미국 특허심판원은 IPR(Inter partes Review), PGR(Post-Grant Review), CBM(Covered Business Method)중에 적용되는 클레임 구성 표준을 변경하는 최종 규칙을 발표했다.

최종 규칙은 2012년 9월 16일부터 온라인으로 제공된 이후 미국특허청이 클레임을 해석하는데 사용했던 가장 광범위하고 합리적인 해석 표준을 필립스 표준으로 대체한다.

필립스 표준은 특허 침해소송에서 특허 청구를 해석하는데 사용되는 것과 동일한 청구 구성 표준이다. 즉 특허심판원 청구 해석의 기준을 소송시의 청구 해석 기준과 동일하다고 판단한다. 판결의 세부 내용은 아래와 같다.

Final Rule Changing Claim Construction

Moving away from “Broadest Reasonable Interpretation”

Moving to Phillips Standard:

•The new standard applies to inter partes review, post grant review and the covered business method proceedings before the PTAB.

•Phillips Standard: claims be given their ordinary and customary meaning.

•PTAB will take into consideration any prior claim construction determination that has been made in a civil action or from ITC, if that prior claim construction is timely made of record.

•USPTO is hoping to achieve greater consistency and harmonization with the federal courts and the ITC.

•This rule will not be retroactively applied and will apply to IPR, PGR and CBM cases filed on or after the Nov. 13, 2018.

Potential Effects of Change in Standard:

•This will likely result in less claim cancellation during IPR proceedings, since claims will be given narrower interpretation.

•In the long run, this may create more patent litigations as the patent owner’s right increase.

•USPTO is trying to give more definiteness and clarity to patent owners in enforcing their patents.

•Since there is a trend in increase of patent owner’s rights, it is very important to secure patents to protect/enforce IP rights. 

Current Status of Proceedings at PTAB: