The patent has been granted The patent has been granted, Grant of patent is intended, Request for examination was made, The application has been published EP Register Verified

POWER LIMITATION FOR A HEAT PUMP

Publication No. EP4462043

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App No. EP24169712

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Filed by Vaillant GmbH

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Filed on 2024-04-11

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Issued/Published on 2025-12-03

Official EPO Register

Publication No. EP4462043 A1

Application No. EP24169712 Filed: 2024-04-11

Grant Date 2025-12-03 Mention of grant

Active Oppositions 1 Active EPO Oppositions

Patent Abstract / Summary

[0001] The procedure consists of the following steps: checking whether an external power limit exists, checking whether the compressor is out of service if both conditions are met, predicting the compressor power requirement using a central control unit, then checking whether the determined compressor power requirement is above the external power limit and whether starting the compressor is possible, then starting the compressor if the determined compressor power requirement is below the external power limit. If the compressor is in operation and an external power limit exists, then limiting the compressor speed to the power consumption corresponding to the external power limit, checking whether the external power limit is below the minimum compressor power requirement, checking whether protective functions prevent shutdown, if not: shutting down the compressor, otherwise continuing the protective operation.

IPC Classifications

F25B49/02, H02J13/00

Priority Claims

DE 202310109035 Date: 2023-04-11

Designated Contracting States (39 EPC States)

AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC ME MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

Parties & Representation

Applicants

Vaillant GmbH

Berghauser Str. 40, 42859 Remscheid NRW

Inventors (6)

Lebernegg, Martin

42855 Remscheid

Leeser, Marion

42659 Solingen

Michalik, Claudia

42699 Solingen

Sepcke, Fabian

51103 Köln

Bosse, Thomas

51379 Leverkusen

Finke, Marleen

42115 Wuppertal

Representatives / Agents

Popp, Carsten

Vaillant GmbH, IR-IP

Eisenführ Speiser

Patentanwälte Rechtsanwälte PartGmbB, Gollierstraße 4

Key Procedural Dates

Request-For-Examination 2025-05-06

Mention Of Grant Published 2025-12-03

First-Examination-Report-Despatched 2025-06-26

Legal Status & Event History

Official European Patent Office legal and procedural status changes recorded for this file.

33 Events Recorded

Date	Code	Event Description	Auth
2024-11-13	AK	DESIGNATED CONTRACTING STATES	EP
2024-10-11	PUAI	PUBLIC REFERENCE MADE UNDER ARTICLE 153(3) EPC TO A PUBLISHED INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION THAT HAS ENTERED THE EUROPEAN PHASE	EP
2024-10-11	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2025-05-14	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2025-06-11	17P	REQUEST FOR EXAMINATION FILED	EP
2025-06-25	GRAP	DESPATCH OF COMMUNICATION OF INTENTION TO GRANT A PATENT	EP
2025-06-25	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2025-07-30	INTG	INTENTION TO GRANT ANNOUNCED	EP
2025-10-25	GRAS	GRANT FEE PAID	EP
2025-10-31	GRAA	(EXPECTED) GRANT	EP
2025-10-31	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2025-12-03	AK	DESIGNATED CONTRACTING STATES	EP
2025-12-03	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2025-12-18	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2025-12-31	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-01-07	U01	REQUEST FOR UNITARY EFFECT FILED	EP
2026-01-14	U07	UNITARY EFFECT REGISTERED	EP
2026-03-11	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-03-12	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-04-13	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-04-14	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-04-17	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-04-24	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-04-29	U20	RENEWAL FEE FOR THE EUROPEAN PATENT WITH UNITARY EFFECT PAID	EP
2026-04-28	PGFP	ANNUAL FEE PAID TO NATIONAL OFFICE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-03	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-08	PGFP	ANNUAL FEE PAID TO NATIONAL OFFICE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-18	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-21	PGFP	ANNUAL FEE PAID TO NATIONAL OFFICE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-09-11	PLBI	OPPOSITION FILED	EP
2026-09-17	PLAX	NOTICE OF OPPOSITION AND REQUEST TO FILE OBSERVATION + TIME LIMIT SENT	EP
2026-09-16	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-10-14	26	OPPOSITION FILED	EP

Patent & Non-Patent Citations

Cited documents and prior art referenced in search and examination reports.

6 Citations

Cited Patent Documents

DE102021123671

Espacenet

WO2014103026

Espacenet

US2019193521

Espacenet

EP4148936 2023-03-15

Espacenet

US5950443 1999-09-14

Espacenet

US9182166 2015-11-10

Espacenet

Worldwide Patent Family

Related applications and patents in the same INPADOC worldwide family.

5 Family Members

Country	Publication Number	Kind	Publication Date	Action
EP	EP4462043A1	A1	2024-11-13	Espacenet
EP	EP4462043B1	B1	2025-12-03	Espacenet
EP	EP4462043C0	C0	2025-12-03	Espacenet
DE	DE102023109035A1	A1	2024-10-17	Espacenet
ES	ES3058658T3	T3	2026-03-12	Espacenet

Official File Inspection EPC Art. 128 Public Dossier

Complete European Patent Register Dossier (148 Total Documents)

The full inspection file for Application EP24169712 contains 148 total documents, including all notices of opposition, proprietor counter-statements, examination communications, third-party observations, and procedural forms. Below are all major recorded procedural filings and publication specifications.

Open 148-Doc Register Dossier

Dossier Filing

Date: 2025-10-25 Procedure: Examination EPIDOSNIGR7

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POWER LIMITATION FOR A HEAT PUMP

Patent Abstract / Summary

IPC Classifications

Priority Claims

Designated Contracting States (39 EPC States)

Parties & Representation

Applicants

Inventors (6)

Representatives / Agents

Key Procedural Dates

Patent Oppositions

Stiebel Eltron GmbH & Co. KG

Legal Status & Event History

Patent & Non-Patent Citations

Cited Patent Documents

Worldwide Patent Family

Complete European Patent Register Dossier (148 Total Documents)

Recorded Filings & Patent Specifications

European Patent Specification - Granted Patent (B1)

Official European Patent Register Full Dossier

European Patent Application with Search Report (A1)

New entry: Communication of a notice of opposition and request to file observations + time limit

Invitation to proprietor to file observations on the notice of opposition

Opposition filed

Lapse of the patent in a contracting state

Lapse of the patent in a contracting state

(Expected) grant

New entry: Payment of fee for grant

New entry: Payment of fee for publishing/printing

New entry: Receipt of the translation of the claim(s)

Intention to grant the patent

New entry: Communication of intention to grant a patent

The date on which the examining division becomes responsible, has been established

Request for examination filed

Amendment by applicant

Date on which the examining division has become responsible

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Publication in section I.1 EP Bulletin

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