Claim Structuresand Invention Principles in Digital Patents · Digital Farming Digitization Taxonomy –Patent Types (Examples) EP 2401905 B1 Method for adjusting at least one working

© 2018 XIP // Patent Attorney Axel Karl

Claim Structures and Invention Principlesin Digital Patents

IP Executive Management Days Strasbourg

30 November 2018

Axel Karl, LL.M.Patent Attorney


Axel KarlIntroduction

•Electrical Engineering, IT and Business Diploma (Dipl.Ing, Technical University Berlin)

•Global Sales Manager at Cisco Systems Europe (EMEA)

Today:•Patent Attorney•Master of IP Law & IP Management (MIPLM, University

Strasbourg)• IP Strategy Consultant (Wurzer & Kollegen, Munich) •Patent Law Firm XIP (specialized on Software/AI,

Engineering, Medical Solutions)

© 2018 XIP // Patent Attorney Axel Karl 3

Content and Objective

Not: Teaching Claim Drafting Basics (it is a craftmanship)

Focus on Technicality and IP Design Principles

Examples of granted EP Patents Claims

Typical structural elements

Typical implementation

Current EPO Practice and Examination Guidelines 2018

Practical advice for formulation of patent claims

Jumping between patent examples and EPO examination policies (therory and practice)


About this Presentation“Software can not be patented?” Really?

Need for drafting of concrete patent claims, description and figures in the area of

Software and computerimplementedinventions

Internet of Things

Artificial Intelligence

Blockchain

Software and computerimplemented inventionscan be claimed if put in a technical context

„Technicality“ criteria is biggest hurdle to obtainpatent protection


EPO Guidelines as basis for claim drafting

• Experts Opinion: Current Patent Law seems to be sufficiently clear to handle AI, IoT, CII etc.

• Claim drafting should be based on EPO Guidelines 2018, latest update in November 2018.

• In line with DPMA Practice (Germany)

• Helpful: Index for Computerimplemented Inventions:

https://www.epo.org/lawpractice/legaltexts/html/guidelines/e/j.htm


Content

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Three Examples are presented:

1. Case Example A: OASYS Drinking Water System (Focus: Claim Set Structure)

2. Case Example B: Smart Farming – CLAAS (2 Patents; Focus: Technicality)

3. Case Example C: Infineon 1/f Noise (Focus: Artificial Intelligence / Claim Wording)


Content

7

3 Examples:



3. Case Example C: Infineon 1/f Noise (Focus: Artificial Intelligence / Claim Wording)



Example: OASYS360° IP ObjectivesMatrix

Bedürfnisse

Cost impact Earnings impact

Market perspectiveResource perspective

Exclusifying resources

Safeguardingvalue creation

Skimming thewillingness to pay

Strategic prohibitionagainst competitors

Communicating the USP

Managing Risks

Suppressing Imitation

Designing the market position

Protecting the data model for water recipes from imitation

Exclusifying the modification of water recipes according to user preferencesProtecting the handling principles (e.g. control logic of the app)

Protection of solutions for the interaction with other devices

Safeguard supply capability (IP risk management for hardware and software components)

If necessary early negotiations with the strongest IP owners

Protecting concepts for creating and using a recipe database that guarantees optimal enjoyment in specific applications

Comprehensive protection of the design components (from the device’s design to design elements in the app)

Building a digital brand personality

Protected communication (experiencing) of superior and unique benefits


OASYSDigitization Taxonomy – Patent Types (Examples)

Data model(describes the data and their relationships)

Input Output

Logic Control(Parameterization and weighting)

Procedure(classic algorithms and heuristics)

Preference models

Configuration Simulation Optimization

DisplayTrigger

Products

Overall processes

Components

Process steps

MeasureReadoutEnter

Products

Overall processes

Components

Process steps

Products

Overall processes

Components

Process steps

Adaptation

Redesign

e.g. Reporting e.g. Decision template

e.g. Set of control commands

EP2504270B1


OASYSDigitization Taxonomy – Patent Types (Examples)

