无效宣告程序中实用新型专利的创造性评价标准

Examination Criteria of Inventive Step for Utility Model Patent in the Invalidation Procedure

由专利法第22条第3款的规定可知实用新型专利的创造性评价标准应当低于发明专利。在无效宣告程序及后续程序中,如何较为客观地把握实用新型专利的创造性评价标准是实践中的难点。本文结合无效及行政诉讼中的实际案例阐述了在实用新型专利的创造性评价中,如何确定现有技术所属的技术领域、如何判断现有技术是否给出了明确的技术启示、如何理解通过简单的叠加而形成的技术方案等关键问题。

The requirement of inventive step for a utility model shall be lower than that for an invention in accordance with Article 22.3 of the Patent Law. In the invalidation procedure and subsequent procedures, how to objectively evaluate the inventive step of utility models is an obstacle inpractice.In light of some cases in invalidation procedure and administrative proceedings, some key issues in the inventive step examination of utility models, such as how to determine the technical fi eld of the prior art references, how to judge whether the prior art gives obvious technical motivation, and how to understand the technical solution made by juxtaposing some prior art means, etc., are illustrated.