Landmark Decisions

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A tradition of innovation and milestones

For over 40 years, we have also advised our national and international clients in cases which require special expertise, creative strategies and ingenuity. Of these, many had a major impact on the case law in our area of practice.

The following is a list of decisions in which we were involved. These represent milestones in case law (patent and utility model law, trademark law, design patent law, unfair competition law and variety protection law).

An attorney of court from Wildanger participated in at least one instance in each of these decisions.

Patent & Utility Model Law

OLG Karlsruhe GRUR 2015, 252 – Leiterbahnstrukturen

Preliminary stay of enforcement by the Appeals Court

BGH BeckRS 2014, 12672

Patentability of a “Method for cleaning Immunglobulin-G-Antibodies”

OLG Karlsruhe GRUR 2014, 352 – Stanzwerkzeug

Assumption of validity of a utility model if the DPMA has rendered a decision in cancellation proceedings

BGH GRUR-Prax² 2014, 109 – Bildanzeigegerät

novelty-destroying state of the art by providing a product manual

BGH, Beschl. vom 10.11.2009, X ZR 11/06 – Produktionsrückstandsentsorgung

Refusal of a request for a revision of a defendant found to infringe the patent in suit even though the patent in suit was in part nullified after the appeal decision

BGH GRUR 2008, 597 – Betonstraßenfertiger

Demands of priority for a restricted subsequent application

BGH GRUR 2007, 778 – Ziehmaschinenzugeinheit

Claim construction in infringement proceedings after partial declaration of nullity

BGH GRUR 2007, 773 – Rohrschweißverfahren = Federal Supreme Court IIC³ 2008, 106 – Pipe Welding Process

Conditions precedent to contributory patent infringement

BGH GRUR 2007, 769 – Pipettensystem

Conditions precedent to contributory patent infringement

BGH GRUR 2006, 399 – Rangierkatze

Patent infringement by objective suitability to infringe the patent

BGH GRUR 2005, 848 – Antriebsscheibenaufzug

Designation of means in public domain for direct patent infringement; extent of compensation for contributory patent infringement

BGH GRUR 2005, 569 – Blasfolienherstellung

Requirements on definiteness of claims in patent infringement proceedings

BGH GRUR 2004, 966 – Spundfass = Federal Supreme Court IIC 2005, 742 – Standard Tight-Head Drum

Compulsory license based on antitrust law; patented standard

BGH GRUR 2003, 1031 – Kupplung für optische Geräte

Offering by distribution of a brochure with pictures of a product equal with the patent

BGH GRUR 2002, 519 – Schneidmesser II

Protection by patents in case of surplus in technical contents of invention

BGH GRUR 2002, 511 – Kunststoffrohrteil

Claim construction and patent granting procedure

BGH GRUR 2002, 231 – Biegevorrichtung

Scope of right of prior use in patent law

BGH GRUR 2001, 228 – Luftheizgerät

Conditions precedent to contributory patent infringement

BGH Mitt.⁴ 2000, 105 – Extrusionskopf

Claim construction by description and drawings

BGH GRUR 1995, 338 – Kleiderbügel

Right to sue of an exclusive licensee to a patent

BGH GRUR 1992, 40 – Beheizbarer Atemluftschlauch

Claim construction

BGH GRUR 1991, 811 – Falzmaschine

Determination of the technical problem of the patent on the basis of the patent specification

BGH GRUR 1989, 187 – Kreiselegge II

On the obligation to concentrate claims based on one or mare patents in one complaint

BGH GRUR 1981, 259 Heuwerbungsmaschine II

Indication of purpose as a hint for the spatial-physical definition of individual features

BGH GRUR 1978, 699 – Windschutzblech

Granting procedure and claim construction

BGH GRUR 1975, 484 – Etikettiergerät

Infringement of a combination-patent by using „clear equvivalent“ means

Gerichtshof Den Haag Mitt. 1997, 34 – Grenzüberscheitende Unterlassungsverfügung

Urgency of a preliminary injunction in connection with a cross-border order to cease and desist

OLG Düsseldorf InstGE⁵ (2011) 13, 199 – Schräg-Raffstore

Concerning the calculation of infringers profits and the costs factors that are taken into account

OLG Düsseldorf InstGE (2008) 9, 66 – Trägerbahnöse

Subjective conditions precedent to contributory patent infringement

OLG Düsseldorf InstGE (2008) 9, 56 – Rücknahme des Ordnungsmittelantrags

Conditions precedent to the withdrawal of an application for subpoenas in respect of time

