Japanese patent system
The patent system in Japan began on July 1 (1885) in 1885 when Patent Monopoly Act was enforced. But a monopoly abbreviation rule was promulgated in (1871) in 1871 before it, but is abolished in the next year without being taken effect. It is "invention" to be for the protection in Japanese patent system (Patent Law Article 29 Clause 1 pillar book). The definition of "the invention" is difficult, and there are many examples which entrust a definition of "the invention" to a precedent, a theory in the legislation of foreign countries, but the Japanese Patent Law defines "the invention" as "the thing which is high among creation of the technical thought that used a natural rule" in Article 2 Clause 1. In this clause, I comment based on this definition as follows.
Table of contents
Definition of the invention
- The use of the natural rule
- "A natural rule" means a law found from experience in the natural world. For example, it is not invented because it was established by an artificial decision without using a natural rule about an economic law, a method of the business, the rule of the game, the thing such as the crystal ball. But I become a target of the protection only when a processing method of the software which collaborated with hardware resources is exhibited about the invention to be said to be so-called business method allied invention, and technical constitution is listed.
- About the use of the natural rule, a commentary is made in detail by "the invention that I can use in patent, utility model examination standard second part Chapter 1 industry".
- Technical thought
- "The technique is concrete means to achieve a constant purpose and it is really available, and has the objectivity that I can transmit to another person unlike a skill" (petty bench judgment, precedent Times 335 page 265 first on Supreme Court October 13, 1977)
- Creation
- Because "invention" is creation, I cannot acquire a patent for the discovery even if, for example, I discover a new variety of mineral and creature. But the material which purifies a mineral and a creature, and is taken out can be performed a patent of. In addition, as for the thing which discovers a new property, and uses this property exclusively, it is admitted as "use invention" even if it is a known material. For example, the patents are not produced for the DDT known to anymore anymore (I must be discovered as a use use by then), but can take the patent for "an insect killing method using the DDT". There is the researcher who points out that it is vague when I take the border of "invention" and "the discovery" seriously and think.
- High thing
- The part called "a high thing" is intended to distinguish it from the definition of "the device" in the Utility Model Act, and the substantial meaning is understood if there is not it.
- There is the opinion to relate progressiveness to altitude characteristics, and to think about, but there is not the influence in the business even if I take which situation.
In examination of the Patent Office, you must get patent assessment (Patent Law Article 51) to receive a patent. A procedure called the request (3 of Patent Law Article 48) of the application examination is necessary, and it is considered that I withdrew an application when I do not demand application examination within three years after patent application to receive examination. In addition, the request period of the application examination was less than seven years about the application before September 30, 2001 from an application date. In addition, I am to show the application contents when one year six months passes after patent application (Patent Law Article 64). But there is the exception by a patent right to perform defense for aiming it and the agreement between the Japan government and the United States of America government to facilitate interchange of the technical knowledge. When it was made setting registration (Patent Law Article 66) as a patent, after patent assessment, the validity of the patent begins, and, as a general rule, it is over 20 years after an application date (when the pesticide control method or pharmaceutical products medical equipment receives specific administrative deposition prescribed in law, I can extend it for up to five years 2 of (Patent Law Article 67, Patent Law enforcement order Article 2)).
Registration requirements
It is necessary to meet the following registration requirements so that it is registered as patent invention (Patent Law Article 2 Clause 2).
- Being invention in the Patent Law (Patent Law Article 2 Clause 1 corrects it for the application text a Patent Law Article 29 Clause 1 pillar book.)
- There is availability in industry (Patent Law Article 29 Clause 1 pillar book)
- Having novelty (Patent Law Article 29 Clause 1)
- Having progressiveness (Patent Law Article 29 Clause 2)
- Do not be the same as invention to affect last wish (Patent Law Article 39)
Equal である.
In addition, the invention (Patent Law Article 32) against public order and morals cannot receive a patent.
Patent application procedure
It is necessary to do a formal act called the patent application (Patent Law Article 36) as the declaration of intention to demand the grant of the patent right. It is necessary for the person who is going to receive a patent to submit an application, a detailed statement, claims and an abstract of the disclosure and a drawing (voluntarily) to the Patent Office.
