Translation Studies Diary of 8 July, 2024 (2)

EPC Article 56
Inventive step
An invention shall be considered as involving an inventive step if, having regard to the state of the art, it is not obvious to a person skilled in the art. If the state of the art also includes documents within the meaning of Article 54, paragraph 3, these documents shall not be considered in deciding whether there has been an inventive step.

Novelty and inventive step are different from each other.
However, this distinction is very confusing.
The key word for inventive step is non-obviousness.
Even if an invention is not published at the time of filing and is novel, it lacks an inventive step if it is easily conceivable.
Novelty is permissible if it is not identical. An inventive step is permissible if it is not obvious.