EP2504270B1Automated beverage formulation

Invention principleAutomatic optimization of recipes

Subject Matter:Optimizing a recipe of a beverage by automated adjustment of a concentration


Example A: EP 2504270 B1 (Pepsi Co.)Aspect: Types of independent claims

1. Method Claim:

Recommended if a certain sequence of steps is essential

Advantage in digital patents

• Can be executed in different instances or devices (distributed systems and locations)

Disadvantage:

• Often difficult to “detect”

Independent claimmust contain the features

which are essential for creation of customer benefit


Example A: EP 2504270 B1 (Pepsi Co.)Aspect: Type of independent claims

2. Device Claim:

Advantage in digital patents

• Tangible “thing”: Identification of infringing features mostly easier

Disadvantage:

• In distributed systems (“diverse invention”) – not all features in one physical device



3. Computer Program Claim

• Refers to the computer commands of the method.

(“when executed by a processor”)

Objective:

• forbid infringers to use/own program code, force deletion in case of infringement.



3. Computer Readable Medium

Refers to a memory or storage for the program.

Objective: forbid infringers to use/own physical storage medium, force destruction in case of infringement

See EPA Guidelines fordetailed

recommendation forstructure


Summary: Claim Structures in EPA Guidelines

1. Method

2. Device

3. Computer Program

4. Storage Medium


Excursus:Drafting Claims for „Disperse“ Inventions

1

2 3 4 5 6

7

8 9 10 11 12

Aparatus Method

Conventional Claim Set

Client

Server

Szenario:Invention in IoT/Industry 4.0

Situation:• Invention constitutes in

interaction of clients, serverand common methods and/orprotocols

Challenge:• Complex claim set• Several indepenedent claims

necessary to explaindependencies


Ecursus: „Disperse“ InventionsInventions in Distributed Systems

1

2 3 4

5

6 7

8

9

10 11 12 14 15

13

Client Server

ClientMethod

ServerMethod

StorageMedia

DataFormat

16 17

System

18

SystemMethod

Situation:• Invention constitutes in

interaction of clients, serverand common methods and/orprotocols

Challenge:• Complex claim set• Several indepenedent claims

necessary to explaindependencies

IoToptimized Claim Set (Example)


Content

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3 Examples:



3. Case Example C: Infineon 1/f Noise (Focus: Claim Wording)


Excursus: Technical Character (What means “Technicality”)


Excursus: Technical Character (“Technicality”)Guidelines: Good basis for drafting

https://www.epo.org/lawpractice/legaltexts/html/guidelines/e/j.htm


Claas Digital FarmingDigital Innovations, Farming 4.0

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Example: sensors and measuring technology

Measurement technology (sensors) record soil parameterso Harvest quantity (for example, data collection in the

combine harvester)o Example: LED based sensors, Stereoscopic cameras

(Herbicity application)

Metrics:o Biomass (density)o Nindex (vegetation index, nutrient supply)

Combine harvester becomes the sensor: o Example: Measuring crop yield together with item data

(Yield maps)



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Example: Digital soil maps

Display in digital soil maps having different layerso Fertilization, sowing, plant protection,

contours, climate, ...o Satellite data, weather data

Soil data are the basis for subsequent fertilization, sowing and the like



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Example: Automatic steering systems

GPScontrolled lane controlAutomatic turningVarious reference signals (accuracies)


Digital FarmingDigitization Taxonomy – Patent Types (Examples)

Data model(describes the data and their relationships)

Input Output

Logic Control(Parameterization and weighting)

Procedure(classic algorithms and heuristics)

Preference models

Configuration Simulation Optimization

DisplayTrigger

Products

Overall processes

Components

Process steps

MeasureReadoutEnter

Products

Overall processes

Components

Process steps

Products

Overall processes

Components

Process steps

Adaptation

Redesign

e.g. Reporting e.g. Decision template

e.g. Set of control commands

EP2401904



EP2401904Driver assistance system for agricultural work machine

Invention principleAssistance system based on data combinatorics


Technical subjectmatter (harvester)

27

Example A: EP 2401904B1 (CLAAS)Aspect: Technical Character & Technical Features(Device Claim)

Sensor System

Nontechnical feature? (not considered for inventive step)

Very Critical Aspect!