Claims
With the claims, I made a concept of the invention a sentence, and an application person is given the right of the technical range delimited by a sentence listed in these claims when the invention concerned meets patent requirements. I can list plural invention in claims at a limit to meet unity of the invention, but, in that case, I divide each invention into one "claim" each and list it.
In addition, in business, an individual "claim" may be called "objection" (claim) and, besides, may say "objection" (this case is right and is claims) referring to the whole claims. This name is What is claimed is: by mention of claims It comes from the traditional patent business that has begun to be given of America.
Examination procedure
You must meet forecited registration requirements so that invention applied for is performed a patent of. Work to judge this is "examination". Method examination to examine whether patent application meets method-like requirements is performed by the Director-General of the Patent Office (Patent Law Article 17 Clause 3), and substance examination to examine whether you meet registration requirements about the application that passed method examination is performed. Because various technical legitimate knowledge is required for substance examination, it is performed by a Patent Office examination official fixed a qualification in particular for (Patent Law Article 47).
Principle of examination
A way of thinking varies according to a country whether you need substance examination for right establishment in patent system. It is "the principle of examination" to perform patent registration after having passed through substance examination. Time suffers from taking the principle of examination by right establishment while there is a big advantage to be the stable right that it was guaranteed that an established right meets patent requirements, and there is the fault to need great administration costs. However, it becomes much lower-cost than the principle of no examination for cost of the Great Society when I take the subsequent mediation by the trial, a third party monitoring burden into consideration.
I am apt to think that I get permission in particular from the name "patent", but the patent registers after examination and is not a thing to admit. Therefore, there is not the post named "the Tokyo patent permission station" in the tongue twister in the Patent Office in the present, the past.
By the way, I say "trademark registration", but, about a utility model, a design, the trademark, "a registration of a design" is not called "patent registration" "utility model registration". The use treated in these and the same line is "a patent" (because "patent" in itself is "registration"). But "the patent right setting registration" is right as a use.
The country which I adopt a system of the no examination registration that is different from the patent or have complimentarily exists like a Japanese utility model now while most countries adopt the principle of examination about a patent.
On the principle of no examination, there is the merit for the application person that a right produces early, but own right possesses novelty, progressiveness on the occasion of the right use to a third party, and the proof of the effective thing becomes indispensable. In addition, the rule of having to compensate it for the damage that I gave an opponent is established when I show a predetermined technical evaluation book in the right use in the Japanese utility model (2 of Utility Model Act Article 29), and the utility model right is invalidated after the right use (3 of Utility Model Act Article 29).
Application query system
Not only I merely apply for a patent, but also it is necessary to demand the application examination to receive the examination of the patent in Japan (2 of Patent Law Article 48). In other words, all applications are not examined automatically.
The reason why such a system was established is that there is the application that is not necessary of the patenting by the technical economical environmental changes of intervals from patent application to examination. In addition, the patent application is shown after an application as a principle automatically in June, 1 (Patent Law Article 64), and invention disclosed by the patent application concerned and thereby self-evident invention are enough because a patent can prevent what is done later (Patent Law Article 29, Article 39) to prevent the patent acquisition such as competitors. Such a negative application is said to be so-called defense application.
The request of examining it must perform an application within three years from an application (3 of Patent Law Article 48). In addition, I can do the request as well as an application person many people.
In addition, the person engaged in a patent merely often calls an application query "a query", but must generally warn him because I often put request (Administrative Appeal Law Article 3, Article 5) based on Administrative Appeal Law when it is said with "a query".
Real of the procedure
I receive request of the application examination, and an examination official examines it. And when the reason why a patent is not possible is discovered, I notify you of a reason of the refusal (it is said with "a notice of refusal reason") and appoint a fixed period of time and give an application person an opportunity to speak an opinion, and to revise application contents (Patent Law Article 50, 2 of Article 17). The concrete refusal reasons are enumerated by Patent Law 49 条各号, and there is not the thing receiving a refusal reason, refusal assessment for the reason except this. This is because it prevents the arbitrariness of the examination official.
