功能性技术特征解释规则研究

Research on the Interpretation Rules of Functional Technical Features

当前司法实践中对功能性技术特征权利边界的判断存在两套不同的解释规则,一是《审查指南》提出的"覆盖所有"解释规则,二是《解释》确定的"具体加等同实施方式"解释规则,两套解释规则对专利权利要求书中同一功能性技术特征所确定的权利内容并不一致。依循当前的解释规则,难以对功能性技术特征的权利边界作出准确判断。在对功能性技术特征解释规则上,应排除适用《审查指南》确定的"覆盖所有"解释规则,统一适用《解释》确定的"具体加等同实施方式"解释规则,并明确包含功能性技术特征的权利要求必须有具体实施方式支撑。但对《解释》出台前已被授权的专利,应放宽"等同实施方式"中"等同"的认定标准。同时将有关功能性技术特征的规定纳入《专利法》之中。

Currently there are mainly two different sets of interpretation rules of the right boundaries of functional technical features in judicial practice.One is the rule of"covering all"in the"Patent Examination Guidelines"of the National Intellectual Property Office.The other is the rule of"specific plus equivalent implementation"in the Interpretation of Supreme People′s Court.These two interpretation rules do not agree on the content of the rights determined by the same functional technical features in the patent claim.According to the current interpretation,it′s difficult to make an accurate judgment on the right boundary of functional technical features.The interpretation rules of the functional technical features should be unified.It′s necessary to exclude the rule of"covering all"defined in the"Patent Examination Guidelines",and uniformly applies the rule of"specific plus equivalent implementation".Moreover,the specific implementation mode shall be the support for the right claims containing functional technical features.However,for the patents that have been granted before the promulgation of the judicial interpretation,the identification standard of"equivalence"in"equivalent implementation mode"should be relaxed.Last,it′s necessary to include the interpretation rules of the functional technical features into patent law.