MPEP § 1.55 Claim for foreign priority. - Appendix R Patent Rules
此章節介紹在美國專利法第119、365條規定下的優先權權利（Benefit of earlier filing date; right of priority）
- 一個非臨時申請案（正式申請案）可以主張一或多個之前國外申請案的優先權
- 而且，必須在前申請案仍未放棄或是領證的狀態下（也就是處於pending狀態），並且須於申請日後4個月內或前國外申請日後16個月內（最晚的為準）提出優先權主張，此處期限並不能延長
- 優先權主張必須標明該國外申請案，該國外申請案應有一致的標的，註明申請號、國別、申請日期
- 國外優先權不適用設計專利、與2000年11月29日前的申請案
- 在符合美國專利法第371條規定下，國際申請案進入美國國家階段時，優先權主張應符合PCT規定
- 在美國專利法與PCT的規定內，優先權主張必須在先申請案尚未被核准（後申請案的專利範圍要與前"已核准"優先權案範圍不同）或是拋棄時提出
- 若是在繳交領證費後才提出優先權主張，此時，後申請案不能包括本來要請求優先權的範圍
- 優先權證明文件不一定要提出英文翻譯，除非審查委員要求，或是在衝突階段（interference)，或是審查引證文獻可以透過優先權日克服，就需要英文翻譯
- 若有權利範圍在以上規定的時間內並未提出，則表示放棄該範圍（waived）
- 若有權利範圍在以上規定時間之後提出，如果證明是非故意延遲，則該範圍仍「可能」主張其優先權日
- 可透過請願（petition）程序讓延遲的範圍能主張其優先權日，但除了要提出優先權的相關資訊外，需繳罰鍰、提出陳述意見，說明為何延遲
- 此外，審查官若有疑慮，可要求提出說明是否為非故意延遲
[部份原文]
(a)
(i) In an original application filed under 35 U.S.C.
111(a), the claim for priority must be presented during the
pendency of the application, and within the later of
four months from the actual filing date of the application or
sixteen months from the filing date of the prior foreign application. This time period is
not extendable. The claim must identify the foreign application for which priority is claimed, as well as any foreign application for the same subject matter and having a filing date before that of the application for which priority is claimed, by specifying the application number, country (or intellectual property authority), day, month, and year of its filing. The time periods in this paragraph do not apply in an application under 35 U.S.C.
111(a) if the application is:
(A) A design application; or
(B) An application filed before November 29, 2000.
(c) Unless such claim is accepted in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph, any claim for priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d) or 365(a) not presented within the time period provided by paragraph (a) of this section is considered to have been waived. If a claim for priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d) or 365(a) is presented after the time period provided by paragraph (a) of this section, the claim may be accepted if the claim identifying the prior foreign application by specifying its application number, country (or intellectual property authority), and the day, month, and year of its filing was unintentionally delayed. A petition to accept a delayed claim for priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d) or 365(a) must be accompanied by:
(1) The claim under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d) or 365(a) and this section to the prior foreign application, unless previously submitted;
(2) The surcharge set forth in § 1.17(t); and
(3) A statement that the entire delay between the date the claim was due under paragraph (a)(1) of this section and the date the claim was filed was unintentional. The Director may require additional information where there is a question whether the delay was unintentional.
Ron
