美国专利法名词解释(一)
众律国际法律事务所 专利工程师 刘淑贞
2014-09-19

一、 前言：
解释美国专利法的一些法律规定的专有名词。
二、 先申请原则：
美国专利法第100条定义并规定了美国专利的「发明人先申请」原则：「35 U.S.C. 100 (note) AIA First inventor to file provisions.
The first inventor to file provisions of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA) apply to any application for patent, and to any patent issuing thereon, that contains or contained at any time—
(A) a claim to a claimed invention that has an effective filing date on or after March 16, 2013 wherein the effective filing date is:
(i) if subparagraph (ii) does not apply, the actual filing date of the patent or the application for the patent containing a claim to the invention; or
(ii) the filing date of the earliest application for which the patent or application is entitled, as to such invention, to a right of priority under section 119, 365(a), or 365(b) or to the benefit of an earlier filing date under section 120 , 121, or 365(c); or
(B) a specific reference under section 120 , 121, or 365(c) of title 35, United States Code, to any patent or application that contains or contained at any time such a claim. 」
美国发明法案(AIA)第100条「发明人先申请」条款：「梨亥-史密斯美国发明法案的发明人先申请条款，适用于发明的申请及其专利的授予在任何时候包含或已包含—
(A)一个请求发明的请求项，其有效申请日期在2013年3月16日当天或之后，此有效申请日是：
(i)如果次段落(ii)不适用，包含一个发明的请求项的专利或专利的申请之实际的申请日 或者
(ii)此发明的专利或核准的申请的最早申请日，优先权，根据119、365(a)或365(b)条，或根据120、121或365(c)条较早申请日的利益或
(B)任何专利或申请在任何时候包含或已包含此请求项的特殊的参考，根据美国法典35篇的120、121或365(c)条。」美国从2013年3月16日起，从「先发明原则」改成「先申请原则」。
三、 解释名词：
美国专利法第100条定义美国专利法的一些专有名词：「35 U.S.C. 100 Definitions. When used in this title unless the context otherwise indicates
(a) The term “invention” means invention or discovery.
(b) The term “process” means process, art, or method, and includes a new use of a known process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, or material.
(c) The terms “United States” and “this country” mean the United States of America, its territories and possessions.
(d) The word “patentee” includes not only the patentee to whom the patent was issued but also the successors in title to the patentee.
(e) The term “third-party requester” means a person requesting ex parte reexamination under section 302 who is not the patent owner.
(f) The term "inventor" means the individual or, if a joint invention, the individuals collectively who invented or discovered the subject matter of the invention.
(g) The terms "joint inventor" and "coinventor" mean any 1 of the individuals who invented or discovered the subject matter of a joint invention.
(h) The term "joint research agreement" means a written contract, grant, or cooperative agreement entered into by 2 or more persons or entities for the performance of experimental, developmental, or research work in the field of the claimed invention.
(i) (1) The term "effective filing date" for a claimed invention in a patent or application for patent means—
(A) if subparagraph (B) does not apply, the actual filing date of the patent or the application for the patent containing a claim to the invention; or
(B) the filing date of the earliest application for which the patent or application is entitled, as to such invention, to a right of priority under section 119, 365(a), or 365(b) or to the benefit of an earlier filing date under section 120, 121, or 365(c).
(2) The effective filing date for a claimed invention in an application for reissue or reissued patent shall be determined by deeming the claim to the invention to have been contained in the patent for which reissue was sought.
(j) The term "claimed invention" means the subject matter defined by a claim in a patent or an application for a patent. 」

参考数据:
1. 美国专利法。