • Searching in databases
        • Useful links
      • Patent information centres (PATLIB)
      • Patent Translate
      • Patent Knowledge News
      • Business and statistics
      • Unitary Patent information in patent knowledge
  • Applying for a patent
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • European route
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • European Patent Guide
      • Oppositions
      • Oral proceedings
        • Go back
        • Oral proceedings calendar
          • Go back
          • Calendar
          • Public access to appeal proceedings
          • Public access to opposition proceedings
          • Technical guidelines
      • Appeals
      • Unitary Patent & Unified Patent Court
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Unitary Patent
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Legal framework
          • Unitary Patent Guide
          • Main features
          • Applying for a Unitary Patent
          • Cost of a Unitary Patent
          • Translation and compensation
          • Start date
        • Unified Patent Court
      • National validation
      • Extension/validation request
    • International route
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Euro-PCT Guide
      • Entry into the European phase
      • Decisions and notices
      • PCT provisions and resources
      • Extension/validation request
      • Reinforced partnership programme
      • Accelerating your PCT application
      • Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH)
        • Go back
        • Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) programme outline
      • Training and events
    • National route
    • MyEPO services
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Understand our services
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Online Filing 2.0 pilot
        • MyEPO Portfolio - pilot phase
        • Online Filing 2.0 pilot continuation
        • Exchange data with us using an API
      • Get access
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Installation and activation
      • File with us
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • What if our online filing services are down?
        • Release notes
      • Interact on your files
      • Online Filing & fee payment outages
      • Tutorials
    • Fees
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • European fees (EPC)
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Decisions and notices
      • International fees (PCT)
        • Go back
        • Reduction in fees
        • Fees for international applications
        • Decisions and notices
        • Overview
      • Unitary Patent fees (UP)
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Decisions and notices
      • Fee payment and refunds
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Payment methods
        • Getting started
        • FAQs and other documentation
        • Technical information for batch payments
        • Decisions and notices
        • Release notes
      • Warning
    • Forms
      • Go back
      • Request for examination
    • Find a professional representative
  • Law & practice
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • Legal texts
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • European Patent Convention
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Archive
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Documentation on the EPC revision 2000
            • Go back
            • Overview
            • Diplomatic Conference for the revision of the EPC
            • Travaux préparatoires
            • New text
            • Transitional provisions
            • Implementing regulations to the EPC 2000
            • Rules relating to Fees
            • Ratifications and accessions
          • Travaux Préparatoires EPC 1973
      • Official Journal
      • EPC Guidelines
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Archive
      • PCT-EPO Guidelines
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Archive
      • Guidelines revision cycle
      • Extension / validation system
      • London Agreement
      • National law relating to the EPC
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Archive
      • Unitary Patent system
      • National measures relating to the Unitary Patent 
    • Court practices
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • European Patent Judges' Symposium
    • User consultations
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Ongoing consultations
      • Completed consultations
    • Substantive patent law harmonisation
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • The Tegernsee process
      • Group B+
    • Convergence of practice
    • Options for professional representatives
  • News & events
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • News
    • Events
    • European Inventor Award
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • About the award
      • Categories and prizes
      • Meet the finalists
      • Nominations
      • Watch the 2023 ceremony
      • European Inventor Network
        • Go back
        • Activities granted in 2023
    • Press centre
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Patent Index and statistics
      • Search in press centre
      • Background information
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • European Patent Office
        • Q&A on patents related to coronavirus
        • Q&A on plant patents
      • Copyright
      • Press contacts
      • Call back form
      • Email alert service
    • In focus
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Firefighting technologies
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Detection and prevention of fires
        • Fire extinguishing
        • Protective equipment
        • Post-fire restoration
      • Green tech in focus
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • About green tech
        • Renewable energies
        • Energy transition technologies
        • Building a greener future
      • CodeFest on Green Plastics
      • Clean energy technologies
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Renewable energy
        • Carbon-intensive industries
        • Energy storage and other enabling technologies
      • IP and youth
      • Research institutes
      • Women inventors
      • Fighting coronavirus
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Vaccines and therapeutics
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Vaccines
          • Overview of candidate therapies for COVID-19
          • Candidate antiviral and symptomatic therapeutics
          • Nucleic acids and antibodies to fight coronavirus
        • Diagnostics and analytics
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Protein and nucleic acid assays
          • Analytical protocols
        • Informatics
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Bioinformatics
          • Healthcare informatics
        • Technologies for the new normal
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Devices, materials and equipment
          • Procedures, actions and activities
          • Digital technologies
        • Inventors against coronavirus
      • Lifestyle
      • Space and satellites
