确认专利不侵权之诉中被告的确定

Determination of Defendants in Patent Non-infringement Claims

我国《专利侵权解释》第十八条规定,被警告人提起的确认专利不侵权之诉以权利人发出警告信函且怠于提起诉讼为前提,并未明确专利被许可人是否落入本条规制范围。基于确认专利不侵权之诉与专利侵权之诉核心判定内容的同一性,此处权利人应作扩大解释,包含被许可人在内。在被许可人发出警告信函且怠于提起诉讼的前提下,被控侵权人应以权利人及被许可人为共同被告,提起确认专利不侵权之诉。

Article 18 of the Patent Infringement Interpretation stipulates that a patent non-infringement suit brought by a warned person is premised on the right holder issuing a warning letter and neglecting to file a lawsuit,without specifying whether the patent licensee falls within the scope of the regulation of this article.Based on the core content of the patent non-infringement lawsuit and the patent infringement lawsuit,the right holder here should be interpreted in an expanded manner to include the licensee.If the licensee issues a warning letter and fails to file a lawsuit,the alleged infringer may be a co-defendant with the right holder and the licensee and file a patent non-infringement lawsuit.