眾律國際法律事務所

美國專利簡介(一)

眾律國際法律事務所專利工程師劉淑貞

2014-09-12

一、前言：

淺談美國專利法關於可授予專利的新穎性的條件之判斷標準及邊境管制措施。

二、美國專利法102條規定新穎性：

美國專利法102條規定了可授予專利的條件之一的新穎性之判斷準則：「102 Conditions for patentability; novelty.

(a) NOVELTY; PRIOR ART.—A person shall be entitled to a patent unless—

(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention; or

(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.

(b) EXCEPTIONS.—

(1) DISCLOSURES MADE 1 YEAR OR LESS BEFORE THE EFFECTIVE FILING DATE OF THE CLAIMED INVENTION.—A disclosure made 1 year or less before the effective filing date of a claimed invention shall not be prior art to the claimed invention under subsection (a)(1) if—

(A) the disclosure was made by the inventor or joint inventor or by another who obtained the subject matter disclosed directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor; or

(B) the subject matter disclosed had, before such disclosure, been publicly disclosed by the inventor or a joint inventor or another who obtained the subject matter disclosed directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor.

(2) DISCLOSURES APPEARING IN APPLICATIONS AND PATENTS.—A disclosure shall not be prior art to a claimed invention under subsection (a)(2) if—

(A) the subject matter disclosed was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor;

(B) the subject matter disclosed had, before such subject matter was effectively filed under subsection (a)(2), been publicly disclosed by the inventor or a joint inventor or another who obtained the subject matter disclosed directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor; or

(C) the subject matter disclosed and the claimed invention, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, were owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person.

(c) COMMON OWNERSHIP UNDER JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENTS.—Subject matter disclosed and a claimed invention shall be deemed to have been owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person in applying the provisions of subsection (b)(2)(C) if—

(1) the subject matter disclosed was developed and the claimed invention was made by, or on behalf of, 1 or more parties to a joint research agreement that was in effect on or before the effective filing date of the claimed invention;

(2) the claimed invention was made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of the joint research agreement; and

(3) the application for patent for the claimed invention discloses or is amended to disclose the names of the parties to the joint research agreement.

(d) PATENTS AND PUBLISHED APPLICATIONS EFFECTIVE AS PRIOR ART.—For purposes of determining whether a patent or application for patent is prior art to a claimed invention under subsection (a)(2), such patent or application shall be considered to have been effectively filed, with respect to any subject matter described in the patent or application—

(1) if paragraph (2) does not apply, as of the actual filing date of the patent or the application for patent; or

(2) if the patent or application for patent is entitled to claim a right of priority under section 119, 365(a), or 365(b) or to claim the benefit of an earlier filing date under section 120, 121, or 365(c), based upon 1 or more prior filed applications for patent, as of the filing date of the earliest such application that describes the subject matter.」

三、美國專利法102條規定解析：

美國專利法第102條a款規定：「新穎性;先前的技術—一個人應當被授予專利，除非—

(1)提出的發明已經被他人取得專利，發表在印刷的出版物，或已供公眾使用，被販賣、銷售，或者除此之外，在提出發明的有效申請日之前，已為公眾所知悉或可取得;或者

(2)所提出的發明已經被公開授予專利，根據第151條規定 ;或者已公開或被視為公開的該專利正在申請中，根據第122(b)條規定，此專利或專利申請的申請人可能是其他的發明者在提出發明的有效申請日之前已然有效地申請了。」已經公開或已有先前技術的專利，喪失新穎性，不得取得專利權。

美國專利法第102條b款規定：「例外—

(1)   發明的公開揭露之事實發生在提出發明的有效申請日之前之一年以內的時間—根據第a項第1款，所公開揭露的發明在提出發明的有效申請日前一年內不應當是提出發明的先前技術，如果—

(A)  發明人或共同發明人公開揭露，或他人直接或間接從發明人或共同發明人那裏揭露而獲得發明標的;或者

(B)  在此揭露之前，發明標的已經被發明人或共同發明人所公開揭露，或他人直接或間接從發明人或共同發明人那裏揭露而獲得發明標的。

(2)   揭露出現在申請書和專利中—根據第a項第2款，提出發明的揭露不應當為先前的技術，如果—

(A)    發明標的之揭露是直接或間接從發明人或共同發明人那裏取得;

(B)     根據第a項第2款，在此發明標的有效申請之前，發明標的已經被發明人或共同發明人所公開揭露，或他人直接或間接從發明人或共同發明人那裏揭露而獲得發明標的發明人 ;或者

(C)     發明標的之揭露和所提出之發明申請，不遲於提出的發明有效申請日，是同一個人所擁有者或義務受讓於同一個人。」喪失新穎性的例外：發明人公開揭露的發明在提出發明的有效申請日前一年內，或者於專利申請日之前公開揭露與提出發明的發明人或受讓人是同一個人。

參考資料:

1. 1.      專利實務論(第四版)，冷耀世編著，全華出版社出版(2011)。
2. 2.      美國專利法(Patent Laws)。
3. 3.      專利訴訟的管理基礎系列 I ─ 淺談ITC專利訴訟(http://www.naipo.com/Portals/1/web_tw/Knowledge_Center/Expert_Column/Expert-5.htm)