European Patent Office

T 1465/23 (Isolated islands of cryptography/GN HEARING) du 24.06.2025

Identifiant européen de la jurisprudence
ECLI:EP:BA:2025:T146523.20250624
Date de la décision
24 juin 2025
Numéro de l'affaire
T 1465/23
Requête en révision de
-
Numéro de la demande
15175138.5
Langue de la procédure
Anglais
Distribution
Distribuées aux présidents des chambres de recours (C)
Téléchargement
Décision en anglais
Versions JO
Aucun lien JO trouvé
Autres décisions pour cet affaire
-
Résumés pour cette décision
Résumé de Article 056 EPC
Titre de la demande
Hearing device and method of hearing device communication
Nom du demandeur
GN Hearing A/S
Nom de l'opposant
Oticon A/S
Chambre
3.5.05
Sommaire
-
Mots-clés
Claim construction - description and drawings "consulted" and "referred to" for defining the skilled reader of a claim
Inventive step - main and auxiliary requests (no): no credible technical effect over the whole scope claimed; concept of "substantially over the whole scope claimed" not followed; distinguishing features relate to arbitrary and non-functional modifications; reference made to UPC_CFI_1/2023, Central Division Munich
Remittal - (no): no "special reasons"
Referral to the Enlarged Board of Appeal - (no): questions on the problem-solution approach and the general applicability of G 1/19 and G 2/21 can be answered on the basis of the EPC and the existing jurisprudence
Exergue
If there is no technical effect that is credibly derivable from the wording of a claim on the basis of its distinguishing features, it is usually unnecessary to - artificially - formulate an (unsolved) objective technical problem, such as finding an "alternative way to achieve a (non-existent) technical effect".
In such cases, the distinguishing features simply constitute arbitrary or non-functional modifications of the available prior art which cannot involve an inventive step within the meaning of Article 56 EPC (see points 2.7 and 3.3.3 of the Reasons).

Order

For these reasons it is decided that:

1. The request for a referral to the Enlarged Board of Appeal is refused.

2. The decision under appeal is set aside.

3. The patent is revoked.