OLG Düsseldorf InstGE (2008) 8, 122 – Medizinisches Instrument

Uncertainty of a patent’s legal validity in spite of unsuccessful opposition proceedings

OLG Düsseldorf InstGE (2008) 8, 103 – Etikettiermaschine

Enforcement of claim for inspection

OLG Düsseldorf InstGE (2006) 6, 123 – Elektronische Anzeigevorrichtung

Scope of the judgment and modified embodiement

Causation of the infringer’s profit by the use of the patent

OLG Düsseldorf InstGE (2004) 4, 252 – Rohrschweißverfahren

Contributory infringement and the coverage of the patent holder’s consent to the use of the patent vis-a-vis commercial consumers

OLG Düsseldorf InstGE (2003) 3, 176 – Glasscheiben-Befestiger

Scope of the claim for rendering account

OLG Düsseldorf Mitt. 2003, 264 – Antriebsscheibenaufzug

Designation of means in public domain for direct patent infringement; extent of compensation for contributory patent infringement

OLG Düsseldorf Mitt. 2001, 424 – Längenverstellbares Trägerelement

Scope of the claim for information in respect of time

OLG Düsseldorf GRUR 2000, 599 – Staubsaugerfilter

Claim construction

OLG Düsseldorf GRUR 1999, 702 – Schließfolgeregler

Conditions precedent to equivalent patent infringement

OLG Düsseldorf Mitt. 1998, 179 – Mehrpoliger Steckverbinder

Claim construction

OLG Düsseldorf Mitt. 1998, 27 – Schadensersatz nach der Lizenzanalogie

Determination of an adequate licence in case of damages calculated by licence analogy

OLG Düsseldorf GRUR 1993, 818 – Mehrfachkleiderbügel

Enforcement of the claim for information in the course of preliminary injunction proceedings

OLG Düsseldorf GRUR Int. 1990, 471 – Epilady I

Proof of equivalent patent infringement in the course of preliminary injunction proceedings

LG Düsseldorf InstGE (2008) 9, 108 – Klageerweiterung im Verletzungsprozess

Relevance of the extension of the plaintiff’s claim in view of §145 PatG product

LG Düsseldorf InstGE (2008) 9, 18 – Beleghalter für Scheibenbremse

Risk of first infringement in territorial jurisdiction of a patent court in case of an act of infringement in another patent court’s territorial jurisdiction only

LG Düsseldorf Mitt. 2008, 119 – Härtungsmittel für wässrige Härze

Extension of the scope of a patent from chemical intermediate to final product

LG Düsseldorf GRUR Int. 2007, 347 – Medizinisches Instrument

Different form requirements for assignment of the right to a patent on the one hand and the European Patent Application on the other hand

LG Mannheim InstGE (2007) 7, 14 – Halbleiterbaugruppe

Default of a mere dealer in case of patent infringement

LG Düsseldorf InstGE (2006) 6, 130 – Diffusor

No patent infringement by a engineer if the parts are produced and assembled abroad

LG Düsseldorf InstGE (2006) 6, 37 – Abmahnkosten bei Patentverletzung

Amount of lawyer’s fee for a warning letter in patent matters

LG Düsseldorf InstGE (2005) 5, 64 – Kleberoller

Urgency in case of infringing embodiment

LG Düsseldorf InstGE (2003) 3, 153 – WC-Erfrischer

Jurisdiction for a negative declaratory judgement concerning patent infringement of national parts of a European patent; interest in declaratory judgement by marking and notification

LG Düsseldorf InstGE (2003) 3, 1 – Schweißgerät

Contributory patent infringement by delivery of gear affecting essential parts of the procedure

LG Düsseldorf InstGE (2002) 2, 253 – Wirbelkammer

Functional claim construction of common technical terms in patent claim

LG Düsseldorf GRUR-RR 2001, 205 – Kaminrohr

Claim construction in case of numbers and indications of measurements in patent claim

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen7 2000, 91 – Spritzkopfschnecke

Conditions precedent to action of a negative declaratory judgement

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 2000, 88 – Betonpumpe

Need for legal relief in patent infringement suits

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 2000, 63 – Kondensatableiter

Determination of an adequate licence in case of damages calculated by licence analogy

