2019年5月16日 星期四

PCT進入美國階段的主動修正筆記

本篇名為「PCT進入美國階段的主動修正」,這類伴隨PCT案進入美國國家階段的專利申請案的主動修正為「preliminary amendment(初步修正)」,preliminary amendment是在第一OA前的主動修正,且修正時不應影響到美國專利局作出第一次OA前的情況下,否則可能被拒絕。

這種情況下的請求項修正可參閱MPEP 1893.01(a)(3)(4)。
可參閱:https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/s1893.html

在PCT階段的修正,一般是在PCT檢索局作出檢索報告與初步審查意見(preliminary examination)後,申請人回應初步審查意見時可以提出修正,修正後版本將隨之進入國家階段,其中若有新增new matter,可能在國家階段要求移除。

PCT案進入美國國家階段時,若有修正請求項的需求,應提出完整的專利範圍,其中可能包括原本PCT案就有的專利範圍(Original)、修正的專利範圍(Currently Amended)、刪除的範圍(Canceled),也可能包括撤回的範圍(withdrawn)、過去修正的範圍(Previously Presented,如在PCT階段時的修正)、新增範圍(New)與不用審查的範圍(Not Entered)等。

若有Currently Amended的範圍,應標註出(追蹤修訂)與PCT案不同的部分,如additions, strike-through與double brackets。

申請人應註解出修正的狀態,法條中有提出幾個範例。

[法條]

1893.01(a)(3) Article 34 Amendments (Filed with the International Preliminary Examining Authority)

Amendments to the international application that were properly made under PCT Article 34 during the international preliminary examination phase (i.e., Chapter II) will be annexed by the International Preliminary Examining Authority to the international preliminary examination report (IPER) and communicated to the elected Offices. See PCT Article 36,PCT Rule 70.16, and MPEP § 1893.03(e). If these annexes are in English, they will normally be entered into the U.S. national stage application by the Office absent a clear instruction by the applicant that the annexes are not to be entered. In this regard, the “Transmittal Letter To The United States Designated/Elected Office (DO/EO/US) Concerning A Submission Under 35 U.S.C. 371” (Form PTO-1390) available at www.uspto.gov/forms/ includes a check box by which the applicant may expressly instruct the U.S. Designated/Elected Office not to enter the Article 34 amendment(s) in the United States national stage application. However, if entry of the replacement sheets will result in an obvious inconsistency in the description, claims or drawings of the international application, then the annexes will not be entered. If the annexes are in a foreign language, a proper translation of the annexes must be furnished to the Office not later than the expiration of 30 months from the priority date, unless a period has been set pursuant to 37 CFR 1.495(c) to furnish an oath or declaration, English translation of the international application, search fee (37 CFR 1.492(b)), examination fee (37 CFR 1.492(c)), or application size fee (37 CFR 1.492(j)), in which case the translations of the annexes, accompanied by the processing fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.492(f), may be submitted within the period set pursuant to 37 CFR 1.495(c). See 37 CFR 1.495(e). Annexes for which translations are not timely received will be considered canceled. Amendments made under PCT Article 34 to the international application after commencement and entry into the U.S. national phase (see MPEP § 1893.01) will not be considered in a U.S. national stage application. However, applicants may still amend the U.S. national stage application by way of a preliminary amendment submitted in accordance with 37 CFR 1.115 and 37 CFR 1.121.
Where an English translation of the annexes is provided, the translation must be such that the translation of the originally filed application can be changed by replacing the originally filed application page(s) (of translation) with substitute page(s) of translation of the annex. Thus, applicant should check to be sure that the English translation can be entered by substituting the pages of translation for corresponding pages of the description or claims of the international application without leaving an inconsistency. If entry of the page of translation causes inconsistencies in the description or claims of the international application the translation will not be entered. Non-entry of the annexes will be indicated on the “NOTICE OF ACCEPTANCE OF APPLICATION UNDER 35 U.S.C. 371 AND 37 CFR 1.495” (Form PCT/DO/EO/903). For example, if the translation of the originally filed application has a page which begins with claim 1 and ends with a first part of claim 2 with the remainder of claim 2 on the next page then translation of the annex to only claim 1 must include a substitute page or pages beginning with the changes to claim 1 and ending with the last of the exact same first part of claim 2. This enables the original translated first page of claims to be replaced by the translation of the annex without changing the subsequent unamended page(s). Alternatively applicant may submit a preliminary amendment in accordance with 37 CFR 1.121. The fact that an amendment made to the international application during the international phase was entered in the national stage application does not necessarily mean that the amendment is proper. Specifically, amendments are not permitted to introduce “new matter” into the application. See PCT Article 34(2)(b). Where it is determined that such amendments introduce new matter into the application, then the examiner should proceed as in the case of regular U.S. national applications filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) by requiring removal of the new matter and making any necessary rejections to the claims. See MPEP §§ 608.04 and 2163.06.

