T 2251/13 - Slowest appeal of 2021

Key points

• Statement of grounds filed 18.10.2013 in this examination appeal, summons in 2019, oral proceeding held 13.04.2021.
• “The invention concerns an interactive food and/or drink ordering system in a restaurant. The main idea is to project a menu onto the restaurant table (Figure 1). The table has a built-in track pad allowing the guest to select and order food and/or drinks from the menu.”
• Question for the readers: inventive or not?
• Figure 1 of the A publication is shown below:
  
  
  
  
  
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• The fastest appeal handled by a Technical Board of Appeal in 2021 and dealing with the merits, was T0519/21 where the Board found a substantial procedural violation.

EPO 

Link to the decision after the jump, as well as an extract of the decision text.

https://www.epo.org/law-practice/case-law-appeals/recent/t132251eu1.html