| European Case Law Identifier: | ECLI:EP:BA:2016:T182113.20160318 | ||||||||
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| Date of decision: | 18 March 2016 | ||||||||
| Case number: | T 1821/13 | ||||||||
| Application number: | 04804452.3 | ||||||||
| IPC class: | G01D 5/14 G01D 5/16 |
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| Language of proceedings: | EN | ||||||||
| Distribution: | D | ||||||||
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| Title of application: | POSITION SENSOR | ||||||||
| Applicant name: | NCTEngineering GmbH | ||||||||
| Opponent name: | METHODE ELECTRONICS, Inc. | ||||||||
| Board: | 3.4.02 | ||||||||
| Headnote: | - | ||||||||
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| Keywords: | Lapse of patent in all designated states - termination of appeal proceedings | ||||||||
| Catchwords: |
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Summary of Facts and Submissions
I. The opponent (appellant) lodged an appeal against the decision of the opposition division maintaining European patent No. 1706709 in amended form.
II. In a communication of the registrar dated 13 November 2014, the appellant was informed that the patent had meanwhile lapsed in all designated Contracting States, and that the appeal proceedings would be continued at the appellant's request, provided that within two months from the notification of this communication a request to this effect was filed. On the same day a copy of the communication was sent to the patentee (respondent).
III. There was no reply to the communication.
Reasons for the Decision
1. If the European patent has lapsed in all designated Contracting States, opposition proceedings may be continued at the request of the opponent pursuant to Rule 84(1) EPC, provided that this request is filed within two months from a communication by the EPO, informing the opponent of the lapse. According to Rule 100(1) EPC, this also applies in appeal proceedings.
2. Since in the present case the appellant has not requested the continuation of the appeal proceedings, the appeal proceedings are to be terminated.
Order
For these reasons it is decided that:
The appeal proceedings are terminated.