1893.01(a)(4) Claim Amendment (Filed With the U.S. Designated or Elected Office)

For the manner of making amendments and the required format, see the applicable U.S. regulations, in particular 37 CFR 1.121 and 1.125. One of the requirements for effectively amending claims in a national phase application is a complete listing of all claims ever presented, including the text of all pending and withdrawn claims. The status of every claim in such listing must be indicated after its claim number by one of the following identifiers in a parenthetical expression: (Original), (Currently Amended), (Canceled), (Withdrawn), (Previously Presented), (New), and (Not Entered). All “currently amended” claims must include markings to indicate the changes made relative to the immediate prior version of the claims: underlining to indicate additions, strike-through or double brackets for deletions (see 37 CFR 1.121(c) for further details regarding the format of claim amendments). Applicants should note that, in an amendment to the claims filed in a national phase application, the status identifier “original” must be used for claims that had been presented on the international filing date and not modified or canceled. The status identifier “previously presented” must be used in any amendment submitted during the national phase for any claims added or modified under PCT Articles 19 or 34 in the international phase that were subsequently entered in the national phase. The status identifier “canceled” must be used in any amendment submitted during the national phase for any claims canceled under a PCT Article 19 or 34 amendment in the international phase and subsequently entered in the national phase.
Example 1: Original claims 1-10; Article 19/34 filed with claims 1-20 listed on the replacement sheet wherein claims 1-10 were unchanged and claims 11-20 were added; the status of the claims prior to any further amendment under 37 CFR 1.121 would be as follows: claims 1-10 as “original” and claims 11-20 as “previously presented.”
Example 2: Original claims 1-10; Article 19/34 filed with claims 1-9 listed on the replacement sheet wherein claims 1-9 were unchanged and claim 10 was cancelled; the status of the claims prior to any further amendment under 37 CFR 1.121 would be as follows: claims 1-9 as “original” and claim 10 as “cancelled.”
Example 3: Original claims 1-10; Article 19/34 filed with claims 1-9 listed on the replacement sheet wherein claim 1 was unchanged, claim 2 was cancelled and claims 3-10 were renumbered as claims 2-9; the status of the claims prior to any further amendment under 37 CFR 1.121 would be as follows: claim 1 as “original,”, claims 2-9 as “previously presented” and claim 10 as “cancelled.”
Example 4: Original claims 1-10; Article 19/34 filed with claims 1-10 listed on the replacement sheet wherein claims 1 and 3-10 were unchanged and claim 2 was cancelled; the status of the claims prior to any further amendment under 37 CFR 1.121 would be as follows: claims 1 and 3-10 as “original” and claim 2 as “cancelled.”
Proposed amendments that are not submitted in compliance with the applicable regulations will not be entered. For example, the submission with the national phase documents of a revised set of claims, absent a preliminary amendment to the claims in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(c), will not be effective to amend the claims of record in the application.

PCT階段的修正規定(https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/mpep-9025-appx-t.html#d0e363565):

Article 19 - Amendment of the Claims Before the International Bureau

  • (1) The applicant shall, after having received the international search report, be entitled to one opportunity to amend the claims of the international application by filing amendments with the International Bureau within the prescribed time limit. He may, at the same time, file a brief statement, as provided in the Regulations, explaining the amendments and indicating any impact that such amendments might have on the description and the drawings.
  • (2) The amendments shall not go beyond the disclosure in the international application as filed.
  • (3) If the national law of any designated State permits amendments to go beyond the said disclosure, failure to comply with paragraph (2) shall have no consequence in that State.

Ron

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