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Patents and space technologies
      • Healthcare
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Medical technologies and cancer
        • Personalised medicine
      • Materials science
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Nanotechnology
      • Mobile communications
      • Biotechnology
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Red, white or green
        • The role of the EPO
        • What is patentable?
        • Biotech inventors
      • Classification
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Nanotechnology
        • Climate change mitigation technologies
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • External partners
          • Updates on Y02 and Y04S
      • Digital technologies
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • About ICT
        • Hardware and software
        • Patents and standards
        • Artificial intelligence
        • Fourth Industrial Revolution
      • Additive manufacturing
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • About AM
        • AM innovation
      • Books by EPO experts
    • Podcast
  • Learning
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • European Patent Academy
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Learning activities
      • Learning Paths
    • Professional hub
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • EPAC - European patent administration certification
      • EQE - European Qualifying Examination
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Archive
        • Candidates successful in the European qualifying examination
        • Compendium
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Pre-examination
          • Paper A
          • Paper B
          • Paper C
          • Paper D
    • Learning resources by area of interest
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Patent granting
      • Technology transfer and dissemination
      • Patent enforcement and litigation
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Patent enforcement in Europe
        • Patent litigation in Europe
    • Learning resources by profile
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Business and IP managers
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Innovation case studies
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • SME case studies
          • Technology transfer case studies
          • High-growth technology case studies
        • Inventors' handbook
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Introduction
          • Disclosure and confidentiality
          • Novelty and prior art
            • Go back
            • Overview
            • Is the idea ‘obvious’?
            • Prior art searching
            • Professional patent searching
            • Simple Espacenet searching
            • What is prior art?
            • Why is novelty important?
          • Competition and market potential
            • Go back
            • Overview
            • Research guidelines
          • Assessing the risk ahead
            • Go back
            • Overview
            • Exploitation routes
            • Significant commercial potential
            • Significant novelty
            • What about you?
            • What if your idea is not novel but does have commercial potential?
          • Proving the invention
            • Go back
            • Overview
            • Help with design or redesign
            • Prototype strategy
          • Protecting your idea
            • Go back
            • Overview
            • Forms of IPR
            • Patenting strategy
            • The patenting process
          • Building a team and seeking funding
            • Go back
            • Overview
            • Building a team
            • Sources of funding
            • Sources of help for invention
          • Business planning
            • Go back
            • Overview
            • Constructing a business plan
            • Keep it short!
          • Finding and approaching companies
            • Go back
            • Overview
            • First contact
            • Meetings
          • Dealing with companies
            • Go back
            • Overview
            • Advance or guaranteed payment
            • Companies and your prototype
            • Full agreement – and beyond
            • Negotiating a licensing agreement
            • Reaching agreement
            • Royalties
        • Best of search matters
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Tools and databases
          • EPO procedures and initiatives
          • Search strategies
          • Challenges and specific topics
        • Support for high-growth technology businesses
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • For IP professionals
          • For business decision-makers
          • For stakeholders of the innovation ecosystem
        • IP clinics
      • EQE Candidates
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Coffee-break questions
        • Daily D questions
        • European qualifying examination - Guide for preparation
      • Judges, lawyers and prosecutors
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Compulsory licensing in Europe
        • The jurisdiction of European courts in patent disputes
      • National offices and IP authorities
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Learning material for examiners of national officers
        • Learning material for formalities officers and paralegals
      • Patent attorneys and paralegals
      • Universities, research centres and TTOs
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Academic Research Programme
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Completed research projects
          • Current research projects
        • Pan-European Seal Young Professionals Programme
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • For students
          • For universities
            • Go back
            • Overview
            • IP education resources
            • University memberships
          • Our young professionals
          • Professional development plan
        • IP Teaching Kit
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Download modules
        • Intellectual property course design manual
  • About us
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • The EPO at a glance
    • 50 years of the EPC
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • 50 Leading Tech Voices
      • Kids’ collaborative art competition
    • Legal foundations and member states
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Legal foundations
      • Member states
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Member states by date of accession
      • Extension states
      • Validation states
    • Governance
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Communiqués
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • 2022
        • 2021
        • 2020
        • 2019
        • 2018
        • 2017
        • 2016
        • 2015
        • 2014
        • 2013
      • Calendar
      • Documents and publications
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Select Committee documents
      • Administrative Council