When a refusal reason is not canceled in consideration for the case that opinions are not submitted to or revision, an opinion submitted to for a refusal reason either, the examination official performs "assessment (popular name "refusal assessment" a Patent Law Article 49 pillar book) of refusing it". Therefore, without the opportunity of the argument, refusal assessment is not done suddenly.
In addition, "assessment ("patent assessment" Patent Law Article 51) of doing a patent" is performed when a refusal reason is not discovered and is dissolved.
A notice of refusal reason is given for the most of the application performed a query of, and the reply to it (contents of an opinion and the revision) does not really rarely divide the success or failure of the patent. For a notice of refusal reason, there are the new application (Patent Law Article 41), abandonment of an application or withdrawal with the country claim for priority to be based on the presentation of an opinion book (Patent Law Article 50) and the procedure revision book (Patent Law Article 17, 2 of Article 17), the application division (Patent Law Article 44), an application change (Patent Law Article 46), the application concerned as the correspondence that an application person takes. The divisional application is effective to cancel a refusal reason of the simple violation (Patent Law Article 37).
It is to make claims to be multi-stage, and to extend from the claims including the claim from the viewpoint of most and a broader term-like claim to a claim corresponding to the embodiment at the time of an application that become important in applying. I ascertain a judgment line of the progressiveness in the examination by making such a wide objection and can acquire an effective patent.
In addition, at the time of a query, it is effective to correct claims along the product trend of the company and other companies. But, in revision, a notice is necessary as I do not add the new matter.
Patent right
The setting registration of the patent right is performed, and a patent right occurs by paying patent royalty after the assessment of "making a patent" or a judgment within a scheduled period (Patent Law Article 66).
This patent right is the right that a monopoly can carry out patent invention exclusively (Patent Law Article 68). In other words, I can monopolize enforcement of own invention and can remove the enforcement of the third party who does not do consent (without the authority). Therefore, for the enforcement of such a third party, I can use a right (injunction, Patent Law Article 100) to stop the illegal enforcement act that is the injury of the patent and a right (compensation for damages right to claim, civil law Article 709) to demand compensation of the damage that occurred by such an injury.
As a general rule, a lifetime of the patent right is 20 years from an application date (Patent Law Article 67 Clause 1). In addition, a lifetime may be extended as a limit in up to five years when the period when I can carry out patent invention is shortened by pharmaceutical examination (Patent Law Article 67 Clause 2).
Enforcement right
The enforcement right means the right that can carry out patent invention as the work without the limit by the concessioner. In the enforcement right in the Patent Law, I classify roughly, and there are two kinds of the exclusive enforcement right and the normal enforcement right.
Exclusive enforcement right
The exclusive enforcement right is the right that a monopoly can carry out patent invention as the work exclusively (Patent Law Article 77 Clause 2). The exclusive licensee can carry out patent invention as the work without the limit of the concessioner in the range that it determined by a setting act. Because there is a property of the real right, the exclusive enforcement right cannot carry out patent invention as the work in this range even if it is a concessioner. A concessioner performs the setting of the exclusive enforcement right (Patent Law Article 77 Clause 1), and the contents are registered with a register of patents (Patent Law Article 27 Clause 2). Such as the cases that the transfer of exclusive enforcement right does with business of the enforcement is recognized only when is constant (Patent Law Article 77 Clause 3). In addition, I set a right of pledge about the exclusive enforcement right, and it is limited to usually consenting to the enforcement right to another person when I got the consent of the concessioner (Patent Law Article 77 Clause 4).
For the injury of the exclusive enforcement right, an injunction (Patent Law Article 100 Clause 1) and compensation for damages right to claim (civil law Article 709) are accepted like the case of the infringement of the patent right.
Normal enforcement right
The enforcement right is usually the right that can carry out patent invention as the work (Patent Law Article 78 Clause 2). The enforcement right usually has a property of the credit, and, unlike the exclusive enforcement right, the licensee for exclusive use of the concessioner shop can carry out patent invention as the work even if it is usually a licensed range of the enforcement right, and the again redundant range can consent to the plural normal enforcement right. But state called the monopolistic normal enforcement right to let a licensee usually carry out patent invention by the contract with the concessioner monopolistically in a licensed range exists. In addition, effect usually produces the enforcement right by the intention between the people concerned ((Patent Law Article 99) that the registration system of the enforcement right was usually abolished in revision in 2011.) . A rule of the civil law is applied to the third party opposition requirements.
