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Extract from the Register of European Patents

EP About this file: EP2350674

EP2350674 - SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SORTING SPECIMEN [Right-click to bookmark this link]
StatusPatent maintained as amended
Status updated on  02.04.2022
Database last updated on 05.10.2024
FormerThe patent has been granted
Status updated on  01.06.2018
FormerGrant of patent is intended
Status updated on  18.12.2017
FormerExamination is in progress
Status updated on  22.01.2017
Most recent event   Tooltip02.04.2022Patent maintained (B2 publication)published on 04.05.2022  [2022/18]
Applicant(s)For all designated states
Quest Diagnostics Investments Incorporated
300 Delaware Avenue
Wilmington, DE 19899 / US
[2022/18]
Former [2011/31]For all designated states
Quest Diagnostics Investments Incorporated
300 Delaware Avenue
Wilmington, DE 19899 / US
Inventor(s)01 / LAVI, Leroy Sina
28188 Moulton Parkway 527
Laguna Niguel California 92677 / US
02 / RUIJS, Erwin Nicolaas Marinus Petrus
25071 Camino Del Mar, Unit F
Laguna Niguel, California 92677 / US
 [2011/31]
Representative(s)Hoffmann Eitle
Patent- und Rechtsanwälte PartmbB
Arabellastraße 30
81925 München / DE
[2022/18]
Former [2018/27]Oxley, Rachel Louise, et al
Mewburn Ellis LLP
City Tower
40 Basinghall Street
London EC2V 5DE / GB
Former [2011/31]Oxley, Rachel Louise, et al
Mewburn Ellis LLP 33 Gutter Lane London
EC2V 8AS / GB
Application number, filing date09819882.308.10.2009
[2011/31]
WO2009US60006
Priority number, dateUS2008024981910.10.2008         Original published format: US 249819
[2011/31]
Filing languageEN
Procedural languageEN
PublicationType: A1 Application with search report
No.:WO2010042722
Date:15.04.2010
Language:EN
[2010/15]
Type: A1 Application with search report 
No.:EP2350674
Date:03.08.2011
Language:EN
The application published by WIPO in one of the EPO official languages on 15.04.2010 takes the place of the publication of the European patent application.
[2011/31]
Type: B1 Patent specification 
No.:EP2350674
Date:04.07.2018
Language:EN
[2018/27]
Type: B2 New European patent specification 
No.:EP2350674
Date:04.05.2022
Language:EN
[2022/18]
Search report(s)International search report - published on:US15.04.2010
(Supplementary) European search report - dispatched on:EP04.05.2012
ClassificationIPC:G01N35/04, B07C5/34
[2012/22]
CPC:
B07C5/3412 (EP,US)
Former IPC [2011/31]G01N35/04
Designated contracting statesAT,   BE,   BG,   CH,   CY,   CZ,   DE,   DK,   EE,   ES,   FI,   FR,   GB,   GR,   HR,   HU,   IE,   IS,   IT,   LI,   LT,   LU,   LV,   MC,   MK,   MT,   NL,   NO,   PL,   PT,   RO,   SE,   SI,   SK,   SM,   TR [2018/27]
Former [2011/31]AT,  BE,  BG,  CH,  CY,  CZ,  DE,  DK,  EE,  ES,  FI,  FR,  GB,  GR,  HR,  HU,  IE,  IS,  IT,  LI,  LT,  LU,  LV,  MC,  MK,  MT,  NL,  NO,  PL,  PT,  RO,  SE,  SI,  SK,  SM,  TR 
TitleGerman:SYSTEM UND VERFAHREN ZUR SORTIERUNG VON PROBEN[2011/31]
English:SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SORTING SPECIMEN[2011/31]
French:SYSTÈME ET PROCÉDÉ DE TRI D'ÉCHANTILLONS[2011/31]
Entry into regional phase06.05.2011National basic fee paid 
06.05.2011Search fee paid 
06.05.2011Designation fee(s) paid 
06.05.2011Examination fee paid 
Examination procedure06.05.2011Examination requested  [2011/31]
03.12.2012Amendment by applicant (claims and/or description)
17.07.2013Despatch of a communication from the examining division (Time limit: M04)
26.11.2013Reply to a communication from the examining division
04.09.2014Despatch of a communication from the examining division (Time limit: M06)
13.03.2015Reply to a communication from the examining division
20.08.2015Despatch of a communication from the examining division (Time limit: M04)
10.12.2015Reply to a communication from the examining division
15.06.2016Despatch of a communication from the examining division (Time limit: M06)
23.01.2017Despatch of communication that the application is deemed to be withdrawn, reason: reply to the communication from the examining division not received in time
28.03.2017Reply to a communication from the examining division
06.07.2017Despatch of a communication from the examining division (Time limit: M04)
13.07.2017Reply to a communication from the examining division
19.12.2017Communication of intention to grant the patent
27.04.2018Fee for grant paid
27.04.2018Fee for publishing/printing paid
27.04.2018Receipt of the translation of the claim(s)
Divisional application(s)EP18174134.9  / EP3438672
The date of the Examining Division's first communication in respect of the earliest application for which a communication has been issued is  17.07.2013
Opposition(s)Opponent(s)01  03.04.2019    ADMISSIBLE
Beckman Coulter, Inc.
