美國專利新法的各方異議制度

筆記


去年提出的美國專利法改革法案（Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, AIA）中，提出幾種異議制度，提供多種任何一方（party）可以提供專利性意見的方案，目的是能夠降低誤准專利的爭議，特別是希望進入法院前就能盡量處理掉專利性的爭議。


包括新增多方復審（Inter Partes Review, IPR）的專利公告後異議制度、提供第三方的核准後異議（Post-Grant Review, PGR）與提供專利權人自己可提的補充審查（Supplemental Examination）
可參考之前的文章：http://enpan.blogspot.com/2011/09/iv.html；美國專利法改革整理 II （http://enpan.blogspot.com/2011/09/ii.html）

INTER PARTES REVIEW (IPR，多方複審)的特點：

1. 用以取代現行inter partes reexamination（多方再審）
2. 類似PGR，IPR是提供給第三方(third parties)在專利核准後（包括再領證核准後）九個月之後，或PGR（Post-Grant Review）程序終止後（以較晚的為主），可向USPTO提出IPR
3. IPR提出者應證明至少一個專利權利範圍無效（新穎性, 進步性） ，僅限於102、103的異議理由，並提出先前技術與說明
4. 專利權人可對此提出初步意見給PTAB參考
5. 如同PGR，IPR程序並非由審查委員審理（如re-examination），而由PTAB（Patent Trial and Appeal Board）受理執行
6. USPTO（PTAB）應於提出IPR三個月內做出同意或否定受理此程序的決定，並於一年內（可延長六個月）作出最後決定
7. IPR期間，專利權人有一次修改權利範圍的機會
8. IPR會產生禁反言
9. 於09/16/2012實施，並適用於在此日期前、後核准的所有專利案
10. 法條係修改自原規定「inter partes reexamination」的美國專利法35 USC 311的條文：
    35 U.S.C. 311 Request for Inter partes review reexamination(a) IN GENERAL.--Subject to the provisions of this chapter, a person who is not the owner of a patent may file with the Office a petition to institute an inter partes review of the patent. The Director shall establish, by regulation, fees to be paid by the person requesting the review, in such amounts as the Director determines to be reasonable, considering the aggregate costs of the review.(b) SCOPE.--A petitioner in an inter partes review may request to cancel as unpatentable 1 or more claims of a patent only on a ground that could be raised under section 102 or 103 and only on the basis of prior art consisting of patents or printed publications.(c) FILING DEADLINE.--A petition for inter partes review shall be filed after the later of either--

(1) the date that is 9 months after the grant of a patent or issuance of a reissue of a patent; or

(2) if a post-grant review is instituted under chapter 32, the date of the termination of such post-grant review.

(a) IN GENERAL.- Any third-party requester at any time may file a request for inter partes reexamination by the Office of a patent on the basis of any prior art cited under the provisions of section 301.

(b) REQUIREMENTS.- The request shall-

(1) be in writing, include the identity of the real party in interest, and be accompanied by payment of an inter partes reexamination fee established by the Director under section 41; and

(2) set forth the pertinency and manner of applying cited prior art to every claim for which reexamination is requested.

(c) COPY.- The Director promptly shall send a copy of the request to the owner of record of the patent.

POST-GRANT REVIEW (PGR)的特點：

1. 新方案
2. 提供第三方（非專利權人）對專利提出的異議制度
3. 於專利核准後，或再領證案獲准之後9個月內提出（適合專利核准之監控）
4. 應基於專利或公開文獻，並相關意見陳述，主張一或多個權利範圍無效
5. 如同IPR，PGR程序並非由審查委員審理，而由PTAB（Patent Trial and Appeal Board）受理執行
6. 於09/16/2012實施，並適用於在此日期前、後核准的所有符合時間規定的專利案35 U.S.C. 321 Post–grant review(a) IN GENERAL.--Subject to the provisions of this chapter, a person who is not the owner of a patent may file with the Office a petition to institute a post-grant review of the patent. The Director shall establish, by regulation, fees to be paid by the person requesting the review, in such amounts as the Director determines to be reasonable, considering the aggregate costs of the post-grant review.(b) SCOPE.--A petitioner in a post-grant review may request to cancel as unpatentable 1 or more claims of a patent on any ground that could be raised under paragraph (2) or (3) of section 282(b) (relating to invalidity of the patent or any claim).(c) FILING DEADLINE.--A petition for a post-grant review may only be filed not later than the date that is 9 months after the date of the grant of the patent or of the issuance of a reissue patent (as the case may be).

SUPPLEMENTAL EXAMINATION：

1. 新方案
2. 專利獲准領證後，提供專利權人向 USPTO對新提出相關前案資訊複審，或可修正
3. 複審期間不影響專利權
4. 自專利權人提出supplemental examination後三個月內，專利局director應作出其中資訊是否確實對專利性產生實質影響的回應
5. 如果專利權人自己提出的議題（issue），專利局director應命令開始「再審（re-exam）」程序
6. 於09/16/2012實施，適用全部專利案
7. 可用於提出訴訟前的專利性確保程序
8. 對應法案：35 U.S.C. 257
   35 U.S.C. 257, Supplemental examinations to consider, reconsider, or correct information.
   (a) REQUEST FOR SUPPLEMENTAL EXAMINATION.--A patent owner may request supplemental examination of a patent in the Office to consider, reconsider, or correct information believed to be relevant to the patent, in accordance with such requirements as the Director may establish. Within 3 months after the date a request for supplemental examination meeting the requirements of this section is received, the Director shall conduct the supplemental examination and shall conclude such examination by issuing a certificate indicating whether the information presented in the request raises a substantial new question of patentability.
   (b) REEXAMINATION ORDERED.--If the certificate issued under subsection (a) indicates that a substantial new question of patentability is raised by 1 or more items of information in the request, the Director shall order reexamination of the patent. The reexamination shall be conducted according to procedures established by chapter 30, except that the patent owner shall not have the right to file a statement pursuant to section 304. During the reexamination, the Director shall address each substantial new question of patentability identified during the supplemental examination, notwithstanding the limitations in chapter 30 relating to patents and printed publication or any other provision of such chapter.

Ron
參考：http://www.bitlaw.com/