The enforcement right is usually classified roughly as follows by the origin.
- The normal enforcement right by the consent (license)
- The normal enforcement right by the consent of the concessioner (Patent Law Article 78 Clause 1)
- The normal enforcement right by the consent of the exclusive licensee (Patent Law Article 77 Clause 4)
- The legal normal enforcement right
- The normal enforcement right based on the duties invention (Patent Law Article 35 Clause 1)
- The normal enforcement right by last use (Patent Law Article 79)
- The normal enforcement right by the enforcement before the registration of the transfer of patent right (2 of Patent Law Article 79)
- The normal enforcement right by the enforcement before the request registration of the invalid judgment (2011 revision, Patent Law Article 80 Clause 1: so-called 中用権)
- The normal enforcement right after the lifetime expiration of the design right (Patent Law Article 81, Patent Law Article 82)
- The normal enforcement right as the limit of the effect of the patent right restored by a retrial (Patent Law Article 176: so-called 後用権)
- The decision normal enforcement right
- The normal enforcement right in case of the inexecution (Patent Law Article 83 Clause 1)
- The normal enforcement right to carry out patent invention of the self (Patent Law Article 92 Clause 3)
- The normal enforcement right for public interest (Patent Law Article 93 Clause 2)
Provisionally exclusive enforcement right, provisionally normal enforcement right
Based on a right in response to a patent, the provisionally normal enforcement right is established the provisionally exclusive enforcement right (2 of 2008 revision, Patent Law Article 34, 3 of Article 34). 当該特許権の設定登録があったときはそれぞれ専用実施権・通常実施権が設定・許諾されたものとみなされる。
審判・再審
審判には、拒絶査定不服審判(特許法121条)、無効審判(特許法123条)、延長登録無効審判(特許法125条の2)、訂正審判(特許法126条)がある。
拒絶査定不服審判
拒絶査定(特許出願についての拒絶査定又は延長登録についての拒絶査定)に不満がある場合には、その謄本の送達後3ヶ月以内に拒絶査定不服の審判を請求することができる(特許法121条1項)。審判の請求書には、請求の趣旨およびその理由等を記載する。請求の理由については、追って補充することができるが、審査官及び審判官が請求人の主張を迅速かつ的確に把握する上で重要であることから、審判請求時において審判請求の理由を実質的な内容をもって明確に記載することが望ましいとされる。
審判請求は、審決が確定するまでは取り下げることができる。
