1. 中国专利法规定的发明创造的范围有哪些？
中国专利法所谓的发明创造包括发明、实用新型和外观设计。
具体而言，发明是指对产品、方法或者其改进所提出的新的技术方案。实用新型是指对产品的形状、构造或者其结合所提出的适于实用的新的技术方案。外观设计是指对产品的形状、图案或者其结合以及色彩与形状、图案的结合所作出的富有美感并适于工业应用的新设计。
2. 参展者为新产品申请专利时该申请什么类型？
基于中国专利法对于发明创造的定义，参展者可根据参展新产品的具体情况作如下选择：
对产品、方法或者其改进所提出的新的技术方案的，可以申请发明专利；
对产品的形状、构造或者其结合所提出的适于实用的新的技术方案的，可以申请实用新型专利；
对产品的形状、图案或者其结合以及色彩与形状、图案的结合所作出的富有美感并适于工业应用的新设计的，可以申请外观设计专利。
另外，在选择专利申请种类的时候，也需要考虑到专利的保护期限。目前，中国专利法规定，发明专利权期限为申请日起的20年，实用新型专利和外观设计专利均为10年。参展者可以同时申请发明、实用新型和外观设计专利，以从不同方面对其发明创造进行保护。
3. 参展者拟参展的产品在除中国之外的国家或地区申请了专利，且没有通过PCT申请，也没有在中国申请专利，该产品是否可以在中国受到专利法的保护？
由于专利权具有地域性，参展者在国外获得的专利权，效力不能延伸到中国境内，因而不受中国专利法保护。
4. 新产品参加了展会，参加展会后又计划申请专利，此时参展者是否可以主张参展产品不丧失新颖性？在判断不丧失新颖性时需要注意的什么（展览会性质、期限、提交哪些资料）？
中国专利法第二十四条的规定：“申请专利的发明创造在申请日以前六个月内，有下列情形之一的，不丧失新颖性：（一）在中国政府主办或者承认的国际展览会上首次展出的；……”
进博会属于中国政府主办的展会，可以适用上述规定。但为了避免丧失新颖性，参展者应在展出之日起六个月内提交中国专利申请。
如果参展新产品中所包含的发明创造内容并不会因为产品的展出而被披露或公开，例如，不做展示的产品内部结构、制造方法等，则不会因为参展而丧失新颖性。
参展产品在参展后计划申请专利的，在判断不丧失新颖性时，需要同时满足三个条件：第一，期限是“在申请日以前六个月内”。根据《专利法》相关规定：现场申请的，凡符合受理条件的，其提交日就确定为申请日。邮件申请的，凡符合受理条件的，以邮件寄出日为申请日。寄出邮件的邮戳日期不清楚的，以邮件寄到专利局的邮戳日为申请日。邮件的邮戳都不清楚的，以专利局收到日为申请日。电子申请的，以专利局电子专利申请系统收到符合专利法及其实施细则规定的专利申请文件之日为申请日。第二，范围是“在中国政府主办或者承认的国际展览会”，《专利审查指南》对展会范围作了进一步明确：“中国政府主办的国际展览会，包括国务院、各部委主办或者国务院批准由其他机关或者地方政府举办的国际展览会。中国政府承认的国际展览会，是指国际展览会公约规定的由国际展览局注册或者认可的国际展览会。所谓国际展览会，即展出的展品除了举办国的产品以外，还应当有来自外国的展品。”第三，必须在该展会上“首次展出”。
同时，《专利法实施细则》和《专利审查指南》对于需要提交的材料也进行了明确的规定：应当在提出专利申请时在请求书中声明，并自申请日起2个月内提交有关国际展览会出具的有关发明创造已经展出，以及展出日期的证明文件。提供的证明文件应由展览会主办单位出具，证明文件中应当注明展览会展出日期、地点、展览会的名称以及该发明创造展出的日期、形式和内容，并加盖公章。
5. 企业新产品进入参展国，若新产品通过反向工程可以获得，也即容易被他人仿制，该采取什么方式进行保护？
对于新产品技术的知识产权保护，一般有两种途径；一是专利保护，通过公开换取垄断保护；二是商业秘密保护，通过保密措施等手段来加以保护，两者各有所长。如果新产品容易通过反向工程获得并进行仿制，则不宜采用商业秘密保护，适合采取申请专利的方式进行保护。应当注意，专利具有地域性，如果企业新产品进入参展国，并希望获得参展国的专利保护，应向参展国专利局申请专利并获得授权，才能获得参展国的保护。
6. 企业计划将新产品参加展会，并在参展国进行销售，需要注意事项？
（1）要对参展国与新产品相关的已授权专利以及已申请但未授权的专利进行检索，做好侵权分析及保护预案，确认是否侵犯或可能侵犯他人在参展国的专利权，减少或阻止将新产品参加展会以及在参展国销售，避免发生侵犯在参展国已经授权或者未来可能授权的他人专利的情况。
（2）确认与新产品相关的发明创造是否在参展前已在国内已经申请了专利；如果还未申请，及时在参展前在国内申请专利。
（3）如果来不及在参展前在国内及时申请专利，需要确认参展是否会导致相关发明创造的公开，还要确认参加的展会是否是中国政府举办或者承认的国际展览会。
（4）咨询和了解参展国关于专利申请和保护方面的法律规定。
（5）确认与新产品相关的发明创造是否在参展前已在参展国申请了专利。
（6）发现他人有侵权行为，及时对他人的侵权行为进行证据固定，按照参展国关于专利保护的规定进行处理。
7. 参展者在参加展会过程中，若是发现其他企业可能侵犯自己的专利权，该怎么处理？
根据《展会知识产权保护办法》第八条规定，参展者作为知识产权权利人，发现自己的专利权可能受到侵犯，可以向展会知识产权投诉机构投诉，也可直接向知识产权行政管理部门投诉。权利人向投诉机构投诉的，应当提交以下材料：
（1）合法有效的知识产权权属证明：涉及专利的，应当提交专利证书、专利公告文本、专利权人的身份证明、专利法律状态证明；涉及商标的，应当提交商标注册证明文件，并由投诉人签章确认，商标权利人身份证明；涉及著作权的，应当提交著作权权利证明、著作权人身份证明；
（2）涉嫌侵权当事人的基本信息；
（3）涉嫌侵权的理由和证据；
（4）委托代理人投诉的，应提交授权委托书。
除了采用上述投诉手段外，参展者还可以在展会上固定好侵权者的侵权证据，直接向法院起诉，追究侵权者的侵权责任。
8. 侵犯专利权的行为主要有哪些？承担哪些责任？（民事责任、行政责任、刑事责任）
侵犯专利权的行为包括：狭义的侵犯专利权的行为和广义的侵犯专利权的行为。
狭义的侵犯专利权的行为是指未经许可实施他人专利的行为，具体包括：
（1）未经专利权人许可，以生产经营为目的，制造、使用、许诺销售、销售或进口他人发明专利产品或实用新型专利产品；
（2）未经专利权人许可，以生产经营为目的，使用他人专利方法以及使用、许诺销售、销售或进口依照该方法直接获得的产品；
（3）未经专利权人许可，以生产经营为目的，制造、销售或进口他人外观设计专利产品。
广义的侵犯专利权的行为还包括假冒专利中未经许可在产品或者产品包装上标注他人的专利号以及销售所述产品的行为，即假冒他人专利的行为。
侵犯专利权的行为需承担民事责任、行政责任以及刑事责任，其中：
l 民事责任包括：
（1）停止侵权；
（2）赔偿损失：侵犯专利权的赔偿数额按照权利人因被侵权所受到的实际损失确定；实际损失难以确定的，可以按照侵权人因侵权所获得的利益确定。权利人的损失或者侵权人获得的利益难以确定的，参照该专利许可使用费的倍数合理确定。赔偿数额还应当包括权利人为制止侵权行为所支付的合理开支。
（3）消除影响：如果由于侵权行为使专利权人的商誉受到损害的，侵权者还应当承担消除影响的责任。
l 行政责任包括：
对于未经许可实施他人专利的行为，根据《专利法》第六十条，管理专利工作的部门认定侵权成立的，可以责令侵权人立即停止侵权行为。
对于假冒他人专利的行为，根据《专利法》第六十三条，需承担行政责任包括：
（1）由管理专利工作的部门责令改正并予公告；
（2）没收违法所得;
（3）罚款：可以并处违法所得四倍以下的罚款；没有违法所得的，可以处二十万元以下的罚款。
