G 0002/10 (Disclaimer/SCRIPPS) of 30.08.2011

European Case Law Identifier

ECLI:EP:BA:2011:G000210.20110830

Date of decision

30 August 2011

Case number

G 0002/10

Petition for review of

T 1068/07 2010-06-25

Application number

98920015.9

IPC class

C12Q 1/68

Language of proceedings

English

Distribution

Published in the EPO's Official Journal (A)

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Decision in English

OJ versions

Other decisions for this case

Abstracts for this decision

Application title

Enzymatic DNA molecules

Applicant name

THE SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Opponent name

Board

Headnote

The question referred to the Enlarged Board of Appeal is answered as follows:

1a. An amendment to a claim by the introduction of a disclaimer disclaiming from it subject-matter disclosed in the application as filed infringes Article 123(2) EPC if the subject-matter remaining in the claim after the introduction of the disclaimer is not, be it explicitly or implicitly, directly and unambiguously disclosed to the skilled person using common general knowledge, in the application as filed.

1b. Determining whether or not that is the case requires a technical assessment of the overall technical circumstances of the individual case under consideration, taking into account the nature and extent of the disclosure in the application as filed, the nature and extent of the disclaimed subject-matter and its relationship with the subject-matter remaining in the claim after the amendment.

Relevant legal provisions

Keywords

Admissibility of referral (yes)
Construction of referred question - term disclaimer - subject-matter instead of embodiment
G 1/03 and G 2/03 relating to disclaimers for disclosed subject-matter (no)
General definition for assessment under Article 123(2) EPC - applicable to disclaimers for disclosed subject-matter (yes)
Point of reference: subject-matter remaining claimed
Technical assessment of overall circumstances of the case required - same test as for positive features
Disclaimed subject-matter disclosed as part of the invention - not relevant
Importance of uniform concept of disclosure and uniform determination of rights derivable therefrom

Catchword

Cited cases

G 0003/89 G 0011/91 G 0001/93 G 0002/98 G 0001/03 G 0002/03 G 0001/05 G 0001/06 G 0001/07 T 0004/80 T 0313/86 T 0170/87 T 0448/93 T 0615/95 T 0323/97 T 0451/99 T 0507/99 T 1050/99 T 1102/00 T 1139/00 T 1107/06

