美國專利侵權攻防策略之探討

U.S. Patent infringement: Strategy analysis

專利權屬於無體財產權，被告大多採取舉發或主張專利無效的策略應對，專利權人因專利有效性和保護範圍不確定的困素關係專利侵權救濟之成敗，得主張非落入專利範圍、逆均等論、全要件限制、申請過程禁反言等情事答辯，專利訴訟中影響專利有效性和侵權成立之判斷，通常在於申請專利範圍涵蓋範圍之解釋。未來國際市場上的商業競爭，除了企業本身的產品與行銷以外，跨國的專利已成為新的攻擊手段，本文以美國專利權訴訟為切入點，闡明一旦被捲入專利權訴訟，除了須面對煩人的答辯訴訟程序之外，龐大的訟訴費用可能影響整體企業營運，對企業未來在市場上的競爭能力也造成很大的破壞，更可能會破壞辛苦建立的品牌價值，對企業自然也造成另一波傷害。
專利侵權訴訟已成為各國企業鞏固自己品牌價值的工具，甚至是專利蟑螂（patent troll）惡意攻擊其他企業並從中牟取暴利的手段。台灣企業應提高之風險管理意識、強化全球法令遵循能力。本文從探討專利法及訴訟程序開始，盼對企業建立一套面臨專利侵權之訴的攻防策略，讓其重新檢視內部組織應遵循的政策與制度，協助企業有效制訂風險管理及危機處理機制。

Patent rights belong to intangible property, defendants generally claim invalid patent strategies to copy with patent infringement as reverse doctrine of equivalents, all elements of limitations, inequitable conduct, or prosecution history estoppel in patent litigation. Patent infringement can cover the claim interpretation within the scope of patent. Patent toll tends to randomly sue a target foreign enterprise by simply serving a compliant, most of enterprise don't know how cope with the allegations of patent infringement.
Taiwanese enterprises should improve risk management awareness, and strengthen global legal compliance capabilities in patent management. This paper explore the U.S. patent law environment and the judicial proceedings of complaint and answer in perspectives of offensive and defensive strategy to generate tenable legal and commercial strategies, aiming to establish an effective risk management and crisis management mechanisms on both sides.