韓國專利實務整理四

筆記

韓國專利局審查後，根據韓國專利法Article 63發出核駁意見，給予專利申請人2個月回覆與修正期限，期限可以逐月延長，共四次，也就是總共可以延長4個月，或可一次延長2~4個月。

[Article 63]
Article 63 (Notice of Grounds for Rejection)
(1) Where an examiner intends to render a decision to reject a patent application under Article 62, he/she shall notify the applicant of the grounds therefor and provide the applicant an opportunity to present his/her written opinions within a fixed period: Provided, That this shall not apply where the examiner intends to reject an amendment pursuant to Article 51 (1). 
(2) Where an examiner notifies the grounds to reject under the main sentence of paragraph (1) with regard to a patent application with two or more claims in its scope of patent application, he/she shall clearly state in the notice the claims refused and specifically describe the grounds for rejection of such claims. 

若需要繼續延長期限"超過法定4個月"，申請人需要在到期前提出請求，並提供理由，之後，審查委員會回應是否接受延期。延期理由如：(1)到期前一個月內撤銷或是置換代理人；(2)到期前一個月內修改申請人資料；(3)到期前兩個月內收到對應的國外專利審查結果，並需要對此修正時，可以要求延長OA回應期限；(4)OA延遲超過一個月；(5)申請案或是分割案懸宕在審判中；(6)需要更多時間嘗試與專利局聯繫；(7)需要延長時間考慮申請人不可避免的情況。

申請專利範圍中若有不被說明書支援的技術內容，則會引用Article 42(4)(I)；若申請專利範圍並不清楚定義出發明為何（不明確），則引用Article 42(4)(II)。

[Article 42(4)]
Article 42 (Patent Applications)
...
(4) The scope of claims under paragraph (2) 4 shall describe the matter for which protection is sought in one or more claims (hereinafter referred to as "claims") and the claims shall fall under any of the following subparagraphs: 
1. The claims shall be supported by detailed description of the invention;
2. The claims shall define the invention clearly and in detail;
3. Deleted. 

技術方法的核駁意見主要在Article 29(1)、29(2)。

新穎性：Article 29(1)表示，任何有產業利用性的發明都可專利，除非：專利申請前在韓國國內外已被公眾知悉或實施，或是專利申請前在韓國國內外印刷散布，或通過電信網路散布而讓公眾可使用。

[Article 29(1)]
Article 29 (Requirements for Patent Registration)
(1) An invention having industrial applicability may be patentable unless it falls under either of the following subparagraphs: 
1. Any invention publicly known or worked in the Republic of Korea or in a foreign country prior to the filing of the patent application;
2. Any invention that has been carried in a publication distributed in the Republic of Korea or in a foreign country prior to the filing of the patent application or any invention that has been made utilizable by the public through telecommunication lines.

進步性：Article 29(2)表示，如果發明在專利申請前由相關領域一般技術人員為輕易達成時，仍不能取得專利。

[Article 29(2)]
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), where an invention could easily be made prior to the filing of the patent application by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains, on the basis of an invention referred to in any subparagraph of paragraph (1), no patent shall be granted for such invention. 

修正規定：Article 47表示，當接收到專利局核駁意見，或是申請提出核駁決定後再審（非美國再審）時，專利申請人可以修正說明書或圖示，然而，修正不能超出原申請時揭露範圍。另外，若在期限前連續提出修正，將以期限到期前最後一次為準。

修正限制：(1)申請專利範圍的修正限定在以限縮、刪除與增加來"限縮"範圍；(2)誤繕修正；(3)不明確的澄清；(4)若修正超出原揭露內容，可以回到修正前範圍，或是以修正回到前次範圍。

[Article 47]
Article 47 (Amendment to Patent Application)
...
(2) An amendment to the specification or drawings under paragraph (1) shall be made within the scope of the features disclosed in the specification or drawings initially attached to the patent application.
(3) An amendment to the scope of claims, from among amendments pursuant to paragraph (1) 2 and 3, may be made only where it falls under any of the following subparagraphs:
1. Where the scope of claims for a patent is reduced by limiting, deleting, adding claims;
2. Where wrong description is corrected;
3. Where ambiguous description is made clear;
4. With regard to an amendment beyond the scope referred to in paragraph (2), where returning to the scope of claims made prior to the amendment, or amending the scope of claims pursuant to subparagraphs 1 through 3 in the course of returning to the said scope of claims.

核駁決定後再審：Article 67-2規定申請人接獲核駁決定後，可以在30日內提出再審請求，可參考：http://enpan.blogspot.tw/2009/07/blog-post_28.html。這是「訴願」的另一選項。

[Article 67-2]
Article 67-2 (Request for Re-examination)
(1) A patent applicant may, within 30 days (where a period under Article 132-3 has been extended
pursuant to Article 15 (1), referring to such extended period) from the date of receipt of a certified copy of the decision to reject the patent application, request a re-examination (hereinafter referred to as "reexamination") on the relevant patent application after amendment to the specification or drawings attached to the patent application: Provided, that this shall not apply where there exists a decision to reject a patent following the re-examination or a request for trial pursuant to Article 132-3.
(2) Where a request for re-examination is made in accordance with para graph (1), a decision to reject a patent application previously made for the relevant patent application shall be deemed to have been withdrawn.
(3) No request for re-examination pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be withdrawn.

韓國專利法（KIPO）：
http://www.kipo.go.kr/upload/en/download/PATENT_ACT.pdf
TIPO提供韓國專利法翻譯：
https://www.tipo.gov.tw/public/Attachment/622616512911.pdf

Ron