250 S. Kraemer Boulevard
Brea, CA 92821 / US
Opponent's representative
Müller-Boré & Partner Patentanwälte PartG mbB
Friedenheimer Brücke 21
80639 München / DE
 [2019/19]
16.04.2019Invitation to proprietor to file observations on the notice of opposition
26.08.2019Reply of patent proprietor to notice(s) of opposition
02.09.2020Cancellation of oral proceeding that was planned for 15.10.2020
15.10.2020Date of oral proceedings
24.06.2021Date of oral proceedings
20.07.2021Despatch of interlocutory decision in opposition
20.07.2021Despatch of minutes of oral proceedings
28.10.2021Legal effect of interlocutory decision in opposition
17.12.2021Despatch of communication that the patent will be maintained as amended
28.03.2022Fee for printing new specification paid
Appeal following opposition17.09.2021Appeal received No.  T1633/21
17.09.2021Payment of appeal fee
28.10.2021Result of appeal procedure: appeal of the opponent withdrawn
Request for further processing for:The application is deemed to be withdrawn due to failure to reply to the examination report
28.03.2017Request for further processing filed
28.03.2017Full payment received (date of receipt of payment)
Request granted
07.04.2017Decision despatched
Fees paidRenewal fee
20.10.2011Renewal fee patent year 03
11.10.2012Renewal fee patent year 04
14.10.2013Renewal fee patent year 05
14.10.2014Renewal fee patent year 06
12.10.2015Renewal fee patent year 07
11.10.2016Renewal fee patent year 08
11.10.2017Renewal fee patent year 09
Opt-out from the exclusive  Tooltip
competence of the Unified
Patent Court		 See the Register of the Unified Patent Court for opt-out data
Responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or quality of the data displayed under the link provided lies entirely with the Unified Patent Court.
Lapses during opposition  TooltipHU08.10.2009
AT04.07.2018
CY04.07.2018
CZ04.07.2018
DK04.07.2018
EE04.07.2018
ES04.07.2018
FI04.07.2018
HR04.07.2018
IT04.07.2018
LT04.07.2018
LV04.07.2018
MC04.07.2018
MK04.07.2018
NL04.07.2018
PL04.07.2018
PT04.07.2018
RO04.07.2018
SE04.07.2018
SI04.07.2018
SK04.07.2018
SM04.07.2018
TR04.07.2018
BG04.10.2018
NO04.10.2018
GR05.10.2018
IE08.10.2018
LU08.10.2018
MT08.10.2018
BE31.10.2018
CH31.10.2018
FR31.10.2018
LI31.10.2018
IS04.11.2018
[2020/31]
Former [2020/30]HU08.10.2009
AT04.07.2018
CZ04.07.2018
DK04.07.2018
EE04.07.2018
ES04.07.2018
FI04.07.2018
HR04.07.2018
IT04.07.2018
LT04.07.2018
LV04.07.2018
MC04.07.2018
NL04.07.2018
PL04.07.2018
PT04.07.2018
RO04.07.2018
SE04.07.2018
SI04.07.2018
SK04.07.2018
SM04.07.2018
TR04.07.2018
BG04.10.2018
NO04.10.2018
GR05.10.2018
IE08.10.2018
LU08.10.2018
MT08.10.2018
BE31.10.2018
CH31.10.2018
FR31.10.2018
LI31.10.2018
IS04.11.2018
Former [2020/27]AT04.07.2018
CZ04.07.2018
DK04.07.2018
EE04.07.2018
ES04.07.2018
FI04.07.2018
HR04.07.2018
IT04.07.2018
LT04.07.2018
LV04.07.2018
MC04.07.2018
NL04.07.2018
PL04.07.2018
PT04.07.2018
RO04.07.2018
SE04.07.2018
SI04.07.2018
SK04.07.2018
SM04.07.2018
