歐洲專利公約下的申請流程EPC – processing of an application課件

EPC–ProcessingofanapplicationAndersHanssonSofiaZander-Jakobsson歐洲專利公約下的申請流程安德思.漢森索菲亞贊得-雅各布遜STOPPCTEP…CNUS…CNUSEP0M12M18MISR+WOChapterII?22MGrantGrantR71(3)OppositionValidationSEGBPL…NationalFilingCN/SE/etc.30M1aOA1areplyPublicationPriorityProcedurewiththeEPO–directEPfiling

FilingArt.75/78/80SearchArt.92FormalitiesArt.90PublicationArt.93ExaminationArt.94RefusalArt.97(2)GrantArt.97(1)PACE在歐專局的流程——直接申請

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Art.75/78/80檢索Art.92形式審查Art.90公布Art.93審查Art.94駁回Art.97(2)授權Art.97(1)加快程序Examinationofanapplication–Mainphases1.ExaminationonfilingArt.90(1)andArt.90(2)Dateoffiling(indication,contactinformation,description/reference)2.ExaminationonformalrequirementsArt.90(3)LanguagesRequestDesignationofinventorDeclarationofpriorityRepresentationInmostcasestheEPOwillinvitetheapplicanttocorrectdeficiencies3.ExaminationonsubstantivemattersArt.94(3)DrawinguptheEuropeansearchreportArt.92ExtendedEuropeansearchreport(EESR)ESRandopinionPluralityofindependentclaimsIncompletesearch–partialornosearchLackofunityPublicationofsearchreportTriggersrequestforexaminationDesignationfees歐洲檢索報告的起草Art.92擴展的歐洲檢索報告(EESR)檢索報告(ESR)+審查意見多個獨立權利要求未完成的檢索——部分檢索或無檢索缺乏單一性檢索報告的公開請求實審的觸發(fā)點指定費R62a–ApplicationscontainingapluralityofindependentclaimsMultipleindependentclaimsineachcategoryareallowediftheyaredirectedtointer-relatedproducts,differentusesofaproductorapparatusoralternativesolutionstoaparticularproblemwhenasingleclaimisnotappropriate.AnapplicationnotfulfillingthisrequirementwillbeobjectedtobytheSearchDivision,i.e.beforethestartofsubstantiveexamination.Searchwillbecarriedoutonthebasisofthefirstindependentclaimineachcategory–EPOwillissueinvitationtopayfurthersearchfees,maybedoneunderprotest.Incompleteorpartialsearch(Rules63,64)Meaningfulsearchimpossible(Rule63):Technicalcharacter,notexcludedfrompatentability,sufficientlyclearandcomplete,claimsmustbeclear,conciseandsupportedbythedescription.Invitedto,within2M Nostatementornotsufficient-issueapartialsearchreportoradeclarationthatnomeaningfulsearchcanbecarriedout.Whentheexaminingdivisionassumesresponsibility,itwillinviteyoutodeletetheunsearchedsubject-matterfromtheapplicationunlessitfindsthattheobjectionwasunjustified.未完成的或部分的檢索(Rules63,64)不可能做出有意義的檢索(Rule63):技術特征，沒有從可專利性中排除，足夠清楚和完整，權利要求必須清楚、簡明并得到說明書支持邀請2個月內(nèi)提交陳述

