欧洲专利公约下的申请流程EPC – processing of an application课件

EPC–ProcessingofanapplicationAndersHanssonSofiaZander-Jakobsson欧洲专利公约下的申请流程安德思.汉森索菲亚赞得-雅各布逊STOPPCTEP…CNUS…CNUSEP0M12M18MISR+WOChapterII?22MGrantGrantR71(3)OppositionValidationSEGBPL…NationalFilingCN/SE/etc.30M1aOA1areplyPublicationPriorityProcedurewiththeEPO–directEPfiling

FilingArt.75/78/80SearchArt.92FormalitiesArt.90PublicationArt.93ExaminationArt.94RefusalArt.97(2)GrantArt.97(1)PACE在欧专局的流程——直接申请

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Art.75/78/80检索Art.92形式审查Art.90公布Art.93审查Art.94驳回Art.97(2)授权Art.97(1)加快程序Examinationofanapplication–Mainphases1.ExaminationonfilingArt.90(1)andArt.90(2)Dateoffiling(indication,contactinformation,description/reference)2.ExaminationonformalrequirementsArt.90(3)LanguagesRequestDesignationofinventorDeclarationofpriorityRepresentationInmostcasestheEPOwillinvitetheapplicanttocorrectdeficiencies3.ExaminationonsubstantivemattersArt.94(3)DrawinguptheEuropeansearchreportArt.92ExtendedEuropeansearchreport(EESR)ESRandopinionPluralityofindependentclaimsIncompletesearch–partialornosearchLackofunityPublicationofsearchreportTriggersrequestforexaminationDesignationfees欧洲检索报告的起草Art.92扩展的欧洲检索报告(EESR)检索报告(ESR)+审查意见多个独立权利要求未完成的检索——部分检索或无检索缺乏单一性检索报告的公开请求实审的触发点指定费R62a–ApplicationscontainingapluralityofindependentclaimsMultipleindependentclaimsineachcategoryareallowediftheyaredirectedtointer-relatedproducts,differentusesofaproductorapparatusoralternativesolutionstoaparticularproblemwhenasingleclaimisnotappropriate.AnapplicationnotfulfillingthisrequirementwillbeobjectedtobytheSearchDivision,i.e.beforethestartofsubstantiveexamination.Searchwillbecarriedoutonthebasisofthefirstindependentclaimineachcategory–EPOwillissueinvitationtopayfurthersearchfees,maybedoneunderprotest.Incompleteorpartialsearch(Rules63,64)Meaningfulsearchimpossible(Rule63):Technicalcharacter,notexcludedfrompatentability,sufficientlyclearandcomplete,claimsmustbeclear,conciseandsupportedbythedescription.Invitedto,within2M Nostatementornotsufficient-issueapartialsearchreportoradeclarationthatnomeaningfulsearchcanbecarriedout.Whentheexaminingdivisionassumesresponsibility,itwillinviteyoutodeletetheunsearchedsubject-matterfromtheapplicationunlessitfindsthattheobjectionwasunjustified.未完成的或部分的检索(Rules63,64)不可能做出有意义的检索(Rule63):技术特征，没有从可专利性中排除，足够清楚和完整，权利要求必须清楚、简明并得到说明书支持邀请2个月内提交陈述

