全球專利積案問題與對策研究

Study on Global Patent Backlog and Its Countermeasures

觀察近年來國際專利申請的趨勢，專利申請數量大為提升，使得未審結專利數量累積迅速，即使各國採取相應措施，積案數量仍高居不下，已經造成諸多負面影響，例如對發明人造成嚴重的威脅，降低發明人的發明誘因。根據一項研究顯示，全球經濟每年因專利審查遲延已經造成76億英鎊的損失。觀察國際上的做法，基本上可分為個別專利局提升內部審查效率與專利局之間相互合作兩大類。就個別專利局而言，做法有增加審查人員、提供加速審查制度、委託專利局以外的單位代為檢索、同儕審查制度及提高專利局預算等措施；而專利局間的合作則有專利合作條約、建構一統的世界專利、成立區域專利合作組織以及專利局間雙邊共用審查結果等做法。其中以專利局間的合作效益較為明顯，尤其以歐洲專利合作模式與專利審查高速公路的成效最受肯定。

The number of patent applications has greatly enhanced in recent years, so pending applications are increasing. The problem of patent backlog is still high, which poses serious obstacles for inventors to fully use their inventions, and thus dampens their incentives to innovate. A research has estimated that additional delay in patent processing costs the global economy £7.6bn every year. There are two measures to attacking the backlog problems in the main patent offices: improving the efficiency of patent prosecution in the single patent office and cooperation between patent offices. For a single patent office, it can hire sufficient patent examiners, accelerate searches, outsource examination, develop peer to patent system and increase the budget of the patent office. The model of the cooperation between patent offices include patent cooperation treaty, unitary patent in the world, establishment of the regional patent organization and patent worksharing with other patent offices. The effect of the latter model was better than the former’s in general.