怎样申请欧洲专利

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How to get a European patent

Guide for applicants – Part 1

April 2004(10th edition)

Contents Foreword A. General I. Introduction.............................................................................5 II. Nature and purpose of the European Patent Convention..............................................................................6 III. Relationship to other international conventions......................6 IV. Choosing a route: national, European or international...........7 Legal factors.....................................................................7 Economic factors..............................................................7 V. Extending European patents to non-EPC states....................9 B. Patentability I. Invention...............................................................................10 II. Novelty..................................................................................11 Basic principles...............................................................11 Prior rights......................................................................11 III. Inventive step........................................................................12 C. Preparing and filing a European patent application I. Formal requirements.............................................................13 Entitlement to file European patent applications.............13 States for which European patent applications may be filed........................................................................13 Languages for European patent applications.................14 Language arrangements to assist applicants from certain contracting states...........................................14 Items making up a European patent application.............14 Request for grant............................................................14 Designation of inventor...................................................15 Claiming priority..............................................................15 Representation...............................................................16 II. Presenting your invention.....................................................18 Disclosing your invention................................................18 Unity of invention............................................................18 Drafting the technical application documents.................18 Description......................................................................19 Biotechnology applications.............................................20 Claims.............................................................................21 Claims incurring fees......................................................23 Drawings.........................................................................23 Abstract...........................................................................23 Prohibited matter............................................................24 Unity of European patent applications and patents........24 III. Filing European patent applications......................................25 Where to file....................................................................25 How to file.......................................................................25 Written confirmation........................................................25 Date of receipt................................................................26 Acknowledgement of receipt...........................................26 Applications filed with national authorities and forwarded to the EPO.................................................26 Fees................................................................................27 Fee levels and payment methods...................................28 IV. Filing other documents.........................................................30 Where and how to file.....................................................30 Signature........................................................................30 Written confirmation........................................................30 Date of receipt................................................................31 Acknowledgement of receipt...........................................31

D. The European patent grant procedure I. General survey.....................................................................32 II. Procedure up to publication of the application......................32 Examination on filing.......................................................32 Formalities examination..................................................33 European search report..................................................34 III. Publication of the European patent application....................35 IV. Examination procedure.........................................................36 Request for examination.................................................36 Stages of the procedure.................................................36 Amending applications before and during examination proceedings...........................................39 National requirements governing translations of European patents.......................................................40 V. Opposition procedure...........................................................40 Opposition period............................................................40 Grounds for opposition...................................................40 Form and content of the notice of opposition..................40 Examining the notice of opposition for admissibility.......41 Substantive examination of the opposition.....................41 VI. Appeals procedure................................................................42 Filing an appeal..............................................................42 Interlocutory revision.......................................................43 Stages of the procedure before the boards of appeal....43 VII. Divisional applications..........................................................44 VIII. Renewal fees........................................................................44 IX. General provisions governing time limits..............................45 Missed time limits...........................................................45 Completion of an omitted act..........................................46