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Date of decision
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16 October 2003
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Case number
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T 0643/00
- 3.5.1
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Application number
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93300749.4
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Title of the application
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Image processing apparatus and method therefor
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Applicant name
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CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
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Keywords
Patentable invention (yes)
Novelty (yes)
Inventive step (yes)
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Catchwords:
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An arrangement of menu items (or images) on a screen may be
determined by technical considerations. Such considerations may
aim at enabling the user to manage a technical task, such as
searching and retrieving images stored in an image processing
apparatus, in a more efficient or faster manner, even if an
evaluation by the user on a mental level is involved. Although
such evaluation per se does not fall within the meaning of
"invention" pursuant to Article 52 EPC, the mere fact that
mental activities are involved does not necessarily qualify
subject matter as non-technical since any technical solutions in
the end aim at providing tools which serve, assist or replace
human activities of different kinds, including mental ones.
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