拒絶査定不服審判の請求と同時に、明細書、特許請求の範囲、又は図面の補正が可能(自発補正書提出)である(特許法17条の2第1項第4号)。また、拒絶査定の謄本の送達後3ヶ月以内は、その出願を分割することができる(特許法44条)。分割出願を行うことにより、拒絶理由のない請求項につき迅速な権利取得を図ることができる。
請求の理由を記載せず(若しくは上述の追って補充する旨を記載した)審判請求した場合は、特許庁長官又は審判長より補正命令がなされる。補正命令の指定期間内に審判請求書の補正を行わない場合は、審判請求は却下される。
拒絶査定不服審判請求における特許請求の範囲の補正は、特許請求の範囲の限定的減縮、請求項の削除、誤記の訂正、明瞭でない記載の釈明のみ認められる。
拒絶査定不服審判の請求と同時に明細書、特許請求の範囲、又は図面について補正があった場合は、特許庁長官は審判に先立ってその請求を審査官に再び審査させる(前置審査、特許法162条)。通常はもとの審査官が審査することになるが、別の審査官であってもかまわない。審理の結果、審査官は請求に理由があるとする場合は拒絶査定を取り消し、特許査定を行う。
拒絶査定不服審判の審理方式は書面審理による。ただし、審判長は、当事者の申立により又は職権で、口頭審理によるものとすることができる(特許法145条)。
審判に関する費用は請求人が負担する(特許法169条)。
審判の判断(審決という)に不満であれば、この謄本送達後30日以内に特許庁長官を被告として知財高裁に審決取消訴訟を起こすことができる(特許法178条第1項)。裁判所において審判の審理が不適法であったことが明らかになった場合には、特許庁の審決は取り消される。それでもだめなら最高裁へ上告できる(民訴311条第1項、312条、318条)。
拒絶査定不服審判を請求できるのは、拒絶査定を受けた者又はその承継人である。また、特許を受ける権利が共有の場合は、共有者の全員が共同して審判請求しなければならない(特許法132条第3項)。
特許無効審判
平成15年に、公衆審査機能を有する特許異議申立てを無効審判に一本化する法改正が行われた[1]。ここでの特許異議申立ては、行政不服審査法上の異議申立て[2]ではなく、特許法上の特許異議申立てであることに注意しなければならない。
改正後の無効審判においては、何人も特許無効の審判請求をすることができる。ただし、権利帰属の無効理由については、特許を受ける権利を有する者のみが審判請求することができる。
無効審判は、特許権の消滅後においても請求することができる(特許法123条3項)。また、請求項ごとに請求することができる(同123条1項柱書)。
共有に係わる特許権について審判を請求するときは、共有者の全員を被請求人として請求しなければならない(特許法132条第2項)。
審判請求理由:特許要件違反、不特許事由違反、補正要件違反、共同出願要件違反、正当権利者でないものの特許、後発事由等。
無効審判の請求があったときは、請求書の副本が被請求人に送達され、特許権者は答弁書を提出できる。答弁書提出のための指定期間は60日、在外者は90日である。請求人から弁駁書が提出された場合は、審判長はそれが審決の判断に影響を及ぼす場合には被請求人に送達し、相当の期間を指定して、第二答弁書を提出する機会を与える。答弁書に対する弁駁書を提出する機会は必ず与えられるというものではない。
審判長は、事件が審決をするに熟したときは、審理の終結を当事者に通知する(審決は、審理の終結から20日以内に行わなければならない。) . この通知がされた以後に当事者が攻撃防御方法を提出しても、それを審理の対象にすることはできない。
審判請求は審決が確定するまでは取り下げることができる。しかし、答弁書の提出があった後は、相手方の承諾を得なければ取り下げることができない(特許法155条)。
特許を無効にすべき旨の審決が確定したときは、特許権は初めから存在しなかったものとみなされる(特許法125条)。
審決に不服があるときは知財高裁へ出訴することができるが、確定審決に対して審判手続きの重大な瑕疵があったことが発見されたり、その判断の基礎資料に異常な欠陥のあることが見過ごされていた場合には、再審を請求できる(特許法171条、172条)。
訂正審判
特許権の設定登録後に、特許権者が明細書又は図面の記載事項の訂正を請求する。審判合議体による審理がなされ訂正棄却審決又は訂正認容審決が下される。
訂正の審判の結果、訂正を認める審決が確定したときは、その訂正の効果は出願時まで遡及する(128条)。
訂正審判は、特許権の消滅後においても請求することができる(特許法126条第5項柱書)。
延長登録無効審判
特許権の存続期間の延長登録の無効を求める審判である(特許法125条の2)。
再審
再審(特許法171条、172条)は、非常の不服申し立て手段である。
再審を請求することができるのは確定審決に対してであり、知財高裁に審決取消しを求める訴えを提起することができるものや、その訴えを現に提起しているものは審決が確定していないので再審を請求することはできない。
訴訟
審決等取消訴訟(行政訴訟)