Citing cases

G 0002/12 G 0002/13 G 0001/15 G 0001/16 G 0002/21 R 0008/13 R 0003/17 R 0006/18 R 0004/23 R 0012/23 R 0020/24 R 0021/24 T 1242/06 T 1068/07 T 1170/07 T 0971/08 T 1049/08 T 1870/08 T 1911/08 T 2018/08 T 2165/08 T 0302/09 T 0748/09 T 0964/09 T 1042/09 T 1045/09 T 1157/09 T 1176/09 T 1393/09 T 1447/09 T 1457/09 T 1510/09 T 1779/09 T 2102/09 T 2273/09 T 0112/10 T 0303/10 T 0759/10 T 1100/10 T 1227/10 T 1246/10 T 1280/10 T 1306/10 T 1570/10 T 1643/10 T 1946/10 T 2237/10 T 2287/10 T 2457/10 T 2461/10 T 2464/10 T 2537/10 T 0015/11 T 0074/11 T 0239/11 T 0704/11 T 0831/11 T 0938/11 T 1147/11 T 1151/11 T 1222/11 T 1226/11 T 1229/11 T 1247/11 T 1365/11 T 1651/11 T 1830/11 T 1839/11 T 1840/11 T 2130/11 T 2506/11 T 2561/11 T 2585/11 T 2618/11 T 0046/12 T 0102/12 T 0248/12 T 0336/12 T 0351/12 T 0401/12 T 0442/12 T 0447/12 T 0461/12 T 0562/12 T 0598/12 T 0632/12 T 0831/12 T 1329/12 T 1363/12 T 1436/12 T 1472/12 T 1525/12 T 1580/12 T 1720/12 T 1791/12 T 2043/12 T 2174/12 T 2314/12 T 2599/12 T 0078/13 T 0389/13 T 0557/13 T 0558/13 T 0560/13 T 0589/13 T 0606/13 T 0637/13 T 0802/13 T 0850/13 T 0865/13 T 0872/13 T 0945/13 T 1007/13 T 1085/13 T 1149/13 T 1165/13 T 1267/13 T 1279/13 T 1319/13 T 1441/13 T 1548/13 T 1634/13 T 1678/13 T 1710/13 T 1808/13 T 1825/13 T 1852/13 T 1856/13 T 2002/13 T 2089/13 T 2119/13 T 2415/13 T 2418/13 T 2440/13 T 0060/14 T 0076/14 T 0213/14 T 0318/14 T 0330/14 T 0343/14 T 0437/14 T 0657/14 T 0723/14 T 0894/14 T 1156/14 T 1224/14 T 1308/14 T 1318/14 T 1319/14 T 1458/14 T 1461/14 T 1462/14 T 1718/14 T 1775/14 T 1810/14 T 1856/14 T 1872/14 T 1955/14 T 2046/14 T 2171/14 T 0046/15 T 0137/15 T 0156/15 T 0159/15 T 0262/15 T 0314/15 T 0432/15 T 0437/15 T 0442/15 T 0553/15 T 0588/15 T 0628/15 T 0700/15 T 0734/15 T 0825/15 T 0916/15 T 0959/15 T 1075/15 T 1112/15 T 1141/15 T 1146/15 T 1150/15 T 1302/15 T 1354/15 T 1362/15 T 1454/15 T 1465/15 T 1469/15 T 1476/15 T 1525/15 T 1528/15 T 1629/15 T 1689/15 T 1745/15 T 1757/15 T 1805/15 T 2000/15 T 2100/15 T 2115/15 T 2160/15 T 0005/16 T 0085/16 T 0141/16 T 0152/16 T 0189/16 T 0210/16 T 0278/16 T 0344/16 T 0413/16 T 0419/16 T 0422/16 T 0703/16 T 0712/16 T 0782/16 T 0784/16 T 0795/16 T 0833/16 T 0838/16 T 0903/16 T 0921/16 T 0954/16 T 0975/16 T 1076/16 T 1089/16 T 1131/16 T 1189/16 T 1259/16 T 1365/16 T 1375/16 T 1484/16 T 1583/16 T 1666/16 T 1711/16 T 1740/16 T 1753/16 T 1779/16 T 1781/16 T 1870/16 T 1993/16 T 2015/16 T 2072/16 T 2197/16 T 2282/16 T 2351/16 T 2514/16 T 2635/16 T 0004/17 T 0099/17 T 0172/17 T 0223/17 T 0304/17 T 0437/17 T 0522/17 T 0650/17 T 0714/17 T 0853/17 T 0890/17 T 0902/17 T 0951/17 T 1031/17 T 1071/17 T 1121/17 T 1125/17 T 1257/17 T 1408/17 T 1438/17 T 1524/17 T 1695/17 T 1851/17 T 1869/17 T 1894/17 T 1905/17 T 1937/17 T 1962/17 T 2078/17 T 2087/17 T 2109/17 T 2182/17 T 2268/17 T 2494/17 T 2524/17 T 2608/17 T 2743/17 T 0043/18 T 0083/18 T 0105/18 T 0116/18 T 0149/18 T 0155/18 T 