中华人民共和国专利法(2008修正)英文版

PatentLawofthePeople'sRepublicofChina(Adoptedatthe4thMeetingoftheStandingCommitteeoftheSixthNationalPeople'sCongressonMarch12,1984,amendedforthefirsttimeinaccordancewiththeDecisionoftheStandingCommitteeoftheSeventhNationalPeople'sCongressonAmendingthePatentLawofthePeople'sRepublicofChinaatits27thMeetingonSeptember4,1992,amendedforthesecondtimeinaccordancewiththeDecisionoftheStandingCommitteeoftheNinthNationalPeople'sCongressonAmendingthePatentLawofthePeople'sRepublicofChinaadoptedatits17thMeetingonAugust25,2000,andamendedforthethirdtimeinaccordancewiththeDecisionoftheStandingCommitteeoftheEleventhNationalPeople'sCongressonAmendingthePatentLawofthePeople'sRepublicofChinaatits6thMeetingonDecember27,2008)ContentsChapterIGeneralProvisionsChapterIIConditionsforGrantingPatentRightsChapterIIIPatentApplicationChapterIVExaminationandApprovalofPatentApplicationsChapterVDuration,TerminationandInvalidationofPatentRightsChapterVICompulsoryLicenseforExploitationofaPatentChapterVIIProtectionofPatentRightsChapterVIIISupplementaryProvisionsChapterIGeneralProvisionsArticle1ThisLawisenactedforthepurposeofprotectingthelawfulrightsandinterestsofpatentees,encouraginginvention-creation,promotingtheapplicationofinvention-creation,enhancinginnovationcapability,promotingtheadvancementofscienceandtechnologyandtheeconomicandsocialdevelopment.Article2ForthepurposesofthisLaw,invention-creationsmeaninventions,utilitymodelsanddesigns.Inventionsmeannewtechnicalsolutionsproposedforaproduct,aprocessortheimprovementthereof.Utilitymodelsmeannewtechnicalsolutionsproposedfortheshapeandstructureofaproduct,orthecombinationthereof,whicharefitforpracticaluse.Designsmean,withrespecttoaproduct,newdesignsoftheshape,pattern,orthecombinationthereof,orthecombinationofthecolorwithshapeandpattern,whicharerichinanaestheticappealandarefitforindustrialapplication.Article3ThePatentAdministrationDepartmentundertheStateCouncilshallberesponsiblefortheadministrationofpatent-relatedworknationwide.Itshallacceptandexaminepatentapplicationsinauniformwayandgrantpatentrightsinaccordancewithlaw.Thedepartmentsinchargeofpatent-relatedworkofthepeople'sgovernmentsofprovinces,autonomousregionsandmunicipalitiesdirectlyundertheCentralGovernmentshallberesponsibleforpatentadministrationwithintheirrespectiveadministrativeareas.Article4Whereaninvention-creationforthepatentofwhichanapplicationisfiledinvolvesnationalsecurityorothermajorinterestsoftheStateandconfidentialityneedstobemaintained,theapplicationshallbehandledinaccordancewiththerelevantregulationsoftheState.Article5Patentrightsshallnotbegrantedforinvention-creationsthatviolatethelaworsocialethics,orharmpublicinterests.Patentrightsshallnotbegrantedforinventionsthatareaccomplishedbyrelyingongeneticresourceswhichareobtainedorusedinviolationoftheprovisionsoflawsandadministrativeregulations.Article6Aninvention-creationthatisaccomplishedinthecourseofperformingthedutiesofanemployee,ormainlybyusingthematerialandtechnicalconditionsofanemployershallbedeemedanemploymentinvention-creation.Foranemploymentinvention-creation,theemployerhastherighttoapplyforapatent.Aftersuchapplicationisgranted,theemployershallbethepatentee.Foranon-employmentinvention-creation,theinventorordesignerhastherighttoapplyforapatent.Aftersuchapplicationisgranted,thesaidinventorordesignershallbethepatentee.Foraninvention-creationthatisaccomplishedbyusingthematerialandtechnicalconditionsofanemployer,iftheemployerhasconcludedacontractwiththeinventorordesignerprovidingtheownershipoftherighttoapplyforthepatentortheownershipofthepatentright,suchprovisionshallprevail.Article7Nounitorindividualshallpreventtheinventorordesignerfromfilingapatentapplicationforanon-employmentinvention.Article8Withregardtoaninvention-creationaccomplishedbytwoormoreunitsorindividualsincollaboration,oraninvention-creationaccomplishedbyanunitorindividualundertheentrustmentofanotherunitorindividual,therighttoapplyforapatentshallbevestedintheunitsorindividualsthathaveaccomplishedtheinvention-creationincollaborationorintheunitorindividualthathasdonesounderentrustment,unlessitisotherwiseagreedupon.Aftertheapplicationisgranted,theapplyingunit(s)orindividual(s)shallbedeemedthepatentee(s).Article9Onlyonepatentcanbegrantedforthesameinvention.However,wherethesameapplicantappliesforautilitymodelpatentandaninventionpatentwithregardtothesameinventiononthesameday,iftheutilitymodelpatentacquiredearlierisnotterminatedyetandtheapplicantdeclareshiswaiverofthesame,theinventionpatentmaybegranted.Iftwoormoreapplicantsapplyforapatentforthesameinventionseparately,thepatentrightshallbegrantedtothefirstapplicant.Article10Therighttoapplyforapatentandpatentrightsmaybetransferred.IfaChineseunitorindividualintendstotransfertherighttoapplyforapatentorpatentrightstoaforeigner,foreignenterpriseorotherforeignorganization,itorheshallperformtheproceduresinaccordancewiththeprovisionsofrelevantlawsandadministrativeregulations.Forthetransferoftherighttoapplyforapatentorofpatentrights,thepartiesconcernedshallconcludeawrittencontracta