論美國專利授權契約之搭售與專利權濫用

Abstract

專利制度無疑是見證知識帶動經濟發展之關鍵機制。專利權人得據專利請求項排除他人行使該專利權，惟面對科技快速發展下技術分工愈趨精細而產品涵蓋技術內容愈多之產業現象，專利權人鞏固市場利益之手段亦隨之改變，從早期以專利權壓制或管控技術，到透過傳統搭售行為從事專利授權，至晚近與其他專利權人結盟以專利相互或共同對外授權，以利產品上市、實現專利權市場價值，為行使專利權常見策略。專利權人為實現專利權效益而不斷翻新專利授權行為態樣，是否逸出專利權範圍，又若該行為逾越專利權範圍，究應依專利法判斷是否構成專利濫用，抑或應以之是否產生反競爭效果為斷，從反托拉斯法在十九世紀末於美國成形後屢在實務上引起爭議，聯邦法院為在專利法與反托拉斯法所維護不同價值間取得平衡，並樹立解決訴訟爭議之衡量標準，透過多件重要判決界定專利濫用之適用與判斷標準，甚至促成國會兩度修法至現行規範之規模。本文擬透過與搭售行為相關之美國專利侵權指標判決與相關法規，說明專利法與反托拉斯法在面對專利濫用問題之立場與態度，整理出專利濫用理論與實務發展之脈絡，期就專利濫用原則與專利間接侵權在法規範之互動與影響，作為國內日後法制發展參考。

Patent system is undoubtedly a key mechanism in a knowledge-driven economic development. Patent laws provide patent holders with claims that would exclude others from implementing the patent. However, patent claims are insufficient to fortify potential commercial benefits in today’s market where products are becoming more finely differentiated as technology advances. As a result, patent licensing also underwent a number of evolutionary changes—from conventional patented technology suppression to product tying, to a current trend of patent holder alliances that allow mutual or joint licensing to help patents enter the market and attain market value. Nevertheless, the effects of market competition arising from emerging ways of patent right licensing could conflict with antitrust regime, which aims for free competition and shapes the challenge to harmonize values of laws. The question of how to determine whether the action of patent holders is beyond the compass of patent and by which requirement to de ne the action constitutes patent misuse have been the issue for years since the Antitrust Law was enacted in the late 19th century. To balance different values of legitimate interests of Patent Law and Antitrust Law, the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in U.S. set up benchmark to resolve patent infringement cases, which turned out to be the incentives for legislative amendments to govern patent infringement and patent misuse. This article aims to illustrate the standpoints of patent laws and antitrust laws when faced with the issue of patent misuse through reviewing leading cases and relevant regulations to clarify the causation and interaction of patent misuse and indirect patent infringement. Results of this article are intended to be used as reference for legal regime development in Taiwan.