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Composition
        • Representatives
        • Rules of Procedure
        • Board of Auditors
        • Secretariat
        • Council bodies
    • Principles & strategy
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Mission, vision, values & corporate policy
      • Strategic Plan 2028
      • Towards a New Normal
      • Data protection & privacy notice
    • Leadership & management
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • About the President
      • Management Advisory Committee
    • Procurement
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Procurement forecast
      • Doing business with the EPO
      • Procurement procedures
      • About eTendering
      • Procurement portal
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • e-Signing contracts
      • Invoicing
      • General conditions
      • Archived tenders
    • Services & activities
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Our services & structure
      • Quality
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Foundations
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • European Patent Convention
          • Guidelines for examination
          • Our staff
        • Enabling quality
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Prior art
          • Classification
          • Tools
          • Processes
        • Products & services
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Search
          • Examination
          • Opposition
          • Continuous improvement
        • Quality through networking
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • User engagement
          • Co-operation
          • User satisfaction survey
          • Stakeholder Quality Assurance Panels
        • Patent Quality Charter
        • Statistics
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Search
          • Examination
          • Opposition
      • Consulting our users
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Standing Advisory Committee before the EPO (SACEPO)
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Objectives
          • SACEPO and its working parties
          • Meetings
          • Single Access Portal – SACEPO Area
      • Our user service charter
      • European and international co-operation
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Co-operation with member states
          • Go back
          • Overview
        • Bilateral co-operation with non-member states
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Validation system
          • Reinforced Partnership programme
        • Multilateral international co-operation with IP offices and organisations
        • Co-operation with international organisations outside the IP system
      • European Patent Academy
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Partners
      • Chief Economist
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Economic studies
      • Ombuds Office
      • Reporting wrongdoing
    • Statistics and trends
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Statistics & Trends Centre
      • EPO Data Hub
      • Clarification on data sources
    • Social responsibility
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Environment
      • Art collection
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • The collection
        • Let's talk about art
        • Artists
        • Media library
        • What's on
        • Publications
        • Contact
    • History
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • 1970s
      • 1980s
      • 1990s
      • 2000s
      • 2010s
      • 2020s
    • Transparency portal
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • General
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Annual Review 2022
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Foreword
          • Executive summary
          • Goal 1: Engaged and empowered
          • Goal 2: Digital transformation
          • Goal 3: Master quality
          • Goal 4: Partner for positive impact
          • Goal 5: Secure sustainability
      • Human
      • Environmental
      • Organisational
      • Social and relational
      • Economic
      • Governance
  • Boards of Appeal
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • Decisions of the Boards of Appeal
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Recent decisions
      • Selected decisions
    • Procedure
    • Annual reports
      • Go back
      • Overview
    • Organisation
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • President of the Boards of Appeal
      • Enlarged Board of Appeal
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Pending referrals (Art. 112 EPC)
        • Decisions sorted by number (Art. 112 EPC)
        • Pending petitions for review (Art. 112a EPC)
        • Decisions on petitions for review (Art. 112a EPC)
      • Technical Boards of Appeal
      • Legal Board of Appeal
      • Disciplinary Board of Appeal
      • Presidium
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Composition of the Presidium
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Archive
    • Code of Conduct
    • Business distribution scheme
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Technical boards of appeal by IPC in 2023
      • Archive
    • Annual list of cases
    • Communications
    • Publications
    • Case Law of the Boards of Appeal
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Archive
    • Case Law from the Contracting States to the EPC
    • Oral proceedings
  • Service & support
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • Website updates
    • Availability of online services
      • Go back
      • Overview
    • FAQ
      • Go back
      • Overview
    • Publications
    • Ordering
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Terms and conditions
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Patent information products
        • Bulk data sets
        • Open Patent Services (OPS)
        • Fair use charter
    • Procedural communications
    • Useful links
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Patent offices of member states
      • Other patent offices
      • Legal resources
      • Directories of patent attorneys
      • Patent databases, registers and gazettes
      • Disclaimer
    • Contact us
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Filing options
      • Locations
      • Specific contact
      • Surveys
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Search services
        • Examination services, final actions and publication
        • Opposition services
        • Patent filings
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Detailed methodology
          • Archive
        • Online Services
        • Patent information
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Innovation process survey
        • Customer services
        • Filing services
        • Website
        • Survey on electronic invoicing
        • Companies innovating in clean and sustainable technologies
    • Subscription centre
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Subscribe
      • Change preferences
      • Unsubscribe
    • Official holidays
    • Forums
    • Glossary
    • RSS feeds
Board of Appeals
Decisions

