The case<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe case at question refers to the computer\nimplemented simulation of a certain number of pedestrians in a building based\non a physical model of the pedestrians. Each pedestrian is represented in the\nfollowing way: He or she wants to get from point A to point B, but is hindered\nto do so by various problems or circumstances. Typical influences on the\npedestrian are other pedestrians, as well as objects which are located between\nA and B. Furthermore, the pedestrian is considered as a physical model with parameters\nsuch as freedom of movement, pace and the like. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Simulations like these help engineers when\nconstructing a new building, i.e. when concepting a design of the building such\nthat pedestrian flows within the building are optimized. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is obvious that such simulations in case of few\npedestrians can principally be made in one\u2019s mind or on paper, however, when it\ncomes to a large number of people, it is principally impossible to make a\nsimulation and the use of a computer is inevitable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the present case, the examination department in the\nfirst instance disagreed that there is an inventive activity, without naming\nany documents, and reasoned that there is no \u201ctechnical\u201d problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Technical Board of Appeal of the second instance\ndid not see any uniform jurisdiction enabling it to decide on the present case.\nThe strict observance of the criteria in G 3\/08 would lead to the result that\nthere is no further technical effect. Then, a rejection due to lack of an\ninventive activity must be expected. With respect to simulation processes,\nthere is, however, also the decision T 1227\/05, which deals with the numeric\nsimulation of circuits which are subject to white noise. Both in the Guidelines\nfor Examination at the European Patent Office as well as online at the EPO\u2019s\nhomepage, this decision is cited as a positive example regarding the presence\nof an inventive activity in case of simulation processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Technical Board of Appeal explained in detail the\nsimilarities of the situations in T 1227\/05 to the present case (electrodes in\nelectric circuits vs. pedestrians in the building). In simple words, T 1227\/05\nsays that due to the speed of the simulation process, an extensive class of\ndrafts can be tested virtually and be examined for promising candidates, so\nthat it can be assessed before production takes place if the construction of a\nprototype is promising. Due to the fact that with the circuits simulated there,\na sufficiently determined class of technical objects would be defined, a patent\ncould be granted on the simulation process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Technical Board of Appeal which deals with the\ncurrent case points out that it could not be the task of the European Patent\nOffice to provide patent protection for simulation processes, if this was not\noriginally intended by the legislator. The Enlarged Board of Appeal would\neither have to decide on overruling T 1227\/05 or decide that in case of\nsimulation processes, special criteria must be used which would then have to be\nestablished. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The submitted question<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nIt was primarily asked if the computer implemented\nsimulation of a technical system or process as such can solve a technical\nproblem, which generates a technical effect, which can be found outside the\nimplementation of the simulation at the computer when the simulation as such is\nclaimed. This would have the effect that the single steps of the simulation\n(typically mathematical formulas) can be considered in the assessment of the inventive\nstep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was also asked which relevant criteria there is for\nassessing the question if a computer implemented simulation solves a technical\nproblem and if it is sufficient for this purpose that the simulation itself is\nbased at least in parts on technical principles which are subject to the\nunderlying simulated system or process. In a third question, the connection to\na design process (here a building architecture), in which the simulation is\nused, is made more concrete, for example in order to verify a design. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Comments<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\nWe would like to point out that the Examiners at the\nEPO in the first instance often take the easy way out. They do not search for\nany or only for remote state of the art which refers to a computer implemented\ninvention and argue in very general terms that a technical task is missing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It can be imagined that not receiving any search\nresult regarding a patent application is quite unsatisfactory for the\napplicant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
While some years ago, it might not have been possible yet\nto search for sensible state of the art regarding such simulation processes, it\nshould nowadays easily be possible to search for close state for the Examiners\nof the EPO. This is last but not least due to the large number of patent\napplications which were made in this sector in these last few years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the appeal instance agreed with the applicant, the\ncase would at least be referred back to the first instance, asking it to carry\nout a complete search.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In our view, computer implemented inventions should be examined by applying the known criteria for examining novelty and by applying the problem-solution approach when assessing inventive activity. This requires at least some knowledge of the relevant state of the art. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dipl.-Phys. Thorsten Br\u00fcntjen
Patent attorney <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In a current case, the Enlarged Board of Appeal is supposed to create new jurisdiction with respect to computer implemented simulation processes. The case The case at question refers to the computer implemented simulation of a certain number of pedestrians in a building based on a physical model of the pedestrians. Each pedestrian is represented […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ocean_front_end_style_editor":"no","ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"0","ocean_second_sidebar":"0","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"0","ocean_custom_header_template":"0","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"0","ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"off","ocean_gallery_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1169","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-allgemein","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n
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