结合案例看禁止反悔范围的确定方法

Determination of the Scope of Estoppel Based on Judicial Precedent

我国对发明和实用新型专利保护的范围采用折中原则,在这种原则的指导下,确定了“延展”权利要求保护范围的等同原则和“限缩”权利要求保护范围的禁止反悔原则,二者共同作用有利于实现专利权人和公众的利益平衡。但禁止反悔原则在多大的范围内排除等同原则的适用尚无确定方法。本文根据最高人民法院及高级人民法院的相关裁判讨论了以是否具有原始参照以及专利权人的真实意思表示为基准来划定技术方案的放弃范围的确定方法。

The principle of compromise on the scope of patent protection for inventions and utility models is adopted in China.Under the guidance thereof,the doctrine of equivalents for"extending"the scope of protection of claims and doctrine of estoppel for"narrowing"the scope of protection of claims are adopted,which is beneficial to achieving a balance of interests between the patentee and the public.But there is no clear method yet to determine to what extent the doctrine of estoppel excludes the application of doctrine of equivalents.According to the relevant judicial precedent of the Supreme People's Court and the High People's Court,it is discussed herein a method of determination of the abandonment scope,based on whether there is an original reference and genuine intention of the patentee.