Recent decisions

Overview
  • 2023 decisions
  • 2022 decisions
  • 2021 decisions
https://www.epo.org/en/node/t920252eu1
  1. Home
  2. T 0252/92 17-06-1993
Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email

T 0252/92 17-06-1993

European Case Law Identifier
ECLI:EP:BA:1993:T025292.19930617
Date of decision
17 June 1993
Case number
T 0252/92
Petition for review of
-
Application number
82305756.7
IPC class
G01K 7/22
Language of proceedings
EN
Distribution
DISTRIBUTED TO BOARD CHAIRMEN (C)

Download and more information:

Decision in EN 727.73 KB
Documentation of the appeal procedure can be found in the European Patent Register
Bibliographic information is available in:
EN
Versions
Unpublished
Application title

Heat sensitive cable and method of making same

Applicant name
Xco International Incorporated
Opponent name

Degussa AG, Frankfurt

- Zweigniederlassung Wolfgang -

Zentrale Abteilung Patente

Board
3.4.02
Headnote
-
Relevant legal provisions
European Patent Convention Art 83 1973
European Patent Convention Art 84 1973
European Patent Convention Art 56 1973
Keywords

Disclosure sufficient (yes)

Clarity and inventive step (after amendment: yes)

Disclosure - sufficiency (yes)

Claims - clarity (yes)

Inventive step (yes)

Catchword
-
Cited decisions
-
Citing decisions
T 0667/04
T 0463/95
T 0380/99
T 1285/01
T 1202/02
T 0152/95
T 0231/97

I. European patent No. 0 078 675 was granted on the basis of European patent application No. 82 305 756.7.

The patent was directed to heat sensitive cables comprising thermoelectrically dissimilar conductor means separated by an insulation material having a resistance variable with temperature, a method of manufacturing heat sensitive cables with the same features and a powdered insulation material having features required for use in a heat sensitive cable.

II. The Respondent (Opponent) filed an opposition against the European patent on the grounds that its subject-matter did not involve an inventive step having regard to the disclosure in

E1: GB-A-1 013 800,

E2: US-A-2 805 272 and

E3: US-A-3 737 997.

During the opposition procedure,

E4: US-A-2 868 935 and

E5: US-A-2 848 587

were cited in addition.

III. The patent was revoked. The Opposition Division took the view that since the insulation material having a negative temperature coefficient of resistance, independently or as part of the heat sensitive cables, was mentioned as having a resistance variable between definite values and since the length, cross section or volume of the insulation material were not indicated, the subject-matter for which protection was sought by the amended claims submitted by the Proprietor was not clearly defined. Moreover, the heat sensitive cable of the amended Claim 1 had an insulation resistance which was variable and continuous within a broader temperature range as compared with that of the device known from E1; for the skilled person intending to provide continuous temperature measurements in a broader temperature range, it would be obvious to look for the suitable insulating material among those known from the other prior art documents E2 to E5 and to select the features thereof concerning the method of fabrication of the cable or the properties of the insulation material accordingly.

