European Patent Office

T 1145/09 (Stay of proceedings/FISHER-ROSEMOUNT) du 17.06.2010

Identifiant européen de la jurisprudence
ECLI:EP:BA:2010:T114509.20100617
Date de la décision
17 juin 2010
Numéro de l'affaire
T 1145/09
Requête en révision de
-
Numéro de la demande
99115002.0
Classe de la CIB
G05B 19/418
Langue de la procédure
Anglais
Distribution
Publiées au Journal officiel de l'OEB (A)
Téléchargement
Décision en anglais
Résumés pour cette décision
-
Titre de la demande
System for use in a field device management
Nom du demandeur
Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc.
Nom de l'opposant
Endress+Hauser (Deutschland) AG+Co. KG
Chambre
3.5.03
Sommaire
-
Mots-clés
Request for correction of grant decision filed after initiation of opposition proceedings - admissibility - competence - referral of questions to the Enlarged Board of Appeal
Exergue
The following questions are referred to the Enlarged Board of Appeal for decision:
1. Is a patent proprietor's request for correction of the grant decision under Rule 140 EPC which was filed after the initiation of opposition proceedings admissible? In particular, should the absence of a time limit in Rule 140 EPC be interpreted such that a correction under Rule 140 EPC of errors in decisions can be made at any time?
2. If such a request is considered to be admissible, does the examining division have to decide on this request in ex parte proceedings in a binding manner so that the opposition division is precluded from examining whether the correction decision amounts to an unallowable amendment of the granted patent?
Affaires citantes
T 1644/10T 0084/16

ORDER

For these reasons it is decided that:

The following questions are referred to the Enlarged Board of Appeal for decision:

1. Is a patent proprietor's request for correction of the grant decision under Rule 140 EPC which was filed after the initiation of opposition proceedings admissible? In particular, should the absence of a time limit in Rule 140 EPC be interpreted such that a correction under Rule 140 EPC of errors in decisions can be made at any time?

2. If such a request is considered to be admissible, does the examining division have to decide on this request in ex parte proceedings in a binding manner so that the opposition division is precluded from examining whether the correction decision amounts to an unallowable amendment of the granted patent?