3/12/2019

“On-Sale Bar(販售合約構成先前技術)”

35 U.S.C. 102 (PRE‑AIA)
(b) the invention was patented or described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country or in public use or on sale in this country, more than one year prior to the date of the application for patent in the United States, or

35 U.S.C. 102
(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention; or

新的AIA之102,完整的句子是「in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public」,所以如果用完整的句子來解釋,而不是用斷章取義的方式來解釋的話,「otherwise available to the public」使得「on sale」的用語,有「on public sale」的含義。

在PRE‑AIA前的法案,「on sale in this country」,從前後文來看沒有「on public sale」的含義。以前的最高院的判決也是如此,只要「on sale」就不具新穎性,本案最高院也沒有要改變其解釋方式。

不過,以前的on sale bar有「in this country」的限制,現在新的102已沒有了,不知道以後還會不會有「in this country」的限制?不過,從這個判決來看,應該也沒有要改變on sale bar解釋方式的意思吧。