如果找不到發明人簽名怎麼辦？

如果找不到發明人簽名怎麼辦？

美國申請案「如果找不到發明人簽名怎麼辦？」這個問題不見得不會發生，比如美國案不是第一時間的申請國，第一申請國是台灣案，經過翻譯、校稿之後，往往已 經過了一、兩個月，若又恃「優先權」的好處而延遲送件，就更晚了。這個時候，不一定原來發明人已離職或是其他原因而無法簽署「Declaration」， 或是有多位發明人，只要有一個人有這問題，這問題就發生了！

事實上，沒有來得及簽名仍可以送件，並獲得美國申請日，只是之後仍要補上「費用」與「補件」！送件時，在此情況下，「宣誓書」仍要註明以下內容

• 發明人姓名，註明「non-signing inventor - completed on added page」
• 居住地
• 國籍
• 地址
• 能簽署的發明人的簽名（Declaration）

實務上，為了要證明該發明人不願或是無法簽署的事實，應須盡到所有通知的義務（diligent effort），應證明已通知該發明人，至少是寄到該發明人「最後」的已知地址，如有收到不能寄達的回函，否則事後會被考驗！如果能附上該發明人的說明，或是口頭說明（包括時間與地點）最好。M.P.E.P. 409.03(d)有規範此說明（statement）的內容。

面對發明人始終「不簽名」、「無法簽名」的問題，可參考37 CFR 1.47(a)所規範「Filing when an inventor refuses to sign or cannot be reached」的內容：

• (a) 如果共同發明人中的一個發明人拒絕簽署專利申請案，或是找不到人，「其他發明人」仍可代表（on behalf of）該無法簽署的發明人提出申請案。此時送件的宣誓書（oath或declaration）則需連同提出該發明人無法簽署的理由書 （petition），加上相關費用，再加上該發明人「最後」的地址，該發明人仍可在以後補提宣誓書。
• (b)如果「全部」的發明人都拒絕或是無法簽署宣誓書，而被授權人或是其他可以證明專屬權利的人仍可以以「代理人」的角色提出此發明申請案，此時，仍需附帶上述陳述事實的理由書（petition），同樣應具備發明人「最後」的地址，各發明人仍可於事後補足宣誓書。
• (c)以上缺漏文件的訊息都會記載於專利公開書中，包括該案的後續案。

[原文]
(a)
If a joint inventor refuses to join in an application for patent or cannot be found or reached after diligent effort, the application may be made by the other inventor on behalf of himself or herself and the nonsigning inventor. The oath or declaration in such an application must be accompanied by a petition including proof of the pertinent facts, the fee set forth in § 1.17(g), and the last known address of the nonsigning inventor. The nonsigning inventor may subsequently join in the
application by filing an oath or declaration complying with § 1.63.

(b)
Whenever all of the inventors refuse to execute an application for patent, or cannot be found or reached after diligent effort, a person to whom an inventor has assigned or agreed in writing to assign the invention, or who otherwise shows sufficient proprietary interest in the matter justifying such action, may make application for patent on behalf of and as agent for all the inventors. The oath or declaration in such an application must be accompanied by a petition including proof of the pertinent facts, a showing that such action is necessary to preserve the rights of the parties or to prevent irreparable damage, the fee set forth in § 1.17(g), and the last known address of all of the inventors. An inventor may subsequently join in the application by filing an oath or declaration complying with § 1.63.
(c)
The Office will send notice of the filing of the application to all inventors who have not joined in the application at the address(es) provided in the petition under this section, and publish notice of the filing of the application in the Official Gazette. The Office may dispense with this notice provision in a continuation or divisional application, if notice regarding the filing of the prior application was given to the nonsigning inventor(s).

以下列舉一例：
此例顯示發明人名稱為Paul Sheppard，但是並未簽署宣誓書，顯示為「NON-SIGNING」，並註明法定代理人為SURREY(CA)


此案在申請日之後一段時間後提出Petition，以下畫面是內容首頁，說明該發明人已經不能再簽名了！


Ron