TR04.07.2018
BG04.10.2018
NO04.10.2018
GR05.10.2018
IE08.10.2018
LU08.10.2018
MT08.10.2018
BE31.10.2018
CH31.10.2018
FR31.10.2018
LI31.10.2018
IS04.11.2018
Former [2020/16]AT04.07.2018
CZ04.07.2018
DK04.07.2018
EE04.07.2018
ES04.07.2018
FI04.07.2018
HR04.07.2018
IT04.07.2018
LT04.07.2018
LV04.07.2018
MC04.07.2018
NL04.07.2018
PL04.07.2018
RO04.07.2018
SE04.07.2018
SI04.07.2018
SK04.07.2018
SM04.07.2018
TR04.07.2018
BG04.10.2018
NO04.10.2018
GR05.10.2018
IE08.10.2018
LU08.10.2018
MT08.10.2018
BE31.10.2018
CH31.10.2018
FR31.10.2018
LI31.10.2018
IS04.11.2018
Former [2020/08]AT04.07.2018
CZ04.07.2018
DK04.07.2018
EE04.07.2018
ES04.07.2018
FI04.07.2018
HR04.07.2018
IT04.07.2018
LT04.07.2018
LV04.07.2018
MC04.07.2018
NL04.07.2018
PL04.07.2018
RO04.07.2018
SE04.07.2018
SI04.07.2018
SK04.07.2018
SM04.07.2018
BG04.10.2018
NO04.10.2018
GR05.10.2018
IE08.10.2018
LU08.10.2018
MT08.10.2018
BE31.10.2018
CH31.10.2018
FR31.10.2018
LI31.10.2018
IS04.11.2018
Former [2019/48]AT04.07.2018
CZ04.07.2018
DK04.07.2018
EE04.07.2018
ES04.07.2018
FI04.07.2018
HR04.07.2018
IT04.07.2018
LT04.07.2018
LV04.07.2018
MC04.07.2018
NL04.07.2018
PL04.07.2018
RO04.07.2018
SE04.07.2018
SI04.07.2018
SK04.07.2018
SM04.07.2018
BG04.10.2018
NO04.10.2018
GR05.10.2018
IE08.10.2018
LU08.10.2018
BE31.10.2018
CH31.10.2018
FR31.10.2018
LI31.10.2018
IS04.11.2018
Former [2019/40]AT04.07.2018
CZ04.07.2018
DK04.07.2018
EE04.07.2018
ES04.07.2018
FI04.07.2018
HR04.07.2018
IT04.07.2018
LT04.07.2018
LV04.07.2018
MC04.07.2018
NL04.07.2018
PL04.07.2018
RO04.07.2018
SE04.07.2018
SI04.07.2018
SK04.07.2018
SM04.07.2018
BG04.10.2018
NO04.10.2018
GR05.10.2018
LU08.10.2018
BE31.10.2018
CH31.10.2018
FR31.10.2018
LI31.10.2018
IS04.11.2018
Former [2019/38]AT04.07.2018
CZ04.07.2018
DK04.07.2018
EE04.07.2018
ES04.07.2018
FI04.07.2018
HR04.07.2018
IT04.07.2018
LT04.07.2018
LV04.07.2018
MC04.07.2018
NL04.07.2018
PL04.07.2018
RO04.07.2018
SE04.07.2018
SI04.07.2018
SK04.07.2018
SM04.07.2018
BG04.10.2018
NO04.10.2018
GR05.10.2018
LU08.10.2018
BE31.10.2018
FR31.10.2018
IS04.11.2018
Former [2019/37]AT04.07.2018
CZ04.07.2018
DK04.07.2018
EE04.07.2018
ES04.07.2018
FI04.07.2018
HR04.07.2018
IT04.07.2018
LT04.07.2018
LV04.07.2018
MC04.07.2018
NL04.07.2018
PL04.07.2018
RO04.07.2018
SE04.07.2018
SI04.07.2018
SK04.07.2018
SM04.07.2018
BG04.10.2018
NO04.10.2018
GR05.10.2018
LU08.10.2018
IS04.11.2018
Former [2019/30]AT04.07.2018
CZ04.07.2018
DK04.07.2018
EE04.07.2018
ES04.07.2018
FI04.07.2018
HR04.07.2018
IT04.07.2018
LT04.07.2018
LV04.07.2018
MC04.07.2018
NL04.07.2018
PL04.07.2018
RO04.07.2018
SE04.07.2018
SK04.07.2018
SM04.07.2018
BG04.10.2018
NO04.10.2018
GR05.10.2018
LU08.10.2018
IS04.11.2018
Former [2019/28]AT04.07.2018
CZ04.07.2018
DK04.07.2018
EE04.07.2018
ES04.07.2018
FI04.07.2018
HR04.07.2018
IT04.07.2018
LT04.07.2018
LV04.07.2018
MC04.07.2018
NL04.07.2018
PL04.07.2018
RO04.07.2018
SE04.07.2018
SK04.07.2018
SM04.07.2018
BG04.10.2018
NO04.10.2018
GR05.10.2018
IS04.11.2018
Former [2019/26]AT04.07.2018
