澳大利亚|专利:是否得到说明书支持与充分公开要求的演变 
自2013年“提高门槛”(Raising the Bar,RTB)改革实施以来,澳大利亚一直并行适用两套不同的书面说明要求制度。RTB改革前提交的专利仍适用较为宽松的“充分公开”和“公平基础”测试;而RTB改革后提交的专利,则必须符合更为严格的“充分公开”和“是否得到说明书支持”要求,该等要求与英国及欧洲的法律标准趋于一致。鉴于这两套制度仍将在未来多年内并存,理解其差异仍然至关重要。  RTB 改革前的法律: “充分描述发明”与“公平基础”  旧法第 40(2)(a) 条要求说明书“充分描述该发明”,而第 40(3) 条则要求权利要求须“以该说明为公平基础”。在 Kimberly-Clark Australia Pty Ltd v Arico Trading International Pty Ltd  HCA 8 以及 Lockwood v Doric (No 1)  HCA 58 两案中,澳大利亚高等法院确认,这些测试关注的是形式而非技术实质,并且独立于新颖性、创造性和实用性等专利性要件。相关要求相对宽松:披露单一实施例即可支持范围较广的权利要求,而“公平基础”的判断主要取决于权利要求与说明书之间的文字一致性,通常通过一项概括性(consistory)条款即可满足。  RTB 改革后的法律:充分公开与支持性  RTB 法案在第 40(2)(a) 条中以真正的“充分公开”测试取代了原先的“充分描述”要求,要求说明书以清楚且完整的方式披露发明内容,使所属技术领域的技术人员能够在权利要求的整个范围内实施该发明。原有的“公平基础”测试则由第 40(3) 条中的“是否得到说明书支持”要求所取代,在该要求下,权利要求必须以所披露的内容为依据,且其范围不得超出专利权人的技术贡献。《2011 年〈知识产权法律修正(提高门槛)法案〉说明备忘录》(联邦)确认,这些修改旨在使澳大利亚法律与英国及欧洲的标准接轨,包括《1977 年专利法》(英国)第 14(3) 条和第 14(5) 条,以及《欧洲专利公约》第 83 条和第...
自2013年“提高门槛”(Raising the Bar,RTB)改革实施以来,澳大利亚一直并行适用两套不同的书面说明要求制度。RTB改革前提交的专利仍适用较为宽松的“充分公开”和“公平基础”测试;而RTB改革后提交的专利,则必须符合更为严格的“充分公开”和“是否得到说明书支持”要求,该等要求与英国及欧洲的法律标准趋于一致。鉴于这两套制度仍将在未来多年内并存,理解其差异仍然至关重要。  RTB 改革前的法律: “充分描述发明”与“公平基础”  旧法第 40(2)(a) 条要求说明书“充分描述该发明”,而第 40(3) 条则要求权利要求须“以该说明为公平基础”。在 Kimberly-Clark Australia Pty Ltd v Arico Trading International Pty Ltd  HCA 8 以及 Lockwood v Doric...
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Australia | Patents: the evolving law of Support and Sufficiency 
For more than a decade, and for at least another decade to come, Australia’s patent law has openly applied a double-standard with respect to written description requirements, namely the...
For more than a decade, and for at least another decade to come, Australia’s patent law has openly applied...
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Will the Innovation Patent Survive?
The Australian Government’s Advisory Council on Intellectual Property (ACIP) has been tasked to review the innovation patent system amidst concerns of the system being ‘abused’. In an August 2013...
The Australian Government’s Advisory Council on Intellectual Property (ACIP) has been tasked to review the innovation patent system amidst...
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Raising the (Patent) Bar: the fine points of detail
Our News Alert of 17 April 2012 advised that the Raising the Bar Bill had received Royal Assent and the amendments to the Patents Act will come into force...
Our News Alert of 17 April 2012 advised that the Raising the Bar Bill had received Royal Assent and...
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Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Raising the Bar) Act 2012
The Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Raising the Bar) Bill received Royal Assent from the Governor General on 15 April 2012. The amendments relating to the Trade Marks Act 1995...
The Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Raising the Bar) Bill received Royal Assent from the Governor General on 15 April...
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Raising the Bar Bill Becomes Law
Our News Alert of 29 February 2012 noted that the Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Raising the Bar) Bill 2011 had been passed unamended by the Senate and introduced...
Our News Alert of 29 February 2012 noted that the Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Raising the Bar) Bill 2011...
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Bar Raised (Almost) For Patent Applicants
Our News Alert of 24 June 2011 noted that the Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Raising the Bar) Bill 2011 had been introduced to the Australian Parliament.
Our News Alert of 24 June 2011 noted that the Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Raising the Bar) Bill 2011...
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