3D打印技术发展与专利法回应

3D打印技术在改变制造业基础设施的配置、原材料的供应链和产品销售模式的同时,也对现行专利法律制度形成了冲击和挑战。在3D打印技术领域,如何在激励创新与防止潜在的非法复制之间实现平衡,廓清合法的"修理"和不合法的"再造"之间的界限以及以"非生产经营目的"的个人打印是否构成侵权等问题亟待专利法律制度的回应。面对3D打印技术带来的机遇与挑战,立法者应重新审视《专利法》的制度基础,在平衡技术革新和其他社会、经济价值的基础上,推动3D打印技术和专利法律制度间的互动演进式发展。     

Creating value through external intellectual property commercialization: a desorptive capacity view

In open innovation systems, capturing value through external intellectual property (IP) commercialization is an increasingly important strategy for firms to keep pace with competitive changes. However, many firms have major difficulties in creating value through external patent exploitation. To understand these challenges, this paper explores how firms manage their external patent exploitation based on a multiple case study research design with fourteen firms from the pharmaceutical and chemical industry. Adopting a desorptive capacity perspective we find four main factors influencing the firms’ management of external patent exploitation: the type of value creation, the organizational structure, the locus of initiative, and the extent of know-how transfer along with the patent. Based on these factors, three archetypes of external patent exploitation with different levels of desorptive capacity are identified. The article extends the concept of desorptive capacity and existing literature on intellectual property management in the context of open innovation. Managerial implications helping firms to implement external IP commercialization structures are discussed.     

Patenting medical devices: the economic implications of ethically motivated reform

This article explores whether the current patent system strikes the optimal balance between providing incentives to inventors to bring new medical devices to the marketplace and promoting public health by ensuring that these medical devices are widely available at a reasonable price. After providing an overview of the relationship of patent law to medical devices, the author explains how ethical and economic considerations suggest the need for an alternative patent system for medical devices and notes the difficulties with this proposal. The author concludes that a combination of alternatives to the current system most equitably account for the interests and needs of both healthcare device consumers and producers.     

技术在先使用与专利权冲突的探讨

在我国专利法中,仅对外观设计专利,在第23条规定了授予专利权的外观设计不得与他人在先取得的合法权利相冲突,而对发明和实用新型专利没有做出明确规定。这是否意味着对于发明专利和实用新型专利不存在在先权原则制约?如果对此两类专利不存在在先权制约,如何理解适用专利法第63条第2款规定的,在专利申请日前已经制造相同产品、使用相同方法或者已经做好制造、使用的必要准备,并且仅在原有的范围内继续制造、使用的不视为侵犯专利权?不视为侵权的行为属于对专利权的合理使用还是专利权的取得不得损害他人在先权利?不解决上述问题,就无法分清实践中专利技术的在先使用和专利侵权的界限,由此可能导致截然不同的法律后果。以程序法的视角和保护知识产权国际公约协定确立的基本原则为背景,从明确保护专利技术的在先使用权、专利技术在先使用权抗辩专利权的法律适用、专利技术在先使用权的效力地位及保护途径三个方面来探讨解决上述问题。     

专利先行实施权的范围

专利的先行实施权是相对于专利权而独立存在的权利,它虽不构成对专利权的侵害,但应在一定范围内进行,其范围包括行业范围、数量范围、主体范围、客体范围,在范围的确定上,我国有不少争议。确定先行实施权的范围应符合我国国情,参照国外做法,予以适当扩大。     

专利技术的在先使用问题研究

在我国专利法中 ,仅对外观设计专利 ,第二十三条规定明确了授予专利权的外观设计不得与他人在先取得的合法权利相冲突 ,而对发明和实用新型专利没有做出明确规定。这是否意味着对于发明专利和实用新型专利不存在在先权原则制约 ?如果对此两类专利不存在在先权制约 ,如何理解适用专利法第六十三条第二款规定的 ,在专利申请日前已经制造相同产品、使用相同方法或者已经做好制造、使用的必要准备 ,并且仅在原有的范围内继续制造、使用的不视为侵犯专利权 ?不视为侵权的行为属于对专利权的合理使用还是专利权的取得不得损害他人在先权利 ?不解决上述问题 ,就无法分清实践中专利技术的在先使用和专利侵权的界限 ,由此可能导致截然不同的法律后果。本文作者以程序法的视角和保护知识产权国际公约协定确立的基本原则为背景 ,从明确保护专利技术的在先使用权、专利技术在先使用权抗辩专利权的法律适用、专利技术在先使用权的效力地位及保护途径三个方面来探讨解决上述问题。     

