從充分揭露要件論專利制度運作之瑕疵-以行動裝置鏡頭領域為例

Abstract

本文以美國法與美國實務為主軸，探討專利說明書揭露的問題，並且以行動裝置鏡頭專利為研究領域。專利制度原始的目的在於鼓勵創新，然而在制度誕生數百年後，專利的申請與核准數量暴增，同時伴隨種種制度運作上的亂象，專利制度的存在是否可達成制度初始設定之目的，成為值得探討的議題。現行專利制度種種亂象歸納起來大致不外：專利審查資源不足、不良專利充斥、專利訴訟浮濫及專利箝制（hold-up），種種問題主要發生在資訊科技領域。近年來隨著美國專利制度的改革，專利訴訟浮濫的現象已經得到抑制，然而僅是訴訟案量的下降，並不能代表制度整體的完善；一方面，大量充滿疑問的有效專利仍在產業界發揮作用，另一方面，訴訟數量的下降未必能與訴訟或專利品質的提升畫上等號。 本文主在探討專利的品質，並且主張關於專利說明書揭露的要求，在眾多專利要件中居於核心地位，並且對於專利的品質具有關鍵性的影響。本文並且選擇行動裝置鏡頭領域作為探討的產業，一方面較容易將所欲探討的問題聚焦；另一方面，該領域專利的重要性、專利密集的程度、產品生命週期以及產業近年的發展，都使得該產業或可成為整體資訊產業的縮影，以探討整體資訊產業中，專利制度運行的亂象。本文最終主張，對於專利說明書揭露的重要性與問題意識，應為專利制度改革的重要環節。

This thesis focuses on the disclosure requirement of the patent specification. The mobile phone lens industry is selected as the specific industry, and the U.S. is selected as the main market to investigate the regulations, patent prosecution, and relevant law suits. The purpose of the patent system is to encourage innovation; however, hundreds of years after the birth of the system, many serious operation flaws emerge with the number of patent applications as well as valid patents explode; many scholars have questioned if the system could really propel innovation. The main operation flaws are poor patent quality, the limited examination resources, the frivolous patent law suits, and patent hold-up; these are the frequent problems in the information technology industry. Recently, because of the reform of the patent system in the U.S., the number of patent law suits has dropped drastically, especially the law suits from the non-practicing entities. However, this phenomenon does not mean a complete amelioration of the operation of the whole patent system, qualities of valid patents and patent law suits remain to be investigated. The core of this thesis is to investigate the quality of patent specification, and stands the importance of the disclosure requirement. The mobile phone lens industry is selected for several reasons: the importance of relevant patents, the patent thicket phenomenon in this specific industry, the product life cycle, and the development of the lens industry in recent years. All the aforementioned factors reflect that the mobile phone lens industry could be a miniature of the whole information technology industry as we talk about the operation flaws of the patent system. Finally, this thesis stands that the disclosure requirement should be one of the main concerns about reform of the patent system.