修正在訴願前可能不被接受的理由

筆記

先看一下美國專利的修正時機：
http://enpan.blogspot.tw/2013/01/blog-post_14.html


37 CFR 1.116提到美國專利申請案在終駁之後（final action）與訴願之前（prior to appeal）提出修正、宣誓書與其他證據的規範（Amendments and affidavits or other evidence after final action and prior to appeal）

重點有：

• 當專利申請案遭遇終駁（Final OA）之後（包括再審re-exam的終駁），如果提出RCE，規範在37 CFR 1.114，可以提出IDS、修正（說明書、請求項、圖示）、新的答辯理由、可專利的新證明；
• 此時可以修正的範疇有：
• 刪除請求項（條件是對原權利範圍沒有影響）、改善請求項使得進入訴願程序、修正若併入之前沒有的內容需要聲明其必要性
• 如果不符修正規定，將不被接受

[原文摘要]

• 可修正的範圍：
  (1)An amendment may be made canceling claims or complying with any requirement of form expressly set forth in a previous Office action;
  (2)An amendment presenting rejected claims in better form for consideration on appeal may be admitted; or
  (3)An amendment touching the merits of the application or patent under reexamination may be admitted upon a showing of good and sufficient reasons why the amendment is necessary and was not earlier presented.
• no amendment other than canceling claims, where such cancellation does not affect the scope of any other pending claim in the proceeding, can be made in an inter partes reexamination proceeding
• may not cancel claims where such cancellation affects the scope of any other pending claim in the reexamination proceeding

補充：
如果進入訴願程序又被終駁，此時程序將被終結，申請人需要提出請求項修正、新證據以請求重新開啟爭議程序（reopening of prosecution），讓訴願委員會重新作出新的或是重新確認前次決定。

[原文]
37 CFR §1.981 Reopening after a final decision of the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences.
When a decision by the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences on appeal has become final for judicial review, prosecution of the inter partes reexamination proceeding will not be reopened or reconsidered by the primary examiner except under the provisions of § 41.77 of this title without the written authority of the Director, and then only for the consideration of matters not already adjudicated, sufficient cause being shown.

Ron