Patent Act Article 115May 1, 2019

Request for technical evaluation report

After a patent application for utility model is published, any person may file a request with the Specific Patent Agency for a technical evaluation report of utility model patent.

The Specific Patent Agency shall publish in the Patent Gazette the request for the technical evaluation report of utility model patent.

The Specific Patent Agency shall assign a patent examiner to issue the technical evaluation report of utility model patent, and the report shall bear the name of the assigned patent examiner.

In regard of the request filed pursuant to Paragraph 1, the Specific Patent Agency shall issue the technical evaluation report of utility model patent with respect to matters set forth in Subparagraph 1, Paragraph 1, Paragraph 2 of Article 22, applicable mutatis mutandis under Article 120, Article 23, applicable mutatis mutandis under Article 120, and Article 31, applicable mutatis mutandis under Article 120.

In regard of a request for the technical evaluation report of utility model patent made pursuant to Paragraph 1, if stated therein that the utility model patent is commercially exploited by a party other than the patentee and if relevant document(s) of proof is provided, the Specific Patent Agency shall issue the technical evaluation report of utility model patent within six (6) months.

Request for a technical evaluation report of utility model patent can still be filed after the utility model patent has become extinguished. "Request filed pursuant to Paragraph 1 shall not be withdrawn.

Same Article Laws


Other Related Laws

Patent Act Article 120May 1, 2019

Provisions applied mutatis mutandis to utility model patent "Article 22, Article 23, Article 26, Articles 28 to 31, Article 33, Paragraphs 3 to 7 of Article 34, Article 35, Paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article 43, Paragraph 3 of Article 44, Paragraph 2 of Article 46, Paragraph 2 of Article 47, Article 51, Paragraphs 1, 2 and 4 of Article 52, Paragraphs 1, 2, 4 and 5 of Article 58, Article 59, Articles 62 to 65, Article 67, Paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article 68, Article 69, Article 70, Articles 72 to 82, Articles 84 to 98, and Articles 100 to 103 shall apply mutatis mutandis to utility model patent.

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Patent Act Article 22May 1, 2019

Substantial conditions

An invention which is industrially applicable may be granted a patent upon application in accordance with this Act, except for the following:

1. the invention was disclosed in a printed publication prior to the filing of the patent application;
2. the invention was publicly exploited prior to the filing of the patent application; or
3. the invention was publicly known prior to the filing of the patent application.

An invention that is without the circumstances prescribed in the subparagraphs of the preceding paragraph but can be easily made by a person ordinarily skilled in the art based on prior art shall not be patented .

A disclosure made by or against the applicant’s will shall not be deemed as one of the circumstances that would preclude the grant of an invention patent prescribed in the subparagraphs of Paragraph 1 or the preceding paragraph, provided that the concerned patent application is filed within twelve (12) months after the date of the disclosure.

For the publication in a gazette made in this country or a foreign country in accordance with the laws as the consequence of filing a patent application and made by the applicant’s will, the preceding paragraph is not applicable.

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Patent Act Article 23May 1, 2019

Deemed as lack of novelty

Where an invention claimed in a patent application for invention is identical to an invention or utility model disclosed in the description, claim(s) or drawing(s) of an earlier-filed patent application for invention or utility model which is laid open or published after the filing of the later-filed patent application, an invention patent shall not be granted; however, this shall not apply where the applicant of the later-filed patent application is also the applicant of the earlier-filed patent application for invention or utility model.

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Patent Act Article 31May 1, 2019

First-to-file principle

Where two or more patent applications are filed for the same invention, only the earliest application can be granted. The above shall not apply if the priority date claimed for the later-filed application is earlier than the filing date of the earlier application.

If the filing date and the priority date referred to in the preceding paragraph are the same, the applicants shall be notified to reach an agreement with respect to the matter concerned. If such an agreement cannot be reached, none of the applications shall be granted. If the said patent applications are filed by the same applicant, the applicant shall be notified to select one patent application within a specified time period; failure to make a selection within the time period shall result in the rejection of all such patent applications.

While the applicants concerned are in the process of reaching an agreement, the Specific Patent Agency shall require that these applicants report the results of the negotiation within an appropriate time period. If the said report is not provided within the specified time period, it shall be deemed that an agreement has not been reached.

Where a patent application for invention and a patent application for utility model are filed separately in respect of the same creation, the provisions set forth in the preceding three paragraphs shall apply mutatis mutandis, except for the circumstances stipulated in Article 32.

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