美國智慧財產權法最新發展與評析(2000-2003)

Abstract

「知識經濟」已成為當前全球各國發展經濟、提昇生產力的最高指標;而智慧財產的保護與管理則又為知識經濟的核心問題。執世界知識經濟發展牛耳的美國,其智慧財產權法領域在這段期間也發生了非常重大的變化:所有的基本法規都經歷了大幅度的修改或補正,相關的司法判例也產生了驚人的變遷。而它們對美國乃至全球高科技產業的發展將是無遠弗屆。 造成這些變革的主要因素至少可歸類為電腦使用的普遍化、通訊的便捷、生物科技的快速發展與國際相關法制的成功整合等。由於電腦使用的普遍化,導致對軟體保護的需求日形迫切;由於通訊的便捷,導致網際網路與電子商務快速成長,而其中的即時性與跨國性對於傳統法律規範帶來了巨大的衝擊,智慧財產權法更是首當其衝;由於生物科技的快速發展,導致傳統的智慧財產法規,尤其是專利法,必須對於由此衍生的各項法律問題提出解決的方案 ;而國際相關法制的成功整合,尤其是世界貿易組織之下的「與貿易有關的智慧財產保護協定」和世界智慧財產組織轄下的「著作權條約」與「表演和錄音製品條約」,則促使各國必須修改其相關的國內法規,快速跟進,而美國也自然不能例外。至於其中的內容,則又與前述的三個因素有關。因此,這些因素環環相扣,帶動了近來相關法制的演進。此外,由於法律、科技、經濟與管理的逐漸融合,導致許多傳統的思維必須重新受到挑戰與檢證;愈來愈多的案例也涉及到競合適用性質不同的法規。從美國最高法院近來已不尋常地受理了較以往為多的智慧財產案件,並且不吝推翻下級法院的專業見解亦可見一斑。本文即擬就美國國內最近兩年之中在智慧財產權領域的主要發展,分別著作權、商標權與專利權等項對於相關的重要立法與司法判例進行引介與評析,期能對於我國在這方面的努力提供參考。

In the past decade, achieving a knowledge-based economy" has become the ultimate objective for economies around the world in setting their economic development policies and enhancing productivity. At the core of such an economy is the issue of intellectual property protection and management. Drawing from the experience of the United States, the leader of the pact, it has made successive and remarkable changes in reforming its intellectual property laws during the same period: every set of legislation in the field has gone through significant revisions; judicial opinions during this time also shown revolutionary ways of thinking, albeit very controversial in some cases, in meeting the demand of a society more dependable on the development of high technology. Jointly, they have already generated tremendous impact on the global high-tech development in particular and the world economy as a whole, and the tremors are likely to be long lasting. The tremendous reform and changes may be the result of at least four factors: the prevalence of computer usage, the convenience of telecommunications, the development of biotechnology and the successful harmonization of related international norms. The prevalence of computer usage demands better software protection; the convenience of telecommunications directly results in the rapid growth of the Internet and electronic commerce, whose real-time and cross-border nature further demands an international and comprehensive framework for regulation, with intellectual property protection being the fro951