IV. The Appellant (Proprietor) lodged an appeal against this decision. In the oral proceedings which took place on 17 June 1993, it submitted a new set of claims of which the independent Claims 1, 2 and 14 read as follows:

"1. A heat sensitive cable comprising: an elongated substantially temperature resistant and moisture impervious tubular metallic sheath (12); a pair of elongated thermoelectrically dissimilar conductor means (16a, 16b) positioned within said sheath, said conductor means being disposed in spaced and substantially parallel relation to each other and said sheath, said conductor means extending out of at least one end of said metallic sheath; and a compacted insulation material (14) for electrically insulating said conductor means from each other and said sheath and maintaining said conductor means in spaced and substantially parallel relation to each other and said sheath, said insulation material having an insulation resistance variable with temperature, wherein said insulation material has an insulation resistance variable within a temperature range of between approximately -30°C and 900°C between approximately 50,000 and 100 ohms and is such that a measurable and predictable voltage is generated in said temperature range between said conductor means, said measurable and predictable voltage being indicative of the temperature existing along the entire cable length, or if temperatures are unequal, at the hottest point along the cable length when subjected to external temperatures, said voltage being generated continuously in said temperature range in a passive, self-generating manner, and said insulation material is obtainable by heating manganese dioxide in a vacuum furnace at a temperature of approximately 900°C, for a period of time of between approximately 3 and 10 minutes, with said vacuum furnace drawn to a vacuum of approximately 66.661 Pa (500 microns of mercury) or less.

2. A heat sensitive cable comprising: an elongated substantially temperature resistant and moisture impervious tubular metallic sheath (12'); and elongated conductor means (16a') positioned within said sheath, said conductor means being thermoelectrically dissimilar to said sheath and being disposed in spaced and substantially parallel relation to said sheath, said conductor means extending out of at least one end of said metallic sheath; and a compacted insulation material (14') for electrically insulating said conductor means from said sheath and maintaining said conductor means in spaced and substantially parallel relation to said sheath, said insulation material having an insulation resistance variable with temperature, wherein said insulation material has an insulation resistance variable, over a temperature range of between approximately -30°C and 900°C between approximately 50,000 and 100 ohms and is such that a measurable and predictable voltage is generated in said temperature range between said conductor means and said sheath, said measurable and predictable voltage being indicative of the temperature existing along the entire cable length, or if temperatures are unequal, at the hottest point along the cable length when subjected to external temperatures, said voltage being generated continuously in said temperature range in a passive, self-generating manner, and said insulation material is obtainable by heating manganese dioxide in a vacuum furnace at a temperature of approximately 900°C, for a period of time of between approximately 3 and 10 minutes, with said vacuum furnace drawn to a vacuum of approximately 66.661 Pa (500 microns of mercury) or less.

14. A method of manufacturing a heat sensitive cable operable over a temperature range, comprising the steps of:

advancing at least one thermoelectric conductor means from a starting position through a given region lying generally forwardly and axially of said starting position;

advancing a strip of flat metal material past tubular sheath forming means so as to form a tubular sheath therefrom in a position surrounding said given region; concurrently depositing a sufficient amount of an insulation material within the formed sheath to fill said tubular formed sheath; and

advancing said sheath, said insulation material contained therein and said conductor means through means for reducing the diameter of said sheath and applying tension to said conductor means to compact said insulation material and permanently position said conductor means therein;

wherein prior to depositing said insulation material within the formed sheet (read "sheath"), said insulation material is obtained by the steps of:

providing manganese dioxide to be converted from a conductor into said insulation material and heating said manganese dioxide in a vacuum furnace at a temperature of approximately 900°C for a period of time of between approximately 3 and 10 minutes with said vacuum furnace drawn to a vacuum of approximately 66.661 Pa (500 microns of mercury) or less to convert said manganese dioxide to said insulation material having as said cable an insulation resistance variable with temperature in the range of between approximately 50,000 and 100 ohms within a temperature range of between -30°C and 900°C."

Claims 3 to 13 and 15 to 29 are dependent claims.

V. The Appellant submitted the following arguments:

The device claims comprise features of the fabrication of the insulation material because there is no other way for defining said features; the resistance values in the subject-matter in dispute are understood by the skilled person as being small as compared with the internal resistance of the voltameter instrument. Therefore, the claims in dispute are clear.

