筆記
專利申請案申請時須繳納審查費用，其中計算基礎除了有說明書頁數外，主要還是申請專利範圍的項數，一般理解是審查基本費用涵蓋總數20請求項（含3項獨立項）（3+20原則），若總數超出20項，或是獨立請求項超過3項，都會有超項費用；若其中含有多重附屬項（multiple dependent claim），除多收一筆費用外，還要根據其中實際依附關係計算附屬項數。
而進一步問題是，若在申請時繳付費用後，日後修正刪除部分請求項又新增請求項，是否有會重新計算項數，費用怎麼算？
簡單回答是，修正後請求項範圍"剩下的（刪除或新增後進入審查的請求項）"請求項總數與獨立項數量若在申請時繳付審查費用的範圍內，不會有額外費用（additional fee）；反之，經過增刪修正後，剩下的請求項數量若超出已經繳付的範圍，就要繳付額外費用。（經限制選擇後withdrawn的請求項仍在計算項次之列）
以下是摘錄MPEP規定與一些註解：
MPEP § 714
Any amendments (including after-final amendments) that add new claims in excess of the number of claims previously paid for in an application must be accompanied by the payment of the required excess claims fees. Failure to pay the excess claims fees will result in non-entry of the amendment. See MPEP § 607.
（新增請求項超出前次繳付費用(如前次申請或OA費用)涵蓋的範圍，需繳超項費。）
Since a request for continued examination (RCE) is not a new application, an amendment filed before the first Office action after the filing of the RCE is not a preliminary amendment. See MPEP § 706.07(h). Any amendment canceling claims in order to reduce the excess claims fees should be filed before the expiration of the time period set forth in a notice that requires excess claims fees. Such an amendment would be effective to reduce the number of claims to be considered in calculating the excess claims fees. See MPEP § 607.
（先解釋preliminary amendment。若要刪除請求項來減少費用，需要在官方發出繳交超項費通知之前提交修正。）
MPEP 714.10
Claims Added in Excess of Claims Previously Paid For
Applicant is required to pay excess claims fees for each claim that is in excess of 3 in independent form or in excess of 20 (whether dependent or independent). Fees for a proper multiple dependent claim are calculated based on the number of claims to which the multiple dependent claim refers (37 CFR 1.75(c)) and a separate fee is also required in each application containing a proper multiple dependent claim. See MPEP § 607. When applicant adds a new excess claim that is in excess of the number of claims that were previously paid for after taking into account claims that have been canceled, applicant must pay the required excess claims fees before the examiner considers the new claim. For example, in an application that contains 6 independent claims and 30 total claims for which the excess claims fees were previously paid, when applicant cancels 10 claims, 2 of which are independent, and adds 11 claims, 3 of which are independent, excess claims fees for a 7th independent claim and a 31st claim are required.
（20+3原則。說明多重附屬項費用計算。當新增超出之前繳付費用的請求項時，會考量已經刪除的請求項計算超項費用。例如，之前繳付費用已經涵蓋總請求項30項，含6個獨立請求項，之後刪除其中10項請求項，其中有2個獨立項（剩下20總項含4個獨立項），此時，新增11項請求項，含3個獨立項（提交31總項含7個獨立項），經考量前次繳付費用含蓋了30總項含6獨立項，此時超項費用針對第7個獨立請求項以及第31項超出的請求項。可知，即便有新增範圍，但因為取代刪除項，以提交的總項來算超項費用。）
MPEP § 607
Upon submission of an amendment (whether entered or not) affecting the claims, payment of fees for those claims in excess of the number previously paid for is required.
（當修正影響到請求項，比對前次繳付費用來算超項費。）
The additional fees, if any, due with an amendment are calculated on the basis of the claims (total and independent) which would be present, if the amendment were entered. The amendment of a claim, unless it changes a dependent claim to an independent claim or adds to the number of claims referred to in a multiple dependent claim, and the replacement of a claim by a claim of the same type, unless it is a multiple dependent claim which refers to more prior claims, do not require any additional fees.
（修正範圍若沒有意外，如附屬項改寫為獨立項、使請求項依附多重附屬項等，不會有額外費用。）
After a requirement for restriction, nonelected claims will be included in determining the fees due in connection with a subsequent amendment unless such claims are canceled.
（經過限制選擇後，非選擇請求項仍被列為費用計算內，除非是刪除的。表示刪除的請求項在任何階段都不算在費用計算內。）
An amendment canceling claims accompanying the papers constituting the application will be effective to diminish the number of claims to be considered in calculating the filing fees to be paid. A preliminary amendment filed concurrently with a response to a Notice To File Missing Parts of Application that required the fees set forth in 37 CFR 1.16, which preliminary amendment cancels or adds claims, will be taken into account in determining the appropriate fees due in response to the Notice To File Missing Parts of Application. No refund will be made for claims being canceled in the response that have already been paid for.
（若是回應"Notice To File Missing Parts of Application"提出的初步/主動修正（preliminary amendment）刪除或新增請求項，會重新計算費用，不會對刪除已繳費用的請求項退費。）
The additional fees, if any, due with an amendment are required prior to any consideration of the amendment by the examiner.
（額外費用。）
Money paid in connection with the filing of a proposed amendment will not be refunded by reason of the nonentry of the amendment. However, unentered claims will not be counted when calculating the fee due in subsequent amendments.
（修正若未被受理，不退費。對未受理請求項，後續修正不計算費用。）
Amendments affecting the claims cannot serve as the basis for granting any refund. See MPEP § 607.02 subsection V for refund of excess claims fees.
（影響請求項的修正不能退費。）
Excess claims fees set forth in 37 CFR 1.20(c)(3) and (c)(4) apply to excess claims that are presented during a reexamination proceeding.
（超項費規定適用經過再審程序的超項。）
Ron
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