EPO substantive and procedural matters: recent changes

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• Evidence and plausibility

  • Recorded webinar: Evidence and plausibility

    
    

    This lecture looks at different aspects of assessing evidence, ranging from the role of machine translations in both grant and opposition proceedings to the increasing importance of correctly assessing internet disclosures and establishing the publication date. It also covers plausibility in terms of sufficiency of disclosure, inventive step and post-published evidence.

    Speaker: Britta Kley

  • Recorded webinar: Evidence and plausibility Streaming
  • Presentation 'Evidence and plausibility' File
  • Further material: Warner-Lambert Company LLC v Generics (UK) Ltd t/a Mylan, [2018] UKSC 56, see pages 8 - 24 File

• Essential features

  • Recorded webinar: Essential features

     

    The importance of essential features affects compliance with different requirements in the EPC. This lecture considers the case where implicit features are essential features of the invention. Examples of objections relating to missing essential features are provided, as well as cases where the removal of features from claims is allowable. The speaker also explains the essentiality test.

    Speaker: Luigi Petrucci

  • Recorded webinar: Essential features Streaming
  • Presentation 'Essential features' File
  • Further material: Working example for the webinar 'Essential features' File

• Computer-implemented inventions

  • Recorded webinar: Computer-implemented inventions

    
    

    In EPO practice, the patentability of computer-implemented inventions is assessed in accordance with two consecutive legal requirements. The lecture first explains this basic principle, then it moves on to specific cases in the following technical fields:

    • mathematical methods
    • artificial intelligence and machine learning
    • schemes, rules and methods for performing mental acts, playing games and doing business
    • programs for computers
    • presentations of information and GUIs

    Speaker: Yasemin Türkeli

  • Recorded webinar: Computer-implemented inventions Streaming
  • Presentation 'Computer-implemented inventions' File

• The final stage of the grant procedure

  • Recorded webinar: The final stage of the grant procedure

    
    

    When it comes to obtaining the best possible protection, the final stages of examination are often crucial for patent applicants. This lecture looks at when and how the examining division itself can propose amendments and how to react to such proposals. Additionally, the speaker analyses the option to waive a further communication under Rule 71(3) EPC. He also looks at the role of third-party observations and what to do with errors in application documents that are discovered at a late stage.

    Speaker: Jaime Jiménez

  • Recorded webinar: The final stage of the grant procedure Streaming
  • Presentation 'The final stage of the grant procedure' File