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T 641/00 - Two identities/COMVIK

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Reference numbers
Case number: 
T 641/00
Headword: 
Two identities/COMVIK
Application number: 
92907791.5
Publication number: 
579655
Date of the Decision: 
2002-09-26
Additional Case Information
Title of the invention: 
Method in mobile telephone systems in which a subscriber identity module (SIM) is allocated at least two identities which are selectively activated by the user
IPC: 
H04Q 7/20, H04B 7/26
Keyword: 
Inventive step (no); Problem-and-solution approach: treatment of non-technical aspects
Opponent: 
DeTeMobil Deutsche Telekom MobilNet GmbH, GIESECKE & DEVRIENT GmbH
Applicant: 
COMVIK GSM AB
Chairman of the Board: 
Steinbrener, S.V.
Members of the Board: 
Perryman, S.C.
Members of the Board: 
Zimmermann, R.R.K.
Relevant Legal Provisions: 
EPC Art. 52(1)-(3), 56
Cites (case law): 
T 26/86 - X-ray apparatus/KOCH & STERZEL
Cites (case law): 
T 931/95 - Controlling pension benefits system/PBS PARTNERSHIP
Cites further: 

T 26/81; T 72/95; T 470/95; T 27/97; T 157/97; T 158/97; T 176/97; T 1053/98

Language of the proceedings: 
EN
Headnote: 
  1. An invention consisting of a mixture of technical and nontechnical features and having technical character as a whole is to be assessed with respect to the requirement of inventive step by taking account of all those features which contribute to said technical character whereas features making no such contribution cannot support the presence of inventive step.
  2. Although the technical problem to be solved should not be formulated to contain pointers to the solution or partially anticipate it, merely because some feature appears in the claim does not automatically exclude it from appearing in the formulation of the problem. In particular where the claim refers to an aim to be achieved in a non-technical field, this aim may legitimately appear in the formulation of the problem as part of the framework of the technical problem that is to be solved, in particular as a constraint that has to be met.