0210/18 T 0317/18 T 0335/18 T 0353/18 T 0363/18 T 0774/18 T 0958/18 T 1008/18 T 1249/18 T 1255/18 T 1287/18 T 1303/18 T 1347/18 T 1356/18 T 1416/18 T 1473/18 T 1556/18 T 1679/18 T 1736/18 T 1820/18 T 1854/18 T 1875/18 T 1919/18 T 1954/18 T 2027/18 T 2092/18 T 2161/18 T 2327/18 T 2350/18 T 2353/18 T 2421/18 T 2645/18 T 2673/18 T 2790/18 T 2842/18 T 2988/18 T 3014/18 T 3018/18 T 0009/19 T 0035/19 T 0071/19 T 0206/19 T 0538/19 T 0539/19 T 0573/19 T 0659/19 T 0743/19 T 0744/19 T 0855/19 T 0876/19 T 0915/19 T 0969/19 T 1011/19 T 1015/19 T 1081/19 T 1120/19 T 1134/19 T 1202/19 T 1219/19 T 1283/19 T 1296/19 T 1403/19 T 1473/19 T 1529/19 T 1533/19 T 1566/19 T 1598/19 T 1617/19 T 1644/19 T 1654/19 T 1770/19 T 1771/19 T 1800/19 T 1973/19 T 2185/19 T 2358/19 T 2405/19 T 2411/19 T 2432/19 T 2476/19 T 2527/19 T 2540/19 T 2680/19 T 2683/19 T 2730/19 T 2817/19 T 2835/19 T 2904/19 T 3035/19 T 3139/19 T 3167/19 T 3196/19 T 3240/19 T 3272/19 T 0049/20 T 0110/20 T 0119/20 T 0239/20 T 0246/20 T 0314/20 T 0342/20 T 0350/20 T 0367/20 T 0446/20 T 0471/20 T 0486/20 T 0487/20 T 0662/20 T 0724/20 T 0768/20 T 0847/20 T 0911/20 T 0921/20 T 1052/20 T 1270/20 T 1286/20 T 1336/20 T 1688/20 T 1709/20 T 1773/20 T 1813/20 T 1819/20 T 1905/20 T 2028/20 T 2044/20 T 0056/21 T 0068/21 T 0088/21 T 0126/21 T 0324/21 T 0369/21 T 0382/21 T 0467/21 T 0498/21 T 0506/21 T 0718/21 T 0727/21 T 0782/21 T 0795/21 T 0819/21 T 1018/21 T 1047/21 T 1133/21 T 1166/21 T 1211/21 T 1261/21 T 1266/21 T 1289/21 T 1322/21 T 1360/21 T 1381/21 T 1408/21 T 1424/21 T 1477/21 T 1577/21 T 1586/21 T 1589/21 T 1638/21 T 1672/21 T 1738/21 T 1762/21 T 1827/21 T 1841/21 T 1864/21 T 1955/21 T 2047/21 T 2084/21 T 2109/21 T 2156/21 T 2171/21 T 0026/22 T 0035/22 T 0136/22 T 0145/22 T 0170/22 T 0273/22 T 0369/22 T 0412/22 T 0424/22 T 0433/22 T 0439/22 T 0446/22 T 0533/22 T 0557/22 T 0563/22 T 0582/22 T 0678/22 T 0719/22 T 0762/22 T 0903/22 T 0957/22 T 0989/22 T 1032/22 T 1050/22 T 1054/22 T 1097/22 T 1247/22 T 1332/22 T 1376/22 T 1660/22 T 1754/22 T 1853/22 T 1859/22 T 1870/22 T 1964/22 T 1999/22 T 2089/22 T 2103/22 T 2241/22 T 2242/22 T 2436/22 T 2467/22 T 2533/22 T 2557/22 T 2594/22 T 2595/22 T 0183/23 T 0211/23 T 0217/23 T 0337/23 T 0350/23 T 0441/23 T 0579/23 T 0633/23 T 0641/23 T 0672/23 T 0738/23 T 0745/23 T 0787/23 T 0791/23 T 0818/23 T 0824/23 T 0863/23 T 0885/23 T 0891/23 T 0911/23 T 0974/23 T 0992/23 T 1052/23 T 1065/23 T 1103/23 T 1128/23 T 1164/23 T 1173/23 T 1227/23 T 1265/23 T 1402/23 T 1428/23 T 1535/23 T 1543/23 T 1552/23 T 1559/23 T 1616/23 T 1664/23 T 1693/23 T 1733/23 T 1758/23 T 1873/23 T 1883/23 T 1919/23 T 1926/23 T 1936/23 T 1945/23 T 1989/23 T 2001/23 T 0161/24 T 0250/24 T 0252/24 T 0345/24 T 0365/24 T 0374/24 T 0435/24 T 0514/24 T 0602/24 T 0653/24 T 0777/24 T 1009/24 T 1318/24 T 1382/24

ORDER

For these reasons it is decided that:

The question referred to the Enlarged Board of Appeal is answered as follows: