2011年5月26日 星期四

EPC Rule 43 歐洲專利Claim寫作(About Claims XXXIX)

Rule 43
(1) 權利範圍應界定技術特徵,其中應該包括:(a)權利範圍的描述指出發明標的,其中技術特徵應足夠定義出發明標的;(b)兩段式的特徵部份應以"characterised in that"或是"characterised by"的方式開始,在第二段界定出發明特徵
(1) The claims shall define the matter for which protection is sought in terms of the technical features of the invention. Wherever appropriate, claims shall contain:
(a) a statement indicating the designation of the subject-matter of the invention and those
technical features which are necessary for the definition of the claimed subject-matter but
which, in combination, form part of the prior art;
(b) a characterising portion, beginning with the expression "characterised in that" or "characterised by" and specifying the technical features for which, in combination with the features stated under sub-paragraph (a), protection is sought.

(2) 歐洲專利申請案在同一個類別中可包括超過一個獨立項的範圍,條件是:(a)複數個相互關聯的產品;(b)產品或裝置有不同用途;(c)特定問題有替代解決方案,而不能僅以一個範圍項表示
(2) Without prejudice to Article 82, a European patent application may contain more than
one independent claim in the same category (product, process, apparatus or use) only if the
subject-matter of the application involves one of the following:
(a) a plurality of interrelated products,
(b) different uses of a product or apparatus,
(c) alternative solutions to a particular problem, where it is inappropriate to cover these
alternatives by a single claim.

(3) 任何權利範圍項中的必要特徵可有一或多個權利項表示其發明實施例
(3) Any claim stating the essential features of an invention may be followed by one or more
claims concerning particular embodiments of that invention.

(4) 附屬項應註明所依附的項次,範圍包括所有依附範圍的特徵;允許附屬項依附附屬項;附屬項可依附之前的一個範圍,或多個範圍形成的群組
(4) Any claim which includes all the features of any other claim (dependent claim) shall contain,
if possible at the beginning, a reference to the other claim and then state the additional features. A dependent claim directly referring to another dependent claim shall also be admissible. All dependent claims referring back to a single previous claim, and all dependent claims referring back to several previous claims, shall be grouped together to the extent and in the most appropriate way possible.

(5) 權利範圍的數目應該合理而表達該發明,且以連續數字標示
(5) The number of claims shall be reasonable with regard to the nature of the invention claimed. The claims shall be numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals.

(6) 若無必須,權利範圍不應僅限定於說明書或圖示中所標示的技術特徵,且不應直接引用說明書或圖示內容
(6) Except where absolutely necessary, claims shall not rely on references to the description or drawings in specifying the technical features of the invention. In particular, they shall not contain such expressions as "as described in part ... of the description", or "as illustrated in figure ... of the drawings".

(7) 歐洲專利申請案應包括圖示,權利範圍內的技術元件應以「小括號標記圖中元件符號」,僅用來理解範圍,而非限制
(7) Where the European patent application contains drawings including reference signs, the technical features specified in the claims shall preferably be followed by such reference signs relating to these features, placed in parentheses, if the intelligibility of the claim can thereby be increased. These reference signs shall not be construed as limiting the claim.

Ron

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