美国多主体专利侵权认定规则的演变与启示

Evolution and Enlightenment of Determination Standard of Multiparty Patent Infringement in the USA

随着互联网技术发展与商业模式创新,多个主体分开实施某项专利以规避侵权责任,日益成为专利侵权的常态,使多主体专利侵权责任的认定更为复杂。对此类案件,美国法院依据《专利法案》271条a款下的共同侵权提出了"代理"标准、"某些联系"标准及"控制或指挥"标准,针对引诱和帮助侵权行为,对第271条b、c款下的间接侵权与直接侵权关系的认定,形成了一套严谨、清晰的多主体专利侵权认定规则,值得借鉴。

With the constantly innovating of business model and the development of economic and technology, it is common to see that multiple parties separately perform a patent in order to avoid patent infringement, which makes the determination of multiparty patent infiingement responsibility more complex. In the United States, on the basis of U.S. Patent Act, 35 U.S.C271 （a）,（b） and （c）, American courts have developed three theories that address such situations： the ＂agency＂ standard, ＂some connection＂ standard and ＂control or direction＂ standard for joint infringement, and formed a whole set of strict and clear determination standard of multiparty patent infringement for the connection of direct infi-ingement and indirect infringement, which are worth learning.