案件資訊:
U.S. Supreme Court Diamond v. Diehr, 450 U.S. 175 (1981)
No. 79-1112
Argued October 14, 1980
Decided March 3, 1981
系爭專利:US4,344,142
系爭案涉及將未加工的「尚未固化的合成橡膠」固化為產物的技術,製程中採用公知的參數(時間、溫度、固化時間(cure time)),通過數學方法計算何時打開「壓模(molding press)」並取出已經固化的產物。(系爭案可參考文後補充內容)
系爭案的特點是通過「數學方法」更精確地計算產物在壓模中的溫度,通過持續地量測壓模中的溫度,將溫度輸入電腦,不斷地以數學方法計算固化時間(cure time),最後在最適當時間取出固化產物。
系爭案在USPTO審查階段,審查委員以發明並非35 U.S.C. § 101可法定可專利項目之一核駁,案件進入訴願委員會,訴願委員會維持USPTO意見,案件上訴當年的CCPA(Court of Customs and Patent Appeals),CCPA推翻過去意見,認為系爭案發明為可專利標的。
最高法院意見:
考量CCPA意見,最高法院解釋35 U.S.C. § 101中「process」,認為process為一系列動作(a series of acts),經執行在專利標的而轉換並形成不同的狀態,如果動作是新穎而有用的,可如機器裝置(machinery)一般為可專利的標的。這個machinery使得這個發明為可專利標的。
不過也提及,數學方程式如自然律,為不可專利標的。
(重點0)當系爭案專利範圍包括了數學方程式,以此實現一個製程,整體來看,是執行一個專利法保護標的的功能,仍為符合101規定的可專利類別之一。
(a) For purposes of § 101, a "process" is
"an act, or a series of acts, performed upon the subject matter to be transformed and reduced to a different state or thing. If new and useful, it is just as patentable as is a piece of machinery. . . . The machinery pointed out as suitable to perform the process may or may not be new or patentable."
(b) While a mathematical formula, like a law of nature, cannot be the subject of a patent, cf. Gottschalk v. Benson, 409 U. S. 63; Parker v.
(c) When a claim containing a mathematical formula implements or applies the formula in a structure or process which, when considered as a whole, is performing a function which the patent laws were designed to protect (e.g.,transforming or reducing an article to a different state or thing), then the claim satisfies § 101's requirements. Pp.450 U. S. 191-193.
(重點二)分析發明是否符合35 U.S.C. § 101,應整體來看,同時考量其中新的與舊的元件。
(重點三)是否發明符合102(新穎性)與103(非顯而易見性),不會影響發明是否落於101可專利標的類別的判斷。
"The questions of whether a particular invention meets the "novelty" requirements of 35 U.S.C. § 102 or the "nonobviousness" requirements of § 103 do not affect the determination of whether the invention falls into a category of subject matter that is eligible for patent protection under § 101."
專利最後獲准:US4,344,142(https://patents.google.com/patent/US4344142A/en?oq=4%2c344%2c142)
最高法院判決文:https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/450/175/
Ron
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