The prior art devices of E2, E5 or E1, are of the switching type; only temperature changes near predetermined temperature values can be detected. The heat sensitive cables in dispute allow the detection of changes of temperature in a broader range of temperature, between approximately -30°C and 900°C; the related resistance values (from 50,000 to 100 ohms) which are small as compared with the internal resistance of the voltameter instrument, allow predictable measurement of thermoelectric voltage, independently of the length of the cable, continuously over said whole range of temperature. This surprising effect results in particular from the used vacuum heating and the selection of the definite conditions of the treatment, which were not suggested by the prior art. The commercial success in a field wherein for reasons of security (fire detection) technique and not price is important is a further indication that the devices and method in dispute involve an inventive step.

The Appellant requested that the decision under appeal be set aside and that the patent be maintained on the basis of Claims 1 to 29 filed during oral proceedings, a description yet to be adapted and Figures 1 to 7 as granted.

VI. The Respondent requested that the appeal be dismissed. It argued as follows in support of his request:

Since the current claims have been submitted only during the oral proceedings, they should be disregarded.

Concerning the heat sensitive cables in dispute, it is to be noted that they are not correctly disclosed because their resistance values in ohms without the corresponding dimensions thereof are meaningless. Moreover, the principle of operation of the cables in dispute and the use of manganese oxides as insulation material therein are known from E2, whereby E5 indicated therein discloses specifically manganese dioxide. All the steps of the method of fabrication of the heat sensitive cable in dispute are known; for instance, E3 discloses steps of the heat treatment and compacting for the same type of powdered insulation material for the same type of device. Moreover, there is no directly derivable causal relation between the vacuum heat treatment and the specific properties of the negative coefficient insulation material and the contribution of this feature can be disregarded. Therefore, the skilled person intending to broaden the range of detection of the heat sensitive cables and thus to modify the negative coefficient of temperature of the resistance of the insulation material application would arrive at the device and method in dispute in an obvious way.

1. The appeal is admissible.

2. Disclosure of the invention

2.1. As credibly argued by the Appellant, the feature that the resistance of the cable in dispute has a resistance between approximately 50,000 and 100 ohms means for the skilled person that this resistance is very low as compared with the internal resistance of voltage measuring instruments employed to measure the electromotoric forces involved and resulting from the thermoelectric effect between the dissimilar conductors brought into contact by the decrease of resistance of the separating insulation material with temperature; this results in a voltage generated by the thermocouple which is largely independent from the actual resistance of the cable. Moreover, as convincingly argued by the Appellant, the feature that the powder of the cable in dispute is compacted refers to a small percentage of voids in the ceramic material and is generally understood so by persons skilled in this field. Therefore, the Board is satisfied that the patent in suit discloses the invention in a manner sufficiently clear and complete for it to be carried out by a person skilled in the art (Article 83 EPC).

3. Admission of new claims

3.1. The new set of claims filed at the beginning of the oral proceedings is admitted into the proceedings. The present claims in dispute only result from the combination of the claims which were opposed; they thus relate to a restricted class of devices and processes of manufacturing them and in particular do not concern any more the powdered insulation material. There was, thus, only a restriction of subject-matter making necessary no further documents or arguments. Therefore, their consideration can reasonably be expected from the Respondent who is familiar with the subject-matter of the patent in suit.

4. Allowability of the amendments

4.1. Claim 1 in dispute results from the combination of the features of Claim 1 and dependent Claims 3 to 5, all as granted. Independent Claim 2 in dispute results from the combination of the features of independent Claim 2 and dependent Claims 3 to 5, all as granted. Independent Claim 14 in dispute results from the combination of the features of independent Claim 17 and dependent Claims 18 and 22, all as granted. Therefore, the Board is satisfied that the claims of the European patent have not been amended in such a way as to extend the protection conferred (Article 123(3) EPC).

4.2. The Board is satisfied that the European patent has not been amended in such a way that it contains subject- matter which extends beyond the content of the application as filed (Article 123(2) EPC).

5. Clarity

5.1. For the sake of clarity, since in particular Claims 1 and 2 in dispute relate to different types of device, with a pair of conductors means or a conductor means, respectively, main claims with statement and characterising portion according to Rule 29(1) EPC are not appropriate. Moreover, the considerations in paragraph 2.1 above concerning particular features of the cables and method of manufacturing cables in dispute also apply for determining the meaning derivable from the corresponding claims. It is also to be noted that the patent in suit (column 7, lines 19 to 39) mentions that although the insulation material has a final chemical composition which is not known, it has, when compacted in final form, the resistance range in the operating temperature range specified in the claims in dispute. Since the only convenient way for expressing said material feature is based on the process of preparation of said material, it is acceptable. Therefore, the Board is satisfied that the claims are clear in the sense of Article 84 EPC.

