美國專利法第154條(a)

美國專利法第154條 ─ 內容與專利期限，與暫時權利
其中(a)段規範了專利權的範圍，還有專利有效期限、優先權等權利

原文：
§154. Contents and term of patent; provisional rights
(a)
In general.
(1)
Contents. Every patent shall contain a short title of the invention and a grant to the patentee, his heirs or assigns, of the right to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling the invention throughout the United States or importing the invention into the United States, and, if the invention is a process, of the right to exclude others from using, offering for sale or selling throughout the United States, or importing into the United States, products made by that process, referring to the specification for the particulars thereof.
[翻譯]每一件專利包括有發明名稱、專利權人、繼承者或是受讓人，用以排除他人製造、使用、提供販賣、販賣或進口，若發明是一個流程，則排除他人由此流程製造的物品(參考說明書)在美國提供販賣、販賣或是進口

所以方法專利的範圍及於該方法所產生的物品，然此處再說明這類演繹會參考說明書

(2)
Term. Subject to the payment of fees under this title, such grant shall be for a term beginning on the date on which the patent issues and ending 20 years from the date on which the application for the patent was filed in the United States or, if the application contains a specific reference to an earlier filed application or applications under section 120, 121, or 365(c) of this title, from the date on which the earliest such application was filed.
[翻譯]專利有效期限是起於領證日，也就是繳交領證費時，並結束於美國申請日後20年，但如果申請案是基於美國專利法第120條(接續案)、第121條(分割案)或第365(c)條(美國國內優先權，包括指定美國的國際申請案)，專利有效期限的計算則始於較早申請案

美國專利法第120條規範了具有前案申請日好處(benefit)的接續案，比如CIP, CA, 分割案(121)等，這些專利有效日都從前申請案的申請日起算，同樣包括CIP案中新增的部分；
而美國專利法第365(c)條中則述及以下兩種優先權的例子，應都可解釋為美國國內優先權，同樣，這些專利有效日都從前申請案的申請日起算：
一是：prior national application，優先權主張為國內前申請案
二是：prior international application designating the United States，優先權主張為指定美國的國際申請案

(3)
Priority. Priority under section 119, 365(a), or 365(b) of this title shall not be taken into account in determining the term of a patent.
[翻譯]若申請案是基於美國專利法第119條(國際優先權)、第365(a)條(有指定至少一個除了美國以外的國家的國際申請案)或第365(b)條(指定美國的國際申請案指定他國或其他國際申請案的優先權)所規定的優先權，則較早申請日並不用於計算該申請案的專利有效期限

若主張為國際優先權，專利期限仍由該美國申請案申請日起算

(4)
Specification and drawing. A copy of the specification and drawing shall be annexed to the patent and be a part of such patent.
[翻譯]說明書與圖示為專利的一部分

Ron