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 2000, 32 – Müllbehältergreifvorrichtung

Requirements of an effective claiming of a service invention

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 2000, 8 – Abfallsammelbehälter

Capacity of Employer in a concern/”double-invention within company”

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 1999, 75 – Verglasungsklotz

Differentiation between direct and contributory patent infringement

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 1999, 5 – Filterbeutel

Scope of the claims for damages and information with respect to contributory patent infringement

LG Düsseldorf Mitt. 1999, 179 – Levitationsmaschine

Exhaustion with respect to product patent and process patent

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 1998, 28 – Zeitzeichenempfänger

Scope of the right of prior use

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 1998, 17 – Verfahren zur Abgasreinigung

Requirements of written form in matters of antitrust law

LG Düsseldorf GRUR Int. 1998, 804 – Impfstoff II

Stay of proceedings with respect to motion for declaratory judgment in another memberstate of European Union

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 1997, 122 – Kostenfaktoren

Requirements on detailed information on cost factors by rendering account

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 1997, 118 – Europaweiter Patentschutz

Misleading advertisement with „Europe-wide patent protection“ if a product is not protected by a patent for the whole of Europe

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 1997, 68 – Patentiertes Pflegebett

Inadmissibility of a general clue on “patented technique” under competition law if the product also contains public domain components

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 1997, 51 – Herzschrittmacher

Claim construction

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 1996, 76 – Verfahren zur exponentiellen Amplifikation einer Nukleinsäuresequenz

Claim construction of a process patent

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 1996, 41 – Pizzaschachtel

Determination of an adequate licence in case of damages calculated by licence analogy

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 1995 II, 3 – Mischventil

Preliminary obligation of licensing patent owner to inform licensee

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 1995 I, 7 – Vorrichtung zum Leeren von Müllbehältern II

Determination of an adequate licence in case of damages calculated by licence analogy

LG Düsseldorf GRUR 1994, 509 – Rollstuhlfahrrad

Cossible objections of the defendant in case of equivalent patent infringement

LG Düsseldorf GRUR 1990, 117 – Strickwarenhandel II

Scope of claim for information in respect of time

LG Düsseldorf GRUR 1989, 583 – Strickwarenhandel

Requirements of negligent patent infringement for department stores

LG Düsseldorf GRUR Int. 1988, 594 – Haushaltsschneidemaschine

Requirements of the right of prior use in patent law

Trademark Law

EuG GRUR-Prax 2013, 268 – RIDGE WOOD

No similarity of goods/services in case of different customers

EuGH MarkenR⁸ 2005, 438 – THOMSON LIFE

Likelihood of confusion with respect to composite trademarks

EuGH GRUR Int. 1994, 614 – Ideal Standard II

Territoriality and independency of claims according to national trademark law; free movement of goods

BGH GRUR 2004, 947 – gazoz

Split common opinion on lemonade as a generic term or indication of origin

BGH Marken 2002, 335 – 1, 2, 3 im Sauseschritt

Elimination of the likelihood of confusion by different meaning despite similiarity in sound

BGH WRP9 2002, 534 – BIG

Requirements of likelihood of confusion with respect to series of marks

BGH GRUR 1998, 697 – Venus Multi

Use of a trademark as a description

BGH GRUR 1971, 251 – Oldtimer

Use of a sign as a trademark; period of grace

OLG Stuttgart InstGE (2011) 13, 44 – Magic Sky

Genuine use of a trade mark for multiple goods

OLG Düsseldorf InstGE (2004) 4, 183 – LIFE

Likelihood of confusion by adding a mark of an undertaking to third-party trademark

OLG Düsseldorf Mitt. 2003, 327 – Top Ticket

Significance of the prospect of a suit for cancellation of a trade mark in injunction proceedings based on trade mark infringement

OLG Düsseldorf GRUR-RR ¹⁰ 2002, 20 – T-Box

Use of an internet-domain identical in wording with registered trademark

OLG Düsseldorf GRUR-RR 2001, 49 – Combit/ComIT

No estoppel deriving from an older trade mark only licensed for the use of defense

OLG Düsseldorf Mitt. 2001, 377 – Wiederverwendbarer Gaszylinder

Refilling of a marked gas-barrel as a trademark infringement

OLG Düsseldorf WRP 1996, 559 – adp

Requirements of a „contributory trade mark infringement”