6. Novelty

6.1. The novelty of the subject-matter of the claims in dispute has not been contested and also the Board has no objection in this respect (Article 54 EPC).

7. Inventive step

7.1. Claim 2

7.1.1. Since heat sensitive cables comprising manganese oxides are known from E2, it is the closest prior art document. Moreover, independent Claim 2 in dispute is treated first because E2 discloses with more details a cable structure with an elongated conductor means, i.e of the same type as in said claim.

A heat sensitive cable is known from E2 (see column 1, line 16 to column 2, line 2; column 2, line 14 to column 4, line 49; column 4, line 65 to column 5, line 14; Figures 1 and 2); it comprises an elongated substantially temperature resistant and moisture impervious tubular metallic sheath (11) and elongated conductor means (12) positioned within the sheath; the conductor means (12) is thermoelectrically dissimilar to the sheath (11), is disposed in spaced and substantially parallel relation to the sheath and extends out of at least one end of the sheath; insulation material (13) having a negative temperature coefficient has the function of positioning and electrically insulating the conductor means from the sheath; said insulation material (13) is a micropulverised material, rendered somewhat plastic by a subsequent treatment and then submitted to a process in which the sheath wherein the material is placed is drawn for reducing the diameter of the sheath to bring the inner wall thereof into firm contact with the spacing material, and thus the spacing material is compacted.

According to the indications in E2 (see column 2, lines 58 to 62) the insulation material can be fabricated by a process disclosed in E5 (see column 2, line 28 to column 5, line 65; Figures 1 to 3), and thus, said insulation material comprises heat treated manganese dioxide having an insulation resistance within the sheath variable with temperature, whereby a measurable temperature indicative voltage is continuously and passively self-generated.

It is to be noted that the electrical resistivity of the semiconductive spacing material of the cable known from E2 (see column 4, lines 29 to 49) can be selected, for a mentioned length of the cable, as being 100 ohms, i.e. within an insulation range bounded by a maximum insulation range of between approximately 100 and 50,000 ohms.

7.1.2. However, contrary to the insulation material of the cable of Claim 2 in dispute, the manganese dioxide of E2 and E5 is heat treated in air or in a reducing or neutral atmosphere such as hydrogen or nitrogen and there is no indication that it is submitted to any heating treatment in vacuum. As mentioned in paragraph 5.1 above, this feature of the preparation of the insulation material corresponds to specific material features thereof.

Moreover, there is no indication in E2 or E5 that the resistance of the cable should be approximately 50,000 ohms for a temperature of approximately -30°C.

7.1.3. As convincingly submitted by the Appellant, the device of E2 (see column 1, lines 16 to 23 and 34 to 38) is of a "switch" type nature because a "predetermined temperature" is repeatedly mentioned; moreover, since E2 indicates that the material can be fabricated according to the teaching in E5 and since E5 (see in particular column 3, lines 71 to 74) stresses the feature of "a family of cables using the same basic metal oxide to meet specific requirements of different fire-detection applications", it is derivable that a predetermined temperature is meant for each cable of said family. The switching character of the device fabricated with an insulation material according to E5 (see column 5, lines 50 to 65; Figure 3) is also derivable from the values of measured resistance of the cable using manganese oxides, which provide a very steep slope (for instance 100,000/10, i.e. 10,000 for a range of temperature of about 400°F, i.e. about 220°C) as compared with a ratio of 50,000/100, i.e. 500 for a range of temperature of about 1000°C in the patent in suit. It is also to be noted that the operating range for devices fabricated according to E5 (see column 3, lines 62 to 71) is from approximately 200°F to 1000°F, i.e. 93°C to 537°C as compared with approximately between -30°C and 900°C for the cable in dispute. Extrapolating the values derivable from the curves of Figure 3 shows that the resistance of the cable for -30°C would be in any case much higher than 50,000 ohms.

