T 0605/97 (Liquid crystal display device/SHARP) of 31.05.2000
- European Case Law Identifier
- ECLI:EP:BA:2000:T060597.20000531
- Date of decision
- 31 May 2000
- Case number
- T 0605/97
- Petition for review of
- -
- Application number
- 88303653.5
- IPC class
- G02F 1/133
- Language of proceedings
- English
- Distribution
- Distributed to board chairmen and members (B)
- Download
- Decision in English
- OJ versions
- No OJ links found
- Other decisions for this case
- -
- Abstracts for this decision
- -
- Application title
- Liquid crystal display device
- Applicant name
- SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
- Opponent name
- Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. - Board
- 3.4.02
- Headnote
- -
- Relevant legal provisions
- European Patent Convention Art 114(2) 1973European Patent Convention Art 123(2) 1973European Patent Convention Art 56 1973European Patent Convention Art 83 1973
- Keywords
- Inventive step - main request and first to third auxiliary requests (no): obvious selection of known features
Meaning of substantially equal - Catchword
- As a rule, "technical equality" has the meaning of "identity within inevitable measurement errors or manufacturing tolerances". Hence, for a technical expert it goes without saying that those errors or tolerances are included if equality is stipulated in a technical sense The addition of "substantially" to "equal" only illustrates the technical facts for a layman or - in other words - translates those technical facts into daily language without changing their meaning. That is why "substantially" is frequently added as a matter of precaution in the patent field so as to avoid any misunderstanding by less technical readers. Technically speaking, the addition normally does not make any difference (see Reasons for the Decision, 6.2).
- Cited cases
- -
- Citing cases
- T 0850/17
ORDER
For these reasons it is decided that:
The appeal is dismissed.