如果沒有陳述或陳述不充分——發(fā)出部分檢索報告或聲明無法做出有意見的檢索當實審部接手后，會邀請你從申請中刪除沒有檢索的主題，除非它發(fā)現(xiàn)檢索索部的反對是不公平的Lackofunityinsearch(Rule64)Europeansearchreportwillbedrawnuponthosepartswhichrelatetotheinventionfirstmentionedintheclaims.Searchdivisioninformsapplicantthatafurthersearchfeemustbepaidinrespectofeachoftheinventionswithinaperiodthatitspecifies.AnyfurthersearchfeespaidwillberefundedonrequestifitemergesduringexaminationproceedingsthattheSearchdivision'srequestforpaymentwasnotjustified.PublicationofaEuropeanpatentapplicationTechnicalpreparationscompletedfiveweeksbeforetheexpiryof18monthfromdateoffilingorpriorityApplicationmaybewithdrawnbeforethisdate–canbemadeonconditionofnon-publicationNopublicationifwithdrawnorrefusedbeforetheterminationoftechnicalpreparationsInvalidpublication–doesnotgiverisetopriorrighteffectArt.54(3)Publicationofapplication,andinanannextheESRTriggerssixmonthstimelimitfor:RequestforexaminationPaymentofdesignationfeesMandatoryreply(R.70a)ifnegativeEESR歐洲專利申請的公開申請?zhí)峤蝗栈騼?yōu)先權日起18個月的期限屆滿前5周做好公開的技術準備申請在此日期之前可以撤回——這樣可以使申請不被公開在技術準備結束前撤回或拒絕的話，將不會公開無公開效力——不產(chǎn)生在先權利效果Art.54(3)申請的公開，附件中有ESR觸發(fā)下述事件的6個月期限計時：請求實審支付指定費如果EESR結果是負面的，則必須答辯(R.70a)ExaminationofaEuropeanPatentApplicationRequestforexamination:UptosixmonthsafterthedateonwhichthepublicationofthesearchreportismentionedTheapplicantisgivenanopportunitytocommenttheEESRandcorrrectdeficienciesMandatoryreplyifEESRisnegativeDutyofdisclosure“l(fā)ight”AnapplicanthastoprovidetheEPOwithsearchresultsconcerningthepriorityapplicationonfilingorregionalentry(or”withoutdelay”)(NotnecessaryifpriorityapplicationisanEPapplication.)Willbeincludedautomatically,iftheapplicaionclaimspriorityfromaUS,JPorGBapplication.NotranslationrequiredAslongasEPapplicationispendingIfnotprovidedonfiling/regionalentry–willgeta2monthtimelimittofile:searchresultsstatementofnon-availabilityIfnot–deemedwithdrawn(furtherprocessing)披露義務申請人需要向EPO提供優(yōu)先權申請的檢索結果，在提交時或在進入地區(qū)階段時，或沒有耽誤。（如果在優(yōu)先權申請是歐洲申請時不需提供）如果申請要求的是美國、日本和英國的優(yōu)先權，則自動包含在內(nèi)不必翻譯只要歐洲專利還在申請如果在申請和進入地區(qū)階段時沒有提供，將會有一個2個月的時限提供：檢索結果陳述不能提供的原因否則，申請被視為撤回（進一步處理）ExaminationofaEuropeanPatentApplicationTheExaminingDivisonwillinviteapplicanttocorrectdeficiencieswithinaperiodtobespecified.(Art.94(3)/Rule71(1))Periodnormally4months–extensionwithoutofficialfeesuptomaximumof6monthsAlsonote10day-rule!WillonlybesentiftheExaminerexpectsapositiveoutcomeAnapplicantmayhoweverreceivemorethanoneArt94(3)GrantprocedureRule71(3)communication,i.e.the”intentiontogrant”underArt.97(1)EPCInvitationtopayfeeforgrantandpublishingSubmittranslationsintoofficiallanguagesTimelimit4monthsAmendmentsafterreceiptofR71(3)-communicationArt97(3):publicationofmentionofgrantSpecificationB1Validationincontractingstates–LondonAgreementTimelimit3monthsfrommentionofgrantRule71(3)4MArt.97(1)Publ.ofB13MDEFRSE授權程序基于Rule71(3)的審查意見通知，即，基于Art.

97(1)EPC“意圖要授權”邀請繳納授權和公告費提交官方語言譯文時限4個月收到R71(3)審查通知后的修改Art97(3):授權的公告專利說明書B1在締約國的生效——倫敦條約時限：授權起三個月Rule71(3)4MArt.97(1)Publ.ofB13MDEFRSERefusalofapplication(Art.97(2))TheEPOmaydecidetorefuseanapplication:Ifitdoesnotmeetformaland/orsubstantialrequirementsoftheEPCWhentheapplicantdoesnotcorrectdeficiencesintheclaims,wheninvitedtodosoMustbereasoneddecision,basedonfactstheapplicantisawareofandhavehadachancetocommenton:ProprietormayappealAlwaysrequestoralproceedingswhenrespondingtoofficeactionsEliminatesriskofadirectrefusalAmendmentsinexamination(Art.123(2)EPC)Mainrule:Mustnotgobeyondthecontentoftheapplicationasfiled.NotacceptedIntroductionofanon-disclosedfeatureIntroductionordeletionofadisclosedfeaturetoformanon-disclosedcombinationoffeaturesAcceptedChangetodisclosedcombinationoffeatures,evenifbroader!Deletionofnon-essentialfeaturefromacombination(cf.G1/93)Exceptions:Non-discloseddisclaimersRestorenoveltyoverapriorright(Art.54(3))oranaccidentalanticipationExcisenon-patentablesubject-matter(morality,’publicorder’,medicaltreatment)Rule137(4):AmendmentsmustbeaccompaniedbybasisRefertoapplicationasfiled.Indicationsufficientifnotnecessarytolookfurther

在審查中的修改(Art.123(2)EPC)主要條款：不能超出提交時申請文件的內(nèi)容不接受的修改引入了沒有披露的特征引入或刪除了一個披露的特征,形成一個沒有披露的特征組合可接受的修改修改為已披露的特征組合，甚至可以擴大范圍！從組合中刪除非實質(zhì)性特征(cf.G1/93)例外:未披露的放棄通過在先權利或由于意外而恢復新穎性(Art.54(3))刪除不可專利的主題(道德,’公共秩序’,醫(yī)療方法)細則137(4):申請須在以下基礎上針對原始申請，足夠的指示，如果不必進一步查看Opportunitiestoamend(Rule137)Amendmentsonlywithrequestforsubstantiveexamination(responsetocomm.Rule70aorRule161)NoamendmentbetweenfilingandESRNofurtheramendmentwithouttheconsentoftheExaminingdivision修改時機(Rule137)僅當請求實質(zhì)審查時的修改（答復依據(jù)Rule70a或Rule161的審查意見）在提交到ESR期間不能修改未經(jīng)審查部門同意不能做進一步修改提交分案申請Divisionalapplications(Art.76)–WhentofileUses:RespondtounitybjectionPostponedecisiontoprotectsecondinvention(butequal