與政府機器對抗的代價--耗時傷神

Disney v. Rea (Fed. Cir. 2013)
this order is non precedential，這是個沒有前例的命令，只是有關申請人與USPTO的協議條件

此案例有趣的是透過專利訴訟看到一個企業的企圖，但又看到對抗政府機器耗時有傷神的過程。在本案中，專利權人Disney在取得一件網路交易專利後，企圖透過reissue程序擴大範圍，但卻又不成功，之後歷經訴願、地方法院並上訴進入CAFC，最後透過與官方"和解"後甚至要繳付USPTO在官司上的花費10萬美金的種種過程。顯然Disney曾經希望在網路商務上可以發光發熱，不過...程序磨人，失敗而又回到原始狀態。

系爭專利US5,963,915為迪士尼於2006年購自INFOSEEK CORPORATION（被迪士尼併購），專利關於一種安全、方便並有效率的網路交易系統與方法，

US5,963,915（經reissue，目前狀態應該是pending）
其中之一主要專利範圍界定一種在網路上介於使用者端與伺服器端之間的交易方法，步驟開始先建立伺服器端的使用者帳戶與識別符（identifier），使用者端進入載有多個販售商品的網頁時，其網址（URL）特別包括了識別符的資訊，伺服器端特別將URL所傳遞的識別符與使用者帳戶關聯起來，之後記錄販售商品與URL取得的識別資料。

白話來說，使用者透過網頁瀏覽器進入網路購物平台進行交易，平台伺服器會記錄使用者的帳戶，其中往來的網址資訊（URL）已經記載了可以識別販售商品與使用者識別資訊。這場見於現在的購物網站中，當瀏覽特定商品並進行選擇或下單，冗長的網址資訊已經提供伺服器相關商品、使用者等的資訊，而無須額外記錄使用者選購商品過程產生的資訊，這無疑加快了網路商務的效率。

下圖顯示一個代表性的購物流程，客戶端進入網頁，會轉至購物網站，網頁位址（URL）會根據載於客戶端電腦的cookie改寫URL，並傳送到伺服器，伺服器會根據使用者的行為隨時改寫cookie，並更新客戶帳戶資料。

1. A method of performing a purchase transaction between a client browser and a merchant server over a general purpose computer network comprising the steps of:

a) establishing a persistent predetermined coded identifier on a client browser corresponding to an account record stored by a merchant server;

b) providing for the serving of a Web page including a predetermined URL identifying a purchasable product or service to said client browser, said predetermined URL including a reference to said persistent predetermined coded identifier;

c) receiving said predetermined URL, including said persistent predetermined coded identifier, by said merchant server;

d) validating said predetermined coded identifier against said account record; and

e) recording the identity of said purchasable product or service as derived from said predetermined URL by said merchant server.

特別的是，此專利曾經想要透過再領證程序（re-issue）擴大專利範圍（領證後兩年內）。
而擴大的專利範圍可能可以涵蓋單鍵購物流程（one-click purchase method），因為此案申請日（1996年）比Amazon有名的單鍵購物專利更早，透過再領證程序企圖挑戰Amazon於1999年9月28日（申請日：1997年9月12日）的單鍵購物專利。

可參考Amazon的One Click專利US5960411：
http://enpan.blogspot.tw/2008/08/one-click-patent.html
1. A method of placing an order for an item comprising:
under control of a client system,
displaying information identifying the item; and
in response to only a single action being performed, sending a request to order the item along with an identifier of a purchaser of the item to a server system;
under control of a single-action ordering component of the server system,
receiving the request;
retrieving additional information previously stored for the purchaser identified by the identifier in the received request; and
generating an order to purchase the requested item for the purchaser identified by the identifier in the received request using the retrieved additional information; and
fulfilling the generated order to complete purchase of the item
whereby the item is ordered without using a shopping cart ordering model （負面表示）.

這個企圖心顯然是看到Amazon的one click成功的取得專利而產生，兩者都是有關網路購物的技術，而且說明書也提到按下滑鼠鍵的購物經驗。稍微找了一下系爭專利的說明書有關"click"的描述，顯然有資格取得如Amazon的專利範圍，其中提到：

可用單鍵進行選擇：
Selection is generally through a simple, single mouse click on a displayed portion of the text or graphics.
頂多有兩次滑鼠按鍵可以完成購物：
Notably, in essentially all instances, the entire purchase transaction from the client user perspective remains a simple two phase operation requiring at most only two mouse clicks for complete execution of the purchase.
如果信用卡資訊已經完成建制，可以不用超過兩次按鍵達成購物的目的：
allowing a product or service to be purchased with no more than two required mouse clicks where a credit relationship has been pre-established between a client user and vendor.

然而，這個舉動竟然歷經11年與USPTO往來答辯，期間超過100項的權利範圍歷經三次RCE與一次行政訴願，甚至根據專利法35 U.S.C. 145提出民事訴訟，要求地方法院命令USPTO准予本案專利，但是敗訴，再上訴到CAFC。

最後，Disney與USPTO達成協議，允許程序次回到USPTO提出RCE，或是朝向地方法院同意的方向進行修改。程序仍在進行中。

註：
專利法第145條規範申請人不服訴願委員會的結果時，可以透過民事程序（civil action）轉個彎取得專利，費用由申請人繳交。
35 U.S.C. 145 Civil action to obtain patent.
An applicant dissatisfied with the decision of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board in an appeal under section 134(a) may, unless appeal has been taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, have remedy by civil action against the Director in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia if commenced within such time after such decision, not less than sixty days, as the Director appoints. The court may adjudge that such applicant is entitled to receive a patent for his invention, as specified in any of his claims involved in the decision of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, as the facts in the case may appear, and such adjudication shall authorize the Director to issue such patent on compliance with the requirements of law. All the expenses of the proceedings shall be paid by the applicant.

Ron
資料來源：Patently-O, CAFC