2015年8月10日 星期一

領證前異議程序以及監視計畫(有關PREISSUANCE SUBMISSIONS)


這個AIA後實施的異議程序就像是「核准後公告前的異議程序」,台灣以及一些國家曾經或現行實施。

先前一點點報導:
Preissuance Submission Final Rules(http://enpan.blogspot.tw/2012/07/preissuance-submission-final-rules.html

(當時報導有誤,已更正)
美國專利法改革法案(AIA)於2012年9月16日生效施行的一種專利核准後的異議程序「預先發布提交pre-issuance submission)」 規則釋出,這個可在專利核准通知(notice of allowance)前,或公開後六個月內,讓第三方提出先前技術的方案,先前技術包括先前專利、專利公開案、印刷物等,提出的第三方應 作出相關前案的陳述意見,供USPTO審查委員參考,適用於發明專利、設計專利與植物專利的申請案,也包括各種專利申請案的後續申請案。
http://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/styles/wysiwyg_large/public/process-map-horizontal.png?itok=cYvzUiqt

相關法規見於美國專利法第122條(e)款(updated on April 25, 2016)
35 U.S.C. 122 Confidential status of applications; publication of patent applications.
...
(e) PREISSUANCE SUBMISSIONS BY THIRD PARTIES.--


(1) IN GENERAL.--Any third party may submit for consideration and inclusion in the record of a patent application, any patent, published patent application, or other printed publication of potential relevance to the examination of the application, if such submission is made in writing before the earlier of--

(A) the date a notice of allowance under section 151 is given or mailed in the application for patent; or

(B) THE LATER OF.--

(i) 6 months after the date on which the application for patent is first published under section 122 by the Office, or

(ii) the date of the first rejection under section 132 of any claim by the examiner during the examination of the application for patent.


(2) OTHER REQUIREMENTS.--Any submission under paragraph (1) shall--

(A) set forth a concise description of the asserted relevance of each submitted document;

(B) be accompanied by such fee as the Director may prescribe; and

(C) include a statement by the person making such submission affirming that the submission was made in compliance with this section.

(updated on April 25, 2016)美國專利法第122條(e)款規定讓第三方在以下兩個時間點提出"異議理由",主要是提出先前技術文獻,包括提出先前的專利、公開專利申請案、印刷物等文件提供USPTO審查參考,並需要對各文件提出一些簡略的描述、費用、符合本法規定的聲明等:
  • 發出相關專利申請案核准通知以前;
  • 相關申請案公開後6個月內,或第一次審查意見之前,以較晚的時間為準。
電子提交:

,問題是,"第三方"要如何知道"有興趣"的專利案已經公開、已經有核准通知?

除了找到專業的監視軟體、服務之外,USPTO也提出相關監視服務,而且是免費的!


這個計畫稱為「專利申請案警報服務(Patent Application Alert Service,PAAS)」,提供登記的使用者可以接到USPTO透過email發出相關專利申請案公開訊息,網址:https://www.uspatentappalerts.com/index.php

不過, 又有另一個問題,"第三方"如何知道"別人申請的專利是自己有興趣的?",這當然是透過「檢索條件(searching criteria)」。


以下是一些介紹(使用條款要看一下):
You may not:  (i) decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble, rent, lease, loan, sell, or  sublicense any aspects the Service; (ii) use any network monitoring or  discovery software against this Service to determine the site architecture, or  extract information about usage, individual identities or users;(iii) use the  Service to transmit any false, misleading, fraudulent or illegal communications;  or (iv) use or otherwise export or re-export the Service or any portion  thereof, or the content from the Service, in violation of the export control  laws and regulations of the United States of America. Any unauthorized use of  the Service, is prohibited.

(1)登入(登記服務時,密碼要求很嚴格)

(2)建立監視參數


(3)(日後提出試用報告)


資料參考:
USPTO, www.bitlaw.com

http://www.patentbaristas.com/archives/2015/04/24/uspto-offers-email-alerts-when-patent-applications-publish/

http://www.globalipmatters.com/2015/05/06/maximizing-use-of-the-usptos-patent-application-alert-service 

Ron

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