1. Make sure it is a technical invention2. Formulate technical features


Reference to technical context

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Example A: EP 2401904B1 (CLAAS)Aspect: Technical Character & Technical Features(Method Claim)

User input

Exact definition of terms, explain technical nature

Purpose: determination of optimal technical parameters


Excursus: How to draft a Patent ClaimTwo Hurdles!


Excursus: Technical Character (“Technicality”)First Hurdle

No further technical effect (no patentability):• Regular business software (routine programming)• Abstract, logical, intellectual subjectmatter• Logic or administrative features (mere arrangement of data)

Further Technical Effect (patentable):• Impact on computer internal processes (security, energy, speed, resources,

efficiency…)• Some mathematical algorithms may have such effect (see BGH Flugzeugzustand)• Controlling a device or process, use of sensors, motors etc.

> Recommendation: Software may become technical if claims are directed to a computerimplementedmethod, a computerreadable storage medium. (Guidelines Sect. G II 3.6)

Does the invention (as a whole) have a technical character?

(lower hurdle)


Excursus: Technical Features (“Technicality”)Second Hurdle

Novelty & NonObviousness: Do features contribute to technical character?

(higher hurdle)

Recommendation: • Use technical terms to show technical contribution• Avoid “business language” or logic/abstract terms


Excursus: Technical Character (“Technicality”)Current Case Law

EPO confirmed technical purposes (1/2):


EPO confirmed technical purposes (2/2):

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Excursus: Technical Character (“Technicality”)Current Case Law



EP 2401905 B1 Method for adjusting at least one working member of a selfpropelled harvester

Invention principle:

Analysis databased automatic function adaptation


“Method for/of” (defining a technical context/purpose)

35

Example B: EP 2401905 B1 (CLAAS)Aspect: Technical Character & Technical Features

Simulation of a technical process (technical character confirmed by EPO

e.g. T 1227/05)


Technical Purpose: Automatic adaptation based on certain parameters (controling a

device)

36

Example B: EP 2401905 B1 (CLAAS)Aspect: Invention Principle in claim


3 Examples:

1. Case Example A: OASYS Drinking Water System (Focus: Claim Structure)


3. Case Example C: Infineon 1/f Noise (Artifical Intelligence / Claim Wording)


EPO: Patenting Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning


Purely mathematical subjectmatter

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Example C: Infineon Patent on 1/f NoiseClaim Wording


Example D: Infineon Patent on 1/f NoiseClaim Wording


Second Hurdle

41

Example C: Infineon Patent on 1/f NoiseClaim Wording – Second Hurdle


• Simulation of a technical device is a proven technical purpose

• Claim is limited to that particular purpose > Context becomes technical

• Inventive Step present! (Art. 56 EPC)

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Example C: Infineon Patent on 1/f NoiseClaim Wording


Summary

• Software/AI/IoT can be patented in a technical context

• Technicality is the #1 challenge• “Technicality Check” in

Invention Process?

• Clever Claim wording makes big difference!

• Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning: Unsufficient Case Law from Boards of Appeal, BPatG

• many details yet to be clarified

• Now is the time for securing strong IP positions in AI, blockchain, IoT!

Source: EPO 2018


Questions / Feedback

Axel Karl, LL.M.Patent Attorney

Theresienstr. 180333 Munich, Germany

Web: xip.euEmail: karl@xip.eu

Claim Structuresand Invention Principles in Digital Patents · Digital Farming Digitization Taxonomy –Patent Types (Examples) EP 2401905 B1 Method for adjusting at least one working

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