专利审查程序中的公知常识证明责任探究

An Exploration on the Burden of Proof in Relation to Common Sense in Patent Examination Process

在专利审查程序中,审查员是否应当对所提出的公知常识承担证明责任存在一定的争议。考虑到专利审查实践的特点以及行使行政职能的需要,专利审查指南中规定了“异议证明”的责任。这样规定本有利于消除分歧,加快审查程序,避免申请人的利益不当损失。但仍有观点认为这样规定还不够,试图不加区分地适用“谁主张谁举证”的证据规则,由此在法理和逻辑方面产生混淆,进而可能导致审查质量和效率的损失。为此,结合理论分析和实践情况,从公知常识是否需要证明、行政程序相关原则、证据规则以及专利审查指南相关规定等角度进行分析,建议加强依法行政,在审查指南中明确审查员和申请人双方对公知常识证明具有推进责任,引入审查认知的概念,审查员对属于审查认知范畴的事实及推定不当然承担“异议证明”责任。

In patent examination process,whether the examiner should bear the burden to prove common sense is subject to certain disputes.Given the characteristics of patent examination practice and the need to exercise administrative functions,the patent examination guideline stipulates the responsibility to prove “objection”.It is assumed that the stipulation may resolve disputes,speed up the examination process,and avoid the loss incurred to the interests of applicant.However,there are still opinions saying such provisions are insu fficient,and insist on applying the evidence rule of “he who asserts must prove”,causing legal and logical confusion,which may further lead to inferior examination quality and efficiency.Considering both theoretical analysis and actual situation,and addressing the problem from the perspective of the necessity to prove common sense,relevant administrative procedural rules,evidence rules,as well as relevant provisions of the patent examination guideline,it is recommended to strengthen administration according to law,to clarify in the examination guideline that both examiner and applicant bear the burden to prove common sense,to adopt the concept of examination cognition,and that the examiner doesn’t bear the due responsibility to prove “objection” of the facts and presumption within the examination scope.