[Patents] definition of 'invention' for Art 52

[PILCH Hartmut phm@a2e.de]

Under http://swpat.ffii.org/stidi/epue52/ you find a somewhat complicated
proposal for rewriting Art 52 EPC.

The following definition is simpler and needs only one sentence for
everything:

        An invention is a teaching about how to use natural forces in a novel
        way to directly cause a result which could not have been predicted by 
        deduction from prior knowledge.

This also links non-obviousness aka inventivity directly to the invention
concept.

Is there any reason not to write this into EPC Art 52?
Any better formulation?

Otherwise, I think that this should be written onto the consultation page and
people should be asked to endorse this definition, for use in the EC directive
as well as in Art 52.

Art 52 would then be

(1) European patents are granted for inventions.
    An invention is a teaching about how to use natural forces in a novel
    way to directly cause a result, which could not have been predicted by
    calculatory deduction from prior knowledge.
    An invention must be new, be based on inventive activity and be destined 
for
    industrial application.
 
(2) Especially the following are not inventions in the above sense
    a discoveries as well as scientific and mathematical theories and methods
    b ...
    c ...
    d ... computer programs
    e manual or intellectual services rendered by medical doctors, lawyers, 
...


(3) [ deleted and transferred to the guidelines ]
(4) [ transferred to 2e above ]

---
German version of the invention definition:

        Eine Erfindung ist eine Lehre darueber, wie man Naturkraefte in
        neuartiger Weise zur unmittelbaren Verursachung eines nach
        bisherigem Wissensstand nicht rechnerisch vorhersehbaren Erfolges
        einsetzen kann.

What about French and other languages?

-phm