2017年7月27日 星期四

新加坡臨時申請案筆記(一)


https://www.ipos.gov.sg/protecting-your-ideas/patent/application-process/provisional-application

(筆記)

曾經討論過「新加坡有臨時申請案」的報導,從新加坡專利局官方網站可知,為何是「provisional」,就只因為「申請時無須提交申請專利範圍」,但是就新加坡「provisional application」的概念來看,(一般方案)這是為了將來「轉換為正式案」的預備案,因此,「臨時案的內容幾乎要與正式申請案一致」,因為到轉換正式案時「才加入專利範圍」反而是沒有官方費用的(不超項的情況下)。

取得新加坡臨時申請案申請日要件:
專利文件、申請人與專利說明書,就是不用申請專利範圍

為何要用臨時申請案?
主要目的是:早期佈局。當不確定發明是否會要提出正式專利申請時,可用相對便宜的費用取得較早申請日,可以較早佈局而避免浪費初期申請費用與檢索或審查費用。

從新加坡專利局網站有關專利申請的Q&A得到以下資訊:

新加坡專利法並未明確指明「provisional patent application」,但因為允許不用提出申請專利範圍就可取得有效申請日,但這是「不完整的申請案」,因此視為「provisional」。

"In Singapore, whilst our Patent Act and Rules do not specifically refer to "provisional patent applications", they do allow for a date of filing to be accorded to a patent application without any patent claim(s) being filed with it, notwithstanding the fact that the patent application is incomplete until one or more patent claim(s) is or are furnished. Such Applications WITHOUT Claim(s) (hereafter called "Aw/oC") can be seen as "provisional". This Aw/oC approach would be attractive to some applicants who are not yet ready to furnish any patent claims at the time of filing their application."

新加坡臨時申請案的概念與美國或澳洲臨時申請案有些差異,但其申請日都是有效的,可以為多數國家主張優先權,在新加坡提出臨時申請案,主要目的是是要在申請之後12個月內加入申請專利範圍後,取得「轉換為」正式申請案,因此只要內容不變,轉換後的正式申請案應與臨時申請案為同一個案子

"Upon filing an Aw/oC(指沒有claims的臨時申請案), the applicant must furnish one or more patent claims with the Registry of Patents within the prescribed period of 12 months from the date of filing. When this occurs, the Aw/oC is "converted" into a complete patent application with claim(s), and it can then proceed further in the application process. The date of filing accorded to the Aw/oC is retained even after "conversion" as it is still the same application [albeit with claim(s) after "conversion"]. This is significant as the term of a patent begins from its date of filing. In the event that no patent claims are furnished within the period prescribed, the Aw/oC shall be treated as having been abandoned. "

這裡好像有個「伏筆」,如果(if)沒有申請專利範圍的新加坡臨時申請案為第一申請,申請人可以在申請後12個月內提出申請專利範圍完成正式案申請,也適用其他國家。如此,可能必然是要這樣吧!)

"If an Aw/oC(指沒有claims的臨時申請案) is the first filing of the invention in question, the applicant may decide, within 12 months from the date of filing of that Aw/oC, to file an Application WITH CLAIM(s) (hereafter called "AWC",指正式案) in a Paris Convention or WTO country for the same invention and claim priority based on the "Aw/oC"."

這樣看來只要是巴黎公約或是WTO會員國的專利申請案是可以主張新加坡臨時申請案優先權,但仍與美國臨時申請案不同,新加坡臨時申請案說明書應該是幾乎與正式案一樣了!

補充:
(與美國臨時申請案這部分相似)
「新加坡臨時申請案」如果沒有後續正式案不會被公開。
經提出請求後,正式申請案可於12個月內經由轉換(convert)成為正式申請案。
但經轉換的正式案,其專利有效期限係由臨時申請案申請日起算。
主張臨時申請案優先權的正式申請案的專利期限則由正式案申請日起算。


其他參考:

my two cents:
新加坡專利局網站很酷(好像不只說一次了):https://www.ipos.gov.sg/

新加坡臨時申請案是否可以主張(他案)優先權?或說,是否可以不是第一申請案?這似乎沒有說死。(實務上,似乎不允許不是第一申請案)

就優先權,以及臨時申請案能夠取得有效申請日的概念來看,新加坡後續正式案或外國申請案應可主張多件新加坡臨時申請案的優先權。

參考資料:
https://www.ipos.gov.sg/protecting-your-ideas/patent/application-process/provisional-application
http://www.davies.com.sg/ip-info-tools/patenting-process-in-singapore
http://www.ifaq.gov.sg/IPOS/apps/fcd_faqmain.aspx#TOPIC_411

Ron

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