選擇發明 - 歐洲審查基準

筆記

本篇源自歐洲審查基準Part G, Chapter VI, 8. Selection inventions（選擇發明）的規定。

選擇發明（Selection inventions）的寫法是要處理請求項中關於個別元件的選擇（selection of individual elements）、子集（sub-sets）或子範圍（sub-ranges）的技術特徵。

-- 個別元件的選擇（selection of individual elements）（歐洲訴願案T 12/81（德文，在此不研究））：
討論到選擇發明的「新穎性」問題，要檢視所選擇的元件是否是以個別的形式揭露在現有技術中？
從已經揭露於前案的元件列表的選擇不具新穎性；
反之，從兩個或以上的已知選項中選擇，而形成特徵的組合未揭露於前案中，具有新穎性。

-- 子集（sub-sets）與子範圍（sub-ranges）類似，為由前案揭露較廣的範圍中選擇其中較小範圍，可視為具有新穎性（歐洲訴願案T 198/84 and T 279/89），只要（新穎性條件）：
(a)選擇的子範圍筆已知範圍更窄；
(b)選擇的子範圍與現有技術的範圍實質偏離；
(c)選擇的範圍並非前案的任意範圍選擇，而是另外的發明。（就是後案不能就只是選擇較小範圍而沒有技術思想，選擇的子範圍需要有技術效果，才能具有新穎性）

-- 重疊範圍（overlapping ranges）的發明，如數值上的重疊，或是化學成份的重疊，這可看相關領域技術人員可否從已知前案中可以教示發明所選擇的範圍，如果範圍的終點與中間值已被已知技術揭露，都不具新穎性。當中若有新的技術元件，則具有新穎性。

另需考量進步性（inventiveness），這如一般原則，可由相關領域技術人員以現有技術為基礎，可以成功合理的期待而能嘗試發明與前案的技術差異，不具進步性。


[法條參考]

8. Selection inventions 

Selection inventions deal with the selection of individual elements, sub-sets, or sub-ranges, which have not been explicitly mentioned, within a larger known set or range.

(i)

In determining the novelty of a selection, it has to be decided, whether the selected elements are disclosed in an individualised (concrete) form in the prior art (see T 12/81). A selection from a single list of specifically disclosed elements does not confer novelty. However, if a selection from two or more lists of a certain length has to be made in order to arrive at a specific combination of features then the resulting combination of features, not specifically disclosed in the prior art, confers novelty (the "two-lists principle"). Examples of such selections from two or more lists are the selection of:

(a)

individual chemical compounds from a known generic formula whereby the compound selected results from the selection of specific substituents from two or more "lists" of substituents given in the known generic formula. The same applies to specific mixtures resulting from the selection of individual components from lists of components making up the prior art mixture; 

(b)

starting materials for the manufacture of a final product; 

(c)

sub-ranges of several parameters from corresponding known ranges. 

(ii)

A sub-range selected from a broader numerical range of the prior art is considered novel, if each of the following three criteria is satisfied (see T 198/84 and T 279/89):

(a)

the selected sub-range is narrow compared to the known range; 

(b)

the selected sub-range is sufficiently far removed from any specific examples disclosed in the prior art and from the end-points of the known range; 

(c)

the selected range is not an arbitrary specimen of the prior art, i.e. not a mere embodiment of the prior art, but another invention (purposive selection, new technical teaching). 

An effect occurring only in the claimed sub-range cannot in itself confer novelty on that sub-range. However, such a technical effect occurring in the selected sub-range, but not in the whole of the known range, can confirm that criterion (c) is met, i.e. that the invention is novel and not merely a specimen of the prior art. The meaning of "narrow" and "sufficiently far removed" has to be decided on a case-by-case basis. The new technical effect occurring within the selected range may also be the same effect as that attained with the broader known range, but to a greater extent.

Ron