Als Erfindungen im Sinne des Absatzes 1 werden insbesondere nicht angesehen: Pläne, Regeln und Verfahren für gedankliche Tätigkeiten, für Spiele oder für geschäftliche Tätigkeiten sowie Programme für Datenverarbeitungsanlagen;
Art. 52 (1) EPÜ → Patentierbare Erfindungen
Art. 52 (2) EPÜ → Nicht patentierbare Erfindungen
Art. 52 (3) EPÜ → Beschränkung des Patentierungsausschlusses
Art. 53 EPÜ → Ausnahmen von der Patentierbarkeit
In assessing inventive step of such a „mixed“ invention the Board adopts the approach as set out in T 1543/06 (Gameaccount), reasons 2, which is based foremost on T 641/00 (OJ EPO 2003, 352). Thus, only those features that contribute to technical character are to be taken into account when assessing inventive step.1)
However, the mere technical implementation of something excluded (game rules as in the present case, for example) cannot form the basis for inventive step. Decisive is how excluded subject-matter is technically implemented, and whether that implementation is obvious in the light of the prior art. As explained in reasons 2.7 to 2.9 of T 1543/06, such a consideration focuses on any further technical effects of the implementation of the excluded subject-matter over and above those inherent in the excluded subject-matter itself.2)