专利联营之反垄断规制分析

由于“专利灌丛”问题,产业发展越来越受控于很多分散的、独立的专利权。专利联营解决了这一问题,它整合了互补技术,降低了交易成本,排除了专利间实施的交互限制,避免了昂贵的法律诉讼。但由于专利联营固有的“联合”特点,使其必然对联合体之外的市场主体构成限制竞争,具有“垄断”的先天嫌疑,而由于专利联营政策越来越被拥有较多专利权的跨国企业控制,特别是信息领域技术标准制定中诞生的专利联营,已经凸现出滥用市场支配力、防碍技术创新的趋势。因此,有必要制定专利联营的反垄断规则。     

Patents with an "I" = patients

The authors address how patent protection in the United States is often quite narrow in scope, difficult to obtain, and insufficient in duration, thus stifling research and development of potential breakthrough pharmaceuticals. The authors further posit that countries that have enacted stronger intellectual property rights and research incentives have seen tremendous increases in foreign direct investment. In addressing critics of the current patent system, the authors show that alternatives to biotechnology patents would not demonstrably improve innovation and development of beneficial medicines. The authors conclude that given the substantial evidence of the patent system's benefits, and the mere speculation that patents have a deleterious effect on patients, no suggestions currently proposed to replace or improve the patent system will have the same beneficial effects for patients.     

论专利危机及其解决路径

专利制度作为知识经济时代最重要的财产权制度,却面临专利失灵或专利危机的指责。梳理现有文献所揭示的、专利法中可能存在阻碍创新的制度因素,实为完善专利理论及制度所必要。专利危机主要表现为：专利商业化程度低、专利权利滥用、累积创新领域的创新受阻、专利丛林、专利竞赛导致的资源浪费、专利授权质量太差、专利制度的人权困境和发展鸿沟,等等。其相应的专利改革方案包括：一方面,国内法上主要体现为改善专利授权质量问题、提升专利的有效利用;另一方面：对于国际因素所导致的专利问题,主要的观点是应该发挥国家在专利政策制定上的适度自主性。     

Patent laws and innovation in China

This paper explores whether the patent laws and intellectual property rights (IPR) system in China have resulted in innovation during the reform period. Subject to criticism on account of imperfect enforcement, the patent law system has produced a stock of patents which has grown rapidly alongside economic growth. The success rate of patent applications is similar across the country despite the considerable regional disparities in income and in the level of innovation. This paper presents a simple model of patent production in China derived from the patent law system that also considers the relevant contextual factors that could influence innovation. The main innovation input of R&D personnel is found to be a significant determinant of patents. While per capita GDP increases the propensity to innovate across all regions, notable heterogeneity exists whereby the coastal, central and interior areas are associated with different factors that produce innovation and influence the innovation process. The paper concludes that China's imperfect IPR system is nevertheless generating innovation as the country develops and hinges on the key factor of researchers.     

新时代专利导航的理论构建与实践路径

当前,专利导航已进入国家宏观政策及规划的决策视野,应用价值巨大,社会影响力和关注度持续提高。审视已开展的专利导航项目实践发现,过于注重操作规范,对理论机理的丰富和发展不足,导致现有专利导航项目实施中存在若干具有共性的盲区或误区,亟待对专利导航的基本概念和基础理论等进行理性审视和深度思考。在澄清专利导航基本概念、内涵和作用机理的基础上,详细阐述区域规划类、产业规划类和创新主体类等主要类型专利导航的工作基本流程和实务操作要点,为项目实施方有的放矢地开展专利导航实践提供行动指南和理论支撑。未来,应加快建立以大数据为支撑的系统化的专利导航工作架构,适时丰富和完善基础理论和导航理念,优化工作机制,加强专利导航机制与创新决策机制的有机融合,充分发挥专利导航对产业技术创新的引领支撑作用,为我国产业真正走出一条自主可控的创新发展之路提供保障。     

The mouse that trolled: the long and tortuous history of a gene mutation patent that became an expensive impediment to Alzheimer's research