特許庁による行政処分(審判の審決、再審請求書却下決定)に対する取消訴訟(行政訴訟)は、特許法178条に定めるところにより、東京高等裁判所(知的財産高等裁判所)が第一審である。その上告審は、最高裁判所である。地方裁判所による審理を省略したのは、
- 特許庁における審判が準司法的手続により厳正に行われている以上、さらに三審を行うことは事件解決の遅延につながること
- 事件の内容が専門技術的であるため、専門家によって行われた審判手続を尊重してよいと考えられること
による。同様な規定は、公正取引委員会の審決や、高等海難審判庁の裁決に対する不服申し立てにおいてもみられる。
なお、当事者系審判(無効審判、延長登録無効審判およびこれらの再審)に関する取消訴訟の被告は行政庁(特許庁長官)ではなく、審判等の相手方である。つまり、特許権者が原告となる場合は審判請求人を被告としなければならず、審判請求人が原告となる場合は特許権者を被告としなければならない(特許法179条)。行政処分の取消訴訟であるにもかかわらず行政庁が被告とならない珍しい例である。
侵害訴訟等(民事訴訟)
特許権の知的財産権関係の民事事件たる侵害訴訟(民事訴訟)は、第1審が、東京地方裁判所または大阪地方裁判所のいずれかの地方裁判所が専属管轄である(民事訴訟法6条1項)。特許権を巡る民事訴訟としては、特許権者(または実施権者)が侵害者と疑われる者に対して提起する侵害差止請求訴訟、損害賠償請求(または不当利得返還請求)訴訟と、侵害者と疑われる者が特許権者または実施権者に対して提起する侵害差止請求権や損害賠償請求権等の不存在確認訴訟が多いが(以下、これらをまとめて侵害訴訟という)、職務発明の帰属や対価を巡る訴訟もある。以下の項では、主に侵害訴訟において論点となる部分について説明する。
技術的範囲
特許発明の技術的範囲とは、当該特許権の権利範囲をいう。
特許法70条1項は、「特許発明の技術的範囲は、願書に添付した特許請求の範囲の記載に基づいて定めなければならない。」と規定している。
特許発明の技術的範囲、すなわち、特許権の権利範囲を判断する基準となるのは、当該特許発明に係る特許公報の【特許請求の範囲】に記載された内容である。
一般に、【特許請求の範囲】に記載された内容は、当該特許発明の権利範囲を広く確保するため、単に文理的に読み取るだけでは理解することが出来ないことが多い。特許発明の内容が理解できないと、特許権がいかなる権利を有するのか確定することが出来ず、特許権の及ぶ範囲が規定し得ないこととなり、不都合である。そこで、特許法では、「特許請求の範囲の記載に『基づいて』」と規定して、【特許請求の範囲】に記載された内容を単に文理的に判断するのではなく、特許発明を説明する明細書及び図面の内容も参酌して、特許発明の技術的範囲を定めるよう規定している(同条2項)。また、均等論によって、特許請求の範囲に記載された範囲を超えて特許発明の技術的範囲が認められることがある。
特許発明の技術的範囲について、特許庁に判定を求めることも出来る(特許法71条)。なお、この判定により示された内容に法的な拘束力はない。
差止請求権
特許の侵害行為をする者に対し、その実施の差止め(停止)を請求できる権利である。侵害自体の停止および予防を請求する権利(特許法100条1項)だけでなく、侵害の行為を組成した物の廃棄や侵害の行為に供した設備(例えば、発明品を作るための機械)の除却等を請求することが認められている(特許法100条2項)。特許の独占排他権に起因する権利であり、また侵害者の故意または過失を必要としないことにより、直接かつ効果的に特許の保護を図るものである。
損害賠償請求権
不法行為に基づく損害賠償請求として、侵害によって生じた損害につき侵害者に対し賠償請求できる権利である(民法709条)。一般的に、不法行為による損害賠償が認められるための要件は、(1)故意又は過失、(2)権利侵害、(3)損害、(4)相当因果関係、(5)責任能力が必要である。しかしながら、無体財産権たる特許権の侵害は、故意または過失を立証することが困難なため、特許法103条で過失を推定する規定が設けられている。また、損害額を算定することも困難な場合が多く立証が容易でないため、特許法102条で損害額を推定等する規定が設けられている。
不当利得返還請求権
法律上の正当な理由なく、他人の財産によって財産的利得を受け、これによって他人に損失を与えた者に対し、自己の損失を限度として、その利得の返還を請求することができる権利である(民法703条、704条)。
信用回復措置請求権
侵害行為により特許権者等の業務上の信用が害された場合、信用回復の措置を請求することができる権利である(特許法106条)。
脚注
関連項目
参考文献
外部リンク
- 特許庁・知的財産関連の国際機関
- 特許庁 - 日本の特許庁
- World Intellectual Property Organization - 世界知的所有権機関(英語)
- 国内関連団体
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