如果没有陈述或陈述不充分——发出部分检索报告或声明无法做出有意见的检索当实审部接手后，会邀请你从申请中删除没有检索的主题，除非它发现检索索部的反对是不公平的Lackofunityinsearch(Rule64)Europeansearchreportwillbedrawnuponthosepartswhichrelatetotheinventionfirstmentionedintheclaims.Searchdivisioninformsapplicantthatafurthersearchfeemustbepaidinrespectofeachoftheinventionswithinaperiodthatitspecifies.AnyfurthersearchfeespaidwillberefundedonrequestifitemergesduringexaminationproceedingsthattheSearchdivision'srequestforpaymentwasnotjustified.PublicationofaEuropeanpatentapplicationTechnicalpreparationscompletedfiveweeksbeforetheexpiryof18monthfromdateoffilingorpriorityApplicationmaybewithdrawnbeforethisdate–canbemadeonconditionofnon-publicationNopublicationifwithdrawnorrefusedbeforetheterminationoftechnicalpreparationsInvalidpublication–doesnotgiverisetopriorrighteffectArt.54(3)Publicationofapplication,andinanannextheESRTriggerssixmonthstimelimitfor:RequestforexaminationPaymentofdesignationfeesMandatoryreply(R.70a)ifnegativeEESR欧洲专利申请的公开申请提交日或优先权日起18个月的期限届满前5周做好公开的技术准备申请在此日期之前可以撤回——这样可以使申请不被公开在技术准备结束前撤回或拒绝的话，将不会公开无公开效力——不产生在先权利效果Art.54(3)申请的公开，附件中有ESR触发下述事件的6个月期限计时：请求实审支付指定费如果EESR结果是负面的，则必须答辩(R.70a)ExaminationofaEuropeanPatentApplicationRequestforexamination:UptosixmonthsafterthedateonwhichthepublicationofthesearchreportismentionedTheapplicantisgivenanopportunitytocommenttheEESRandcorrrectdeficienciesMandatoryreplyifEESRisnegativeDutyofdisclosure“light”AnapplicanthastoprovidetheEPOwithsearchresultsconcerningthepriorityapplicationonfilingorregionalentry(or”withoutdelay”)(NotnecessaryifpriorityapplicationisanEPapplication.)Willbeincludedautomatically,iftheapplicaionclaimspriorityfromaUS,JPorGBapplication.NotranslationrequiredAslongasEPapplicationispendingIfnotprovidedonfiling/regionalentry–willgeta2monthtimelimittofile:searchresultsstatementofnon-availabilityIfnot–deemedwithdrawn(furtherprocessing)披露义务申请人需要向EPO提供优先权申请的检索结果，在提交时或在进入地区阶段时，或没有耽误。（如果在优先权申请是欧洲申请时不需提供）如果申请要求的是美国、日本和英国的优先权，则自动包含在内不必翻译只要欧洲专利还在申请如果在申请和进入地区阶段时没有提供，将会有一个2个月的时限提供：检索结果陈述不能提供的原因否则，申请被视为撤回（进一步处理）ExaminationofaEuropeanPatentApplicationTheExaminingDivisonwillinviteapplicanttocorrectdeficiencieswithinaperiodtobespecified.(Art.94(3)/Rule71(1))Periodnormally4months–extensionwithoutofficialfeesuptomaximumof6monthsAlsonote10day-rule!WillonlybesentiftheExaminerexpectsapositiveoutcomeAnapplicantmayhoweverreceivemorethanoneArt94(3)GrantprocedureRule71(3)communication,i.e.the”intentiontogrant”underArt.97(1)EPCInvitationtopayfeeforgrantandpublishingSubmittranslationsintoofficiallanguagesTimelimit4monthsAmendmentsafterreceiptofR71(3)-communicationArt97(3):publicationofmentionofgrantSpecificationB1Validationincontractingstates–LondonAgreementTimelimit3monthsfrommentionofgrantRule71(3)4MArt.97(1)Publ.ofB13MDEFRSE授权程序基于Rule71(3)的审查意见通知，即，基于Art.

97(1)EPC“意图要授权”邀请缴纳授权和公告费提交官方语言译文时限4个月收到R71(3)审查通知后的修改Art97(3):授权的公告专利说明书B1在缔约国的生效——伦敦条约时限：授权起三个月Rule71(3)4MArt.97(1)Publ.ofB13MDEFRSERefusalofapplication(Art.97(2))TheEPOmaydecidetorefuseanapplication:Ifitdoesnotmeetformaland/orsubstantialrequirementsoftheEPCWhentheapplicantdoesnotcorrectdeficiencesintheclaims,wheninvitedtodosoMustbereasoneddecision,basedonfactstheapplicantisawareofandhavehadachancetocommenton:ProprietormayappealAlwaysrequestoralproceedingswhenrespondingtoofficeactionsEliminatesriskofadirectrefusalAmendmentsinexamination(Art.123(2)EPC)Mainrule:Mustnotgobeyondthecontentoftheapplicationasfiled.NotacceptedIntroductionofanon-disclosedfeatureIntroductionordeletionofadisclosedfeaturetoformanon-disclosedcombinationoffeaturesAcceptedChangetodisclosedcombinationoffeatures,evenifbroader!Deletionofnon-essentialfeaturefromacombination(cf.G1/93)Exceptions:Non-discloseddisclaimersRestorenoveltyoverapriorright(Art.54(3))oranaccidentalanticipationExcisenon-patentablesubject-matter(morality,’publicorder’,medicaltreatment)Rule137(4):AmendmentsmustbeaccompaniedbybasisRefertoapplicationasfiled.Indicationsufficientifnotnecessarytolookfurther

在审查中的修改(Art.123(2)EPC)主要条款：不能超出提交时申请文件的内容不接受的修改引入了没有披露的特征引入或删除了一个披露的特征,形成一个没有披露的特征组合可接受的修改修改为已披露的特征组合，甚至可以扩大范围！从组合中删除非实质性特征(cf.G1/93)例外:未披露的放弃通过在先权利或由于意外而恢复新颖性(Art.54(3))删除不可专利的主题(道德,’公共秩序’,医疗方法)细则137(4):申请须在以下基础上针对原始申请，足够的指示，如果不必进一步查看Opportunitiestoamend(Rule137)Amendmentsonlywithrequestforsubstantiveexamination(responsetocomm.Rule70aorRule161)NoamendmentbetweenfilingandESRNofurtheramendmentwithouttheconsentoftheExaminingdivision修改时机(Rule137)仅当请求实质审查时的修改（答复依据Rule70a或Rule161的审查意见）在提交到ESR期间不能修改未经审查部门同意不能做进一步修改提交分案申请Divisionalapplications(Art.76)–WhentofileUses:RespondtounitybjectionPostponedecisiontoprotectsecondinvention(butequal