7.1.4. Thus, as indicated in the patent in suit (see column 1, lines 30 to 42 and column 1, line 63 to column 2, line 3), the known devices have a limited range of operation in temperature and are thus not versatile. It is the object of the invention to provide a heat sensitive cable allowing continuous control over a broad range of temperature, and namely between approximately -30°C and 900°C. The non-switching character of the cable in dispute, i.e. the gentle slope of the change in resistance as a function of temperature resulting from the particular method of treatment of the insulation material, credibly allows continuous predictable measurement over said wider range of temperature.

7.1.5. There is no indication in E2 or E5 for treating a semiconductive oxide such as manganese dioxide in vacuum. Moreover, such a teaching cannot be derived from the other prior art documents concerning heat sensitive cables. For instance, it is derivable from E1 (see page 2, line 11 to page 3, line 86 and more in particular page 3, lines 44 to 61; Figure 1) that the insulation material, i.e. magnesium oxide (and not manganese oxide), of the disclosed heat sensitive cable is mainly an inert spacing material and that it is the impurity, e.g. sodium chloride, which provides the suitable resistance/temperature characteristics; E3 (see column 4, line 46 to column 8, line 26; Figures 1 to 5) also discloses an insulation material which may be anhydrous metallic oxide such as magnesium oxide but does not provide any information about manganese dioxide or vacuum heat treatment.

Indeed, the treatment of material comprising manganese dioxide for thermosensitive electric components is known from E4 (see column 1, lines 15 to column 2, line 3; column 2, line 68 to column 5, line 33), but in relation with different devices and namely conventional thermistors, wherein the resistance of the material varies with temperature; moreover, there is no indication that the powdered crystalline material of the insulation material of E4, which is suspended in a thermoplastic binder, is compacted or submitted to a vacuum heating treatment.

It is to be noted that vacuum heat treatments of materials were not unknown to people skilled in the art; however, as credibly submitted by the Appellant, the required properties of the insulation material are not obtained with any vacuum treatment but are directly related to the precise limited conditions specified in Claim 2 in dispute and there is thus a surprising effect depending from, i.e. causally resulting from an additional selection.

7.1.6. Therefore, the subject-matter of Claim 2 in dispute involves an inventive step in the sense of Article 56 EPC.

7.2. Claim 1

7.2.1. A heat sensitive cable having a pair of conductors in a sheath and forming a thermocouple with a separating insulation material which can become more conductive when heated, is known from E2 (see column 4, lines 50 to 64; Figure 3); the known device is thus of the same type as that of Claim 1 in dispute. However, as mentioned above, neither E2 nor any of the other prior art documents suggests the specific vacuum heat treatment necessary for obtaining an insulation material having the required properties and, thus, the subject-matter of Claim 1 also involves an inventive step.

7.3. Claim 14

7.3.1. Independent Claim 14 in dispute concerns a method for manufacturing a heat sensitive cable and has the same features as those recited in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in dispute, and also involves an inventive step for the same reasons.

7.4. Claims 3 to 13 and 15 to 29 are also allowable due to their dependence on the main claims in dispute.

8. Therefore, since, taking into consideration the amendments made by the Proprietor, the patent and the invention to which it relates meet the requirements of the Convention, the patent is to be maintained in amended form (Article 102(3) EPC).

Order

ORDER

For these reasons, it is decided that:

1. The decision under appeal is set aside.

2. The case is remitted to the first instance with the order to maintain the patent on the basis of Claims 1 to 29 filed during oral proceedings of 17 June 1993, a description yet to be adapted and Figures 1 to 7 as granted.

Footer - Service & support
  • Service & support
    • FAQ
    • Contact us
    • Subscription centre
    • Official holidays
    • Publications
    • Procedural communications
    • Ordering
    • Glossary
Footer - More links
  • Jobs & careers
  • Press centre
  • Single Access Portal
  • Procurement
  • Boards of Appeal
SoMe facebook 0
European Patent Office
EPO Jobs
SoMe instagram
EuropeanPatentOffice
SoMe linkedIn
European Patent Office
EPO Jobs
EPO Procurement
SoMe twitter
EPOorg
EPOjobs
SoMe youtube
TheEPO
Footer
  • Legal notice
  • Terms of use
  • Data protection and privacy
  • Accessibility