從100看美國專利法改變

筆記

從美國專利法第100101條(updated on Dec.6,2012)的修正來看美國專利法改革後的「發明人」：

 「發明人（inventor）」這個詞是指獨立或共同發明人中之一發明或發現專利主張的標的（the subject matter of the invention）
「共同發明人（joint inventor）」這個詞是指發明人中之任一為專利標的的發明人（subject matter of a joint invention）
「共同研究合同（joint research agreement）」 指至少兩個人因為共同實驗、開發與研究所主張的發明案而訂下的合約、同意書或是合作協議（claimed invention）
「有效申請日（effective filing date）」指一個發明申請案（claimed invention in a patent or application for patent）的真實申請日，或主張優先權或延續的後案之前的最早申請日
「有效申請日」為包括再領證（reissue）專利案中主張範圍的申請案之申請日
「主張權利的發明（claimed invention）」指在專利申請案中透過專利範圍（claim）定義的發明（subject matter defined by a claim in a patent or an application for a paten）

這些定義支持了改革後所謂第一發明人的申請主義（first-inventor-to-file）的基本精神，共同的條件是都要提出專利主張的才稱為發明人！

35 U.S.C. 100 Definitions.

When used in this title unless the context otherwise indicates -

(a) The term "invention" means invention or discovery.

(b) The term "process" means process, art, or method, and includes a new use of a known process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, or material.

(c) The terms "United States" and "this country" mean the United States of America, its territories and possessions.

(d) The word "patentee" includes not only the patentee to whom the patent was issued but also the successors in title to the patentee.

(e) The term "third-party requester" means a person requesting ex parte reexamination under section 302 or inter partes reexamination under section 311 who is not the patent owner.

(f) The term ‘inventor’ means the individual or, if a joint invention, the individuals collectively who invented or discovered the subject matter of the invention.

(g) The terms ‘joint inventor’ and ‘coinventor’ mean any 1 of the individuals who invented or discovered the subject matter of a joint invention.

(h) The term ‘joint research agreement’ means a written contract, grant, or cooperative agreement entered into by 2 or more persons or entities for the performance of experimental, developmental, or research work in the field of the claimed invention.

(i)

(1) The term ‘effective filing date’ for a claimed invention in a patent or application for patent means--

(A) if subparagraph (B) does not apply, the actual filing date of the patent or the application for the patent containing a claim to the invention; or

(B) the filing date of the earliest application for which the patent or application is entitled, as to such invention, to a right of priority under section 119, 365(a), or 365(b) or to the benefit of an earlier filing date under section 120, 121, or 365(c).

(2) The effective filing date for a claimed invention in an application for reissue or reissued patent shall be determined by deeming the claim to the invention to have been contained in the patent for which reissue was sought.

(j) The term ‘claimed invention’ means the subject matter defined by a claim in a patent or an application for a patent.

Ron