美国先用权制度探析

A Probe into American Prior User Rights System

2011年《美国发明法案》对原有《专利法》进行了大量修改,其重要修改内容之一为扩大了先用权抗辩的适用范围。美国先用权制度经历了较为曲折的历程。现行美国先用权制度是美国立法机关考虑全球专利法协调统一及美国企业在全球的竞争力、考虑专利法激励创新的目的、考虑商业秘密权人、专利权人、大学等主体利益平衡的结果,它既从微观层面规定了先用权获取要件和先用权行使的限制,又从宏观层面规定了先用权制度与相关制度如以大学为主体的权利人科研成果转化、现有技术的衔接,其最终目的是鼓励创新并促进美国经济的发展和美国全球竞争力的保持和提升。美国先用权制度的历程给我国先用权制度的完善能提供几点有益的启示。

The American Invention Act of 2011 makes numerous changes to original Patent Law, one of whose important contents modified is the expansion to the scope of Prior User Right. Prior User Rights system has experienced a tortuous process. Current American Prior User Rights system is the balancing result of legislature on account of the global unification of patent law, American enterprises＇ global competitiveness, the innovation - oriented patent law, the interest balance among entities such as business secret owners, patent holders, universities, and so on. With the ultimate goal to encourage innovation and promote economic development, American Prior User Rights system defines the constitutive requirements and limitations of Prior User Rights at the micro level, and specifies the cohesion between the Prior User Rights system and its relevant systems such as scientific research transfer by entities like universities at a macro level. Its development process offers some enlightening lessons to the perfection of China＇ s Prior User Rights system.