回归与重构——在立法宗旨中探究专利创造性评判方式的优化

Regression and Reconstruction——Exploring the Optimization of Patent Assessment of Creativeness in Legislative Purpose

在专利申请量快速增长的同时,低质量发明开始大量出现,其常见表现形式包括技术特征数量异常的发明、使用非常规技术手段的发明和技术方案雷同的系列发明。面对低质量发明,现行专利创造性评判方式逐渐暴露出其内在缺陷,突出的实质性特点和非显而易见这两个法律概念常被机械等同,而显著进步的这一法定要求又经常受到有意弱化。一方面导致易于对低质量发明做出具备创造性的错误结论,另一方面也使得审查资源被过度消耗,影响高价值发明的专利质量和审查周期。因此,应当回归专利法立法宗旨,优化专利创造性的评判方式,着重考虑评判结果是否能够起到鼓励发明创造和促进科技进步的作用,并对相关专利法规适时进行修订。

With the rapid increase in the number of patent applications,low-quality inventions began to appear in large numbers.The common manifestations include inventions with abnormal numbers of technical features,inventions using unconventional technical means,and a series of inventions with similar technical solutions.Faced with low-qual⁃ity inventions,the current patent assessment method of creativeness gradually exposes its inherent defects.The two le⁃gal concepts of prominent substantive features and non-obviousness are often mechanically equivalent,and the legal requirement of significant progress is often weakened intentionally.On the one hand,it is easy to make wrong conclu⁃sions of creativeness on low-quality inventions,on the other hand,the examination resources are excessively con⁃sumed,which affects the quality and examination cycle of high-value patents.Therefore,it is necessary to return to the legislative purpose of patent law,optimize the evaluation method of patent creativeness,and consider whether the eval⁃uation result can play a role in encouraging inventions and promoting scientific and technological progress,and timely revise relevant patent regulations.