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Date of decision: 15 November 2006

Case number: T 0154/04 - 3.5.01

Application number: 94912949.8

IPC class: G06F15/21

Proceedings language: EN

Title of the application Method of estimating product distribution

Applicant name DUNS LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.

Opponent name -

Headnote I. Methods of business research are excluded "as such" from patentability under Article 52(2)(c) and (3) EPC. II. Gathering and evaluating data as part of a business research method do not convey technical character to the business research method if such steps do not contribute to the technical solution of a technical problem.

Articles and rules EPC1973 Art 52(1) EPC 1973 Art 52(2) EPC 1973 Art 52(3) EPC 1973 Art 54 EPC 1973 Art 56 EPC 1973 Art 112(1)(a) EPC 1973 Art 112(1)(b) EPC 1973 Art 123(2) EPC Art 52(1)

Keywords Requirement of invention - method, main request (no) Requirement of invention - method, auxiliary request 1 (yes) Inventive step - system, main and auxiliary requests 1 to 3 (no) Amendments - claim 1, auxiliary requests 4 and 5 (inadmissible) Remittal for further prosecution (refused) Referral to the Enlarged Board of Appeal (refused)

Cited decisions G 0005/83 G 0002/88 G 0001/95 G 0001/98 G 0003/98 G 0001/03 G 0001/04 T 0208/84 T 0022/85 T 0769/92 T 1002/92 T 0212/94 T 0953/94 T 0931/95 T 1173/97 T 0641/00 T 0619/02 T 0764/02 T 0172/03 T 0258/03 T 0531/03 T 0930/05 Judgement of the German Federal Court of Justice X ZB 20/03 - elektronischer Zahlungsverkehr of 24 May 2004 Judgement of the England and Wales Court of Appeal in re Aerotel Ltd v Telco Holdings Ltd (and others) and Macrossan’s Patent Application [2006] EWCA Civ 1371 Judgement of the England and Wales Court of Appeal in re Genentech Inc.'s Patent [1989] R.P.C. 147.

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