This case study presents the tale of the academic discovery of a rare mutation for early-onset Alzheimer''s disease that was patented by a sole inventor and licensed to a non-practicing entity (NPE), the Alzheimer''s Institute of America (AIA). Our aims are (1) to relate this story about patents, research tools, and impediments to medical progress, and (2) to inform ongoing debates about how patents affect research, disposition of university inventions, and the distribution of benefits from publicly funded research. We present an account of the hunt for Alzheimer''s genes, their patenting, assignment, and enforcement based on literature, litigation records and judicial decisions. While AIA''s litigation eventually failed, its suits against 18 defendants, including one university, one foundation, and three non-profit organizations were costly in court years, legal fees, and expert time. Reasons for the failure included non-disclosure of co-inventors, State laws on ownership and assignment of university inventions, and enablement. We discuss the policy implications of the litigation, questioning the value of patents in the research ecosystem and the role of NPEs (“patent trolls”) in biotechnological innovation. The case illustrates tactics that may be deployed against NPEs, including, avenues to invalidate patent claims, Authorization and Consent, legislative reforms specifically targeting NPEs, reforms in the America Invents Act, and judicial action and rules for judicial proceedings. In the highly competitive research environment of Alzheimer''s genetics in the 1990s, patents played a minor, subordinate role in spurring innovation. The case produces a mixed message about the patent system. It illustrates many mistakes in how patents were obtained, administered, and enforced, but, eventually, the legal system rectified these mistakes, albeit slowly, laboriously, and at great cost.     

知识产权制度的未来

知识经济的发展和数字网络的兴起使知识的创新与传播日益多样化，深刻地改变了知识产权制度的生态环境。生态环境的巨大变化进一步暴露了知识产权制度的先天缺陷，使知识产权制度面临前所未有的危机和挑战，改革现有知识产权制度与探索知识产权制度的补充或替代成为必然。知识创新激励制度的多样性、可替换性与环境适应性表明，单一制度无法提供所有知识领域的最佳激励，多元化成为未来知识产权制度的必然选择。     

专利创造性的经济学分析

专利创造性的主要经济学理论包括选择价值理论、连续发明理论、错误成本理论和互补发明理论.这些经济学理论对深入认识专利创造性提供了有益的视角,并能够对专利政策的制定以及专利创造性判断的司法实践提供帮助.分析表明,专利实践中的很多做法都暗含了这些理论分析所隐含的经济理性,但是由于经济学理论难以提供可操作性的工具,经济分析要为政策制定和创造性判断提供具体指导还需要进一步研究.     

从社会价值角度看药品专利保护与公共健康利益的冲突

TRIPS协议将医药产品纳入专利保护范围以后，引发了国际社会对药品专利和公共健康二者利益如何平衡的争执。本文在浅述药品专利保护与公共健康双方争端由来的基础上，浅谈了争执双方的利益所在，然后从社会价值、知识产权制度的利益衡平目标等方面分析后，笔者认为，在当前公共健康不断受到AIDS、SARS、禽流感等高发传染性疾病的挑战的情况下，应在保护药品知识产权的同时，不断加强对公共健康的保护。     

Patent Protection in Europe: Integrating Europe into the Community or the Community into Europe?

Patent protection in Europe basically rests on two pillars: national grants or grants from the European Patent Organisation (EPO). The EPO grants patents by a centralised procedure with uniform conditions, but once granted the patents become national and subject to the divergent national laws of EPO–Member States. The system has been very successful, so successful, indeed, that it overshadowed the Community's many unsuccessful attempts to set up a Community patent system of its own by way of a convention between Member States. As the Commission has recently stepped in by proposing the establishment of a Community Patent system by way of regulation, a kind of 'cooperative rivalry' has arisen between the Community and the EPO about how to unify patent protection in Europe. This rivalry not only mirrors divergent views on the politico–economic functions of the patent system, but also is illustrative of different concepts of regional integration in a context of global competition for innovation.     

中国制造业走出国门的知识产权保护问题

入世后,中国产业尤其是制造业面临着专利技术侵权的严峻考验,在国际大企业不断的侵权诉讼中,寻找问题的关键和突破重围成为国内企业走出国门的当务之急。本文结合2003年里发生的中国制造业在国内外所受的专利侵权案件,分析其产生的原因,以江苏省制造业为例,试对我国制造业在WTO大背景下出口的知识产权保护问题提出相应的解决方案。     

Patent-Secret Mix in Complex Product Firms

Different protection mechanisms may be employed at the sametime when an innovation is comprised of separately protectablecomponents. If patents and trade secrets can be mixed in protectingsingle innovations, a strengthening in patent breadth may inducea lower level of patenting, as innovators are more prone torely on secrecy.