OLG Düsseldorf WRP 1995, 330 – Ideal Standard

Use of a trade mark as an infringement of older trade names

LG Düsseldorf InstGE (2001) 1, 107 – Centrotherm

Infringement of trademarks and names by reservation of an internet-domain

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 2000, 15 – 1, 2, 3 im Sauseschritt

Protectability and scope of protection of the title of a children’s book

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 1999, 115 – GVP

Seniority of trade names consisting of combinations of letters after the trade mark act came into force

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 1998, 21 – Witch Game

Deception and dishonesty of advertisement with a non-existing trademark

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 1996, 84 – BIG

Distinctiveness of a trademark and danger of confusion requirements

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 1996, 83 – Kult Shirts

Distinctiveness of commercial designations

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 1996, 54 – Contec

Forfeiture of trademark claims

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 1996, 7 – IPRax/WPrax

Likelihood of confusion in case of identical part of title

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 1995 III, 7 – Fruit Point

Scope of claims for information and damages in respect of time

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 1995 II, 6 – EWIKON/EVICOM

Necessary similarity of field of business for a likelihood of confusion

Design Patent Law

LG Düsseldorf InstGE (2008) 9, 114 – Taschenlampe

Amount of refundable costs for the request of a closing statement

BGH GRUR 2004, 427 – Computergehäuse

Judgment of the existing design corpus

BGH WRP 2004, 1175 – Klemmhebel

Judicial appraisal of the existing design corpus

OLG Düsseldorf InstGE (2004) 4, 152 – Teppichbodenmuster

Forfeiture of claims based on infringement of design patents

Unfair Competition Law

OLG Düsseldorf InstGE (2009) 10, 98 – Lithographische Druckplatten

Jurisdiction of German courts and applicability of German unfair competition law in case of a press statement on a German patent infringement suit published on the internet abroad by a foreign company

LG München ZUM-RD¹¹ 2006, 139-144

Differentiation between unallowed adaption and free use; No unallowed adaption by using the idea of presenting bears in explicit poses

OLG Frankfurt/Main GRUR-RR 2003, 287 – Magic Modul

Purpose of a console to decode pay-TV-programmes without a permission

OLG Düsseldorf GRUR-RR 2001, 94 – Zustellung im Parteibetrieb

Deadline met by application for service

OLG Hamm GRUR 1991, 689 – Das Möbelerlebnis im Westen

Conditions precedent to misleading advertisements with unique selling position

LG Düsseldorf Entscheidungen 1998, 22 – Zargenschloß

Conditions precedent to particular competitive nature for technical goods

Plant Protection Law

EuGH Mitt. 2004, 219 – Saatgut-Treuhandverwaltungsgesellschaft

Scope of a union of owners of registered plant varieties right to sue; scope of claims for information

Antitrust Law

EuGH GRUR Int. 1994, 614 – Ideal Standard

Effects of transfer of foreign marks on remaining national marks

BGH GRUR 2004, 966 – Standard-Spundfass

The claim for granting of a patent licence is not excluded by the authority to grant a compulsory licence

BGH GRUR 2002, 915 – Wettbewerbsverbot im Realteilungsvertrag

Scope of res judicata with respect to the examination of non-competition clauses

BGH GRUR 1998, 838 – Lizenz- und Beratungsvertrag

Requirement of written form in matters of antitrust law with respect to licence and advisory agreements which contain restrictions of the licensee; compensation of enrichment in cases of formal defects of a licence and advisory agreement

¹ GRUR = Gewerblicher Rechtsschutz und Urheberrecht

² GRUR-Prax = GRUR-Praxis im Immaterialgüter- und Wettbewerbsrecht

³ IIC = International Review of Intellectual Property and Competition Law

⁴ Mitt. = Mitteilungen der Deutschen Patentanwälte

⁵ InstGE = Rechtssprechung der Instanzgerichte zum Recht des geistigen Eigentums

⁶ GRUR Int. = GRUR Internationaler Teil

⁷ Entscheidungen = Entscheidungssammlung der 4. Zivilkammer des Landgerichts Düsseldorf

⁸ MarkenR = Zeitschrift für deutsches, europäisches und internationales Markenrecht

⁹ WRP = Wettbewerb in Recht und Praxis

¹⁰ GRUR-RR = GRUR-Rechtsprechungsreport

¹¹ ZUM-RD = Zeitschrift für Urheber und Medienrecht – Rechtsprechungsdienst