APJ，原文是Administrator Patent Judge，行政專利法官，為PTAB（專利審判與上訴委員會）的審查官，因為調查的專利案為USPTO審理中或再審（reexamination）的訴願案（Appeal），或是審理核准後的異議案（IPR, PGR, CBM）等，APJ的審查官要求的背景與經驗都是要十分嚴格的，經USPTO公告而聘任的，不同於其他司法體系下的法官，最高法院法官還需要總統提名、國會同意等程序。
PTAB法律依據在35 U.S.C. 6，從AIA改革法案之後，由原本的BPAI改為PTAB，APJ要求有法律與科學的能力，工作職掌包括：處理專利申請人訴願案（Appeal）、審理再審案訴願、審理派生（申請人調查）程序、處理IPR, PGR等異議案。
35 U.S.C. 6, PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD BOARD OF PATENT APPEALS AND INTERFERENCES
(a) IN GENERAL.--There shall be in the Office a Patent Trial and Appeal Board. The Director, the Deputy Director, the Commissioner for Patents, the Commissioner for Trademarks, and the administrative patent judges shall constitute the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. The administrative patent judges shall be persons of competent legal knowledge and scientific ability who are appointed by the Secretary, in consultation with the Director. Any reference in any Federal law, Executive order, rule, regulation, or delegation of authority, or any document of or pertaining to the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences is deemed to refer to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.
(b) DUTIES.--The Patent Trial and Appeal Board shall--
(1) on written appeal of an applicant, review adverse decisions of examiners upon applications for patents pursuant to section 134(a);
(2) review appeals of reexaminations pursuant to section 134(b);
(3) conduct derivation proceedings pursuant to section 135; and
(4) conduct inter partes reviews and post-grant reviews pursuant to chapters 31 and 32.
(c) 3–MEMBER PANELS.--Each appeal, derivation proceeding, post-grant review, and inter partes review shall be heard by at least 3 members of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, who shall be designated by the Director. Only the Patent Trial and Appeal Board may grant rehearings.
(d) TREATMENT OF PRIOR APPOINTMENTS.--The Secretary of Commerce may, in the Secretary's discretion, deem the appointment of an administrative patent judge who, before the date of the enactment of this subsection, held office pursuant to an appointment by the Director to take effect on the date on which the Director initially appointed the administrative patent judge. It shall be a defense to a challenge to the appointment of an administrative patent judge on the basis of the judge's having been originally appointed by the Director that the administrative patent judge so appointed was acting as a de facto officer.
先前有關PTAB報導：http://enpan.blogspot.tw/2012/09/ptab.html
Derivation Proceeding：
http://enpan.blogspot.tw/2012/09/derivation-proceeding.html
這裏有介紹PTAB與APJ的影片：
https://youtu.be/uJ_3Gx8hegU
資料參考：
http://www.uspto.gov/about-us/organizational-offices/patent-trial-and-appeal-board
Ron
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