問題與解決方案（Problem‑and‑solution approach） - 歐洲專利審查基準

筆記

歐洲審查委員要求針對新穎性與進步性提出有說服力的答辯意見，特別是提出「problem-solution approach」，問題與解決方案。


歐洲專利審查基準 Part G, Chapter VII, 5規範進步性答辯時所考量的「Problem and Solution approach」：在此進步性討論中，以”客觀與可預見的方式“考量申請人提出的技術問題與解決方案，第一，判斷最相近先前技術；第二，得出被解決的客觀技術問題；第三，考量是否請求項發明在以上兩點考量中為相關領域技術人員為顯而易見。

Part G, Chapter VII, 5.Problem‑and‑solution approach 

In order to assess inventive step in an objective and predictable manner, the so-called "problem-and-solution approach" should be applied. Thus deviation from this approach should be exceptional.

In the problem-and-solution approach, there are three main stages:

(i)

determining the "closest prior art", 

(ii)

establishing the "objective technical problem" to be solved, and 

(iii)

considering whether or not the claimed invention, starting from the closest prior art and the objective technical problem, would have been obvious to the skilled person. 

https://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/guidelines/e/g_vii_5.htm

Ron