本部落格之前已經有針對歐洲口審制度的筆記，但是每次遇到仍是需要再理解一次，雖然沒有什麼新意，但...就習慣要寫下來，這次也問了ChatGPT。
-----------------------------------------
根據Art. 116(1) EPC，可以由任一方請求口審（oral proceedings），或是，較少的情況是EPO根據特定需要而召開口審。大多數的時候是由審查或是異議（opposition）部門召開口審，也有少數是由法律部門召開。
如果EPO決定要舉行口審，各方會收到正式召開口審的通知，並伴隨要討論的議題，也會訂出提交書面資料的日期（可因為嚴重的理由而調整），此日期之後就不會接收新的資料。
根據Art. 116(1)，EPO可以根據需要，或是任何一方，都可以請求口審。當覺得有需要，或是要駁回歐洲專利申請案時，Receiving Section（審查部門的Receiving Section）可以召開口審。
不論是審查部門或是法律部門召開的口審程序都是非公開的。
口審結果隨著申請案公開也會公開。
Article 116 Oral proceedings
(1)Oral proceedings shall take place either at the instance of the European Patent Office if it considers this to be expedient or at the request of any party to the proceedings. However, the European Patent Office may reject a request for further oral proceedings before the same department where the parties and the subject of the proceedings are the same.
(2)Nevertheless, oral proceedings shall take place before the Receiving Section at the request of the applicant only where the Receiving Section considers this to be expedient or where it intends to refuse the European patent application.
(3)Oral proceedings before the Receiving Section, the Examining Divisions and the Legal Division shall not be public.
(4)Oral proceedings, including delivery of the decision, shall be public, as regards the Boards of Appeal and the Enlarged Board of Appeal, after publication of the European patent application, and also before the Opposition Divisions, in so far as the department before which the proceedings are taking place does not decide otherwise in cases where admission of the public could have serious and unjustified disadvantages, in particular for a party to the proceedings.
-----------------------------------------
召開口審：
Rule 115 Summons to oral proceedings
(1)The parties shall be summoned to oral proceedings under Article 116, drawing their attention to paragraph 2 of this Rule. At least two months' notice of the summons shall be given, unless the parties agree to a shorter period.
(2)If a party duly summoned to oral proceedings before the European Patent Office does not appear as summoned, the proceedings may continue without that party.
-----------------------------------------
口審的準備：提交書面資料。
Rule 116 Preparation of oral proceedings
(1)When issuing the summons, the European Patent Office shall draw attention to the points which in its opinion need to be discussed for the purposes of the decision to be taken. At the same time a final date for making written submissions in preparation for the oral proceedings shall be fixed. Rule 132 shall not apply. New facts and evidence presented after that date need not be considered, unless admitted on the grounds that the subject of the proceedings has changed.
(2)If the applicant or patent proprietor has been notified of the grounds prejudicing the grant or maintenance of the patent, he may be invited to submit, by the date specified in paragraph 1, second sentence, documents which meet the requirements of the Convention. Paragraph 1, third and fourth sentences, shall apply mutatis mutandis.
-----------------------------------------
審查部門的第一次OA就是口審的可能？也就是說，都沒有提出任何一次審查意見，就召開口審。
5. Summons to oral proceedings as the first action in examination
條件是：
1.審查委員認為專利沒有核准的可能，即便參考申請人針對檢索結果的回應，都沒有核准的可能；
2.專利範圍的內容與檢索的範圍沒有不同；以及（表示申請人回應檢索報告時沒有變動專利範圍）
3.在檢索意見中提出一或多個反對意見仍適用審查意見。
若是針對分割案（divisional application），第一次OA就是召開口審的條件是：
1.母案被拒絕或是撤銷，而分割案也沒有核准可能；
2.專利範圍與被拒絕的母案一樣或是更廣；
3.對母案的反對意見或是撤銷母案的理由仍適用分割案。
後語：
有可能可以拒絕oral proceedings嗎？
我問ChatGPT，結果是與我查的差不多，就是可以，只要不提交任何書面意見，但為了案子好，不建議這樣做。
繼續問支持的法條？答案是沒有具體的法條，只是拒絕會有不好的後果。
避免口審的條件（OA）：
Ron
沒有留言:
張貼留言