美國專利法第103(c)條

原美國專利法第103(c)條之規定如下：
(c) Subject matter developed by another person, which qualifies as prior art only under one or more of subsections (e), (f), and (g) of section 102 of this title, shall not preclude patentability under this section where the subject matter and the claimed invention were, at the time the invention was made, owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person

103(c)規定，若引用他人發明且符合102(e), 102(f), 102(g)規定的前案，但該發明之標的及所請求的範圍在發明完成時與當下的申請案為同一人擁有，或經合約規定讓與給同一人時，則不得排除該發明之可專利性。

此保障發明人不會被自己的前案所干擾，包括在102(e)─有申請日較早的前案、102(f)─發明人不實、102(g)他人完成且公開的發明等的情況。

但經2004年12月10日生效的修正後，再補述上述所謂同一擁有人的規定：(來源：USPTO)

修正後原文：
這與原來103(c)的內容一樣：
35 U.S.C. 103(c)(1) (formerly 35 U.S.C. 103(c)):
Subject matter developed by another person, which qualifies as prior art only under one or more of subsections (e), (f), and (g) of section 102 of this title, shall not preclude patentability under this section where the subject matter and the claimed invention were, at the time the claimed invention was made, owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person.

這是新增的：
35 U.S.C. 103(c)(2):

For purposes of this subsection, subject matter developed by another person 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 if–

1. the claimed invention was made by or on behalf of parties to a joint research agreement that was in effect on or before the date the claimed invention was made;
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. (emphasis added)

如果(1)在發明完成時或是之前，其共同研發協議已生效；(2)發明的結果在此共同研發協議的範圍內；並且(3)申請案中已揭露或經修正而揭露此共同研發的單位名稱，即可視為由同一人所擁有，則排出前案的阻礙

這也是新增的：
35 U.S.C. 103(c)(3):
For purposes of paragraph (2), the term “joint research agreement” means a written contract, grant, or cooperative agreement entered into by two or more persons or entities for the performance of experimental, developmental, or research work in the field of the claimed invention. (Emphasis added.)

103(c)(2)所規定的共同研發協議具有一份書面合約或是合作協議，其中載明該發明由兩個或以上的人或是實體在此發明範疇內進行研發與實驗

備註：符合102(e)條件的引證案，但與當下申請案為同一人所擁有，則不適用作為引證案的情形，僅適用於1999年11月29日當天或之後申請的案子，包括reissue

Ron