PCT Reforms Its Patent Filing System

As of January 1,2004,the first critical steps in seekingpatent protection in multiple countries will be easier as aresult of reforms to the international patent filing system.Aseries of reforms to the World Intellectual PropertyOrganisation's(WIPO)Patent Cooperation Treaty(PCT),ranging from a new simplified system of designatingcountries in which patent protection is sought to an enhancedsearch and preliminary examination system,will simplify thecomplex procedure of obtaining patent protection in severa...

破旧立新:从先发明原则到先申请原则——兼评美国专利改革法案

专利权作为私权,须明定其权利归属,同一个发明创造只能授予一项专利权,世界通行的做法采先申请原则,对最先提出专利申请的人以优先取得专利的权利,而美国一直以来采先发明原则。但是,受国际专利调和化运动影响,美国国会开始逐步努力转向采先申请原则,此次美国专利法变革即为其最终结果,尽管学界对于此次变革的前途争议不停,但从整体上来说,采先申请原则相较于先发明原则仍有其进步之处。