Re: [Patents] EPO T258/03: business methods patentable

[Jonas Maebe <jonas.maebe@ugent.be>]

On 20 aug 2004, at 01:31, Hartmut Pilch wrote:

> Our European Associate advises that the EPO Technical Board of Appeal,
> in the recent Hitachi decision T258/03, has extended the teaching of 
> the
> Pensions Benefit case, T931/95, to say that methods of doing business
> are potentially patentable provided the claimed method contains
> technical features.

I think this is the best quote from that decision (page 16 of 
http://legal.european-patent-office.org/dg3/pdf/t030258ex1.pdf):

  'The Board is aware that its comparatively broad interpretation of 
the term "invention" in Article 52(1) EPC will include activities which 
are so familiar that their technical character tends to be overlooked, 
such as the act of writing using pen and paper.'

When will we get a directive on "pen and paper-implemented inventions" 
to "codify the status quo" and to prevent a further drift towards 
patents on "writings as such"? :)


Jonas