從美國司法判決看專利聯盟的今日與未來

Abstract

以專利作為創新技術於市場追求產業價值的保護傘，早為業界所奉行不悖，惟專利實施與專利濫用之分野界線何在，又應以專利法抑或反托拉斯法為判斷依據，隨著專利實施的態樣日趨多元複雜，成為法院難解的習題。為對專利實施之適法性爭議與評價有所瞭解，本文以美國聯邦巡迴上訴法院（下稱CAFC）自一九八二年成立以來有關專利濫用原則適用之極具指標意義的判決為觀察點，從CAFC試圖遠離聯邦最高法院（下稱最高法院）長期以專利法賦予權利人以排他權所及範圍作為判斷涉案實施專利行為是否構成專利濫用之準則，據限縮專利濫用原則之適用基調，援反托拉斯法為修正走向之工具，在這三十年間留下的軌跡，對專利權人共同組成專利聯盟使專利實施發揮最大效益之晚近主流實務型態，將產生何種影響？期透過對此具高度指標意義之一系列案件之重要爭點與法院見解加以介紹與探討，呈現出專利聯盟現有及應有的面貌。

It has been practiced long to have patents function as the shields of innovation technology for the industry values of the market. However, perplexities of lines between patent practice and patent misuse and tests of patent misuse based on patent law or antitrust law become a real dilemma for the courts. For the purpose of sharing an overall picture of legitimacy and evaluation of patent practices, this article focuses on the track shaped by leading cases regarding application of patent misuse doctrine by confining the inquiry through antitrust rules since the establishment of CAFC in 1982, in order to illustrate that the CAFC has tried to circumvent the long-established rules of patent misuse doctrine of Supreme Court of condemning behaviors of patent holders beyond reach of patent grant. What is the impact of the CAFC holdings in the past three decades to the further development of patent pools? To present the look and the possible solution of the patent pool by following the steps of CAFC views on those landmarks would be the aim.