CZ04.07.2018
DK04.07.2018
EE04.07.2018
ES04.07.2018
FI04.07.2018
HR04.07.2018
IT04.07.2018
LT04.07.2018
LV04.07.2018
NL04.07.2018
PL04.07.2018
RO04.07.2018
SE04.07.2018
SK04.07.2018
SM04.07.2018
BG04.10.2018
NO04.10.2018
GR05.10.2018
IS04.11.2018
Former [2019/24]AT04.07.2018
CZ04.07.2018
EE04.07.2018
ES04.07.2018
FI04.07.2018
HR04.07.2018
IT04.07.2018
LT04.07.2018
LV04.07.2018
NL04.07.2018
PL04.07.2018
RO04.07.2018
SE04.07.2018
SK04.07.2018
BG04.10.2018
NO04.10.2018
GR05.10.2018
IS04.11.2018
Former [2019/22]AT04.07.2018
CZ04.07.2018
ES04.07.2018
FI04.07.2018
HR04.07.2018
IT04.07.2018
LT04.07.2018
LV04.07.2018
NL04.07.2018
PL04.07.2018
RO04.07.2018
SE04.07.2018
BG04.10.2018
NO04.10.2018
GR05.10.2018
IS04.11.2018
Former [2019/21]AT04.07.2018
CZ04.07.2018
ES04.07.2018
FI04.07.2018
HR04.07.2018
IT04.07.2018
LT04.07.2018
LV04.07.2018
NL04.07.2018
PL04.07.2018
SE04.07.2018
BG04.10.2018
NO04.10.2018
GR05.10.2018
IS04.11.2018
Former [2019/12]AT04.07.2018
CZ04.07.2018
ES04.07.2018
FI04.07.2018
HR04.07.2018
LT04.07.2018
LV04.07.2018
NL04.07.2018
PL04.07.2018
SE04.07.2018
BG04.10.2018
NO04.10.2018
GR05.10.2018
IS04.11.2018
Former [2019/11]AT04.07.2018
CZ04.07.2018
FI04.07.2018
HR04.07.2018
LT04.07.2018
NL04.07.2018
PL04.07.2018
SE04.07.2018
BG04.10.2018
NO04.10.2018
GR05.10.2018
IS04.11.2018
Former [2019/10]AT04.07.2018
CZ04.07.2018
FI04.07.2018
LT04.07.2018
NL04.07.2018
PL04.07.2018
SE04.07.2018
BG04.10.2018
NO04.10.2018
GR05.10.2018
IS04.11.2018
Former [2019/08]FI04.07.2018
LT04.07.2018
NL04.07.2018
NO04.10.2018
IS04.11.2018
Former [2019/07]LT04.07.2018
NL04.07.2018
Former [2019/04]NL04.07.2018
Documents cited:Search[X]US5414974  (VAN DE VEN JOHN [US], et al);
 [X]US2004049314  (SANSONE RONALD P [US]);
 [X]WO2006110484  (PITNEY BOWES INC [US], et al);
 [X]WO2008052040  (ALIGN TECHNOLOGY INC [US], et al)
International search[Y]US6329139  (NOVA MICHAEL P [US], et al);
 [A]US2005250211  (REINHARDT KURT [US], et al);
 [A]US2006134580  (RABY RICHARD E [US], et al);
 [Y]US7070053  (ABRAMS ROBERT [US], et al);
 [A]US2006213964  (EXCOFFIER JEAN-LOUIS [US], et al);
 [Y]US7278328  (MASSARO PETER [US]);
 [A]US2008198014  (VOGT ERIC E [US], et al)
ExaminationUS2004267403
by applicantUS742353
 US4513522
 US4588880
 US4974166
 US5097421
 US5150795
 US5414974
 US2004094314
 WO2006110484
 US7308114
 WO2008052040
OppositionUS4513522
 US4588880
 US4974166
 US5097421
 US5150795
 US5351801
 EP0633207
 US5414974
 US5614415
 EP0676053
 US5777303
 US5985670
 US6343690
 US2004049314
 US2004267403
 US2005036907
 US2006153455
 US2006187039
 WO2006110484
 US2006245865
 US2007254277
 WO2008052040
 EP2141500
 US7688207
 EP2225567
 US5445037
 EP0676053
 US5730276
 US2002062111
 US6520313
 US2003161764
 US2004136869
 US2005207945
 US2005247790
The EPO accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of data originating from other authorities; in particular, it does not guarantee that it is complete, up to date or fit for specific purposes.