l 刑事责任包括：
【假冒他人专利罪】假冒他人专利，情节严重的，处三年以下有期徒刑或者拘役，并处或者单处罚金。
1. What do the invention-creations under the Patent Law of China cover?
For the purpose of the Patent Law of China, invention-creations meaninventions, utility models and designs.
Specifically, inventions mean new technical solutions proposed for aproduct, a process or the improvement thereof. Utility models mean newtechnical solutions proposed for the shape and structure of a product, or thecombination thereof, which are fit for practical use. Designs mean, withrespect to a product, new designs of the shape, pattern, or the combinationthereof, or the combination of the color with shape and pattern, which are richin an aesthetic appeal and fit for industrial application.
2. What are the types of patent applications that exhibitors may file fortheir new products?
According to the definition ofinvention-creation under the Patent Law of China, exhibitors may make theirchoices based on the specific requirements for the new products that they areto exhibit in the exhibition as follows:
For new technical solutions proposed for aproduct, a process or the improvement thereof, the invention patent may beapplied for;
For new technical solutionsproposed for the shape and structure of a product, or the combination thereof,which are fit for practical use, the utility model patent may be applied for;and
For, with respect to aproduct, new designs of the shape, pattern, or the combination thereof, or thecombination of the color with shape and pattern, which are rich in an aestheticappeal and fit for industrial application, the design patent may be appliedfor.
Also, the duration of patent right protection needsto be considered in the choice of the type of patent application. As stated inthe current Patent Law of China, the duration of patent right for inventionsshall be twenty years, and the duration of patent right for both utility modelsand designs shall be ten years. Exhibitor may apply for invention, utilitymodel and design patents at the same time, so as to protect theirinvention-creations in different aspects.
3. If a patent application has been filed in a country or region other thanChina, and neither a PCT application has been approved nor a patent applicationhas been filed in China, for a product to be exhibited by an exhibitor in theexhibition, can the product be protected by the Patent Law in China?
Now that patent rights areregional, the validity of the patent rights obtained by exhibitors outsideChina can’t extend to the territory of China, and thus they are not protectedby the Patent Law of China.
4. If a new product of an exhibitor has been displayed at an exhibition, and apatent application is going to be filed for it after the exhibition, can theexhibitor assert that the product doesn’t lose its novelty? What (nature,duration of exhibition, and materials required to be submitted) should be notedto determine a product doesn’t lose its novelty?
Article 24 of the Patent Lawof China provides that “an invention-creation for which a patent is applied fordoes not lose its novelty where, within six months beforethe date of filing, one of the following events occurred: (1) where it wasfirst exhibited at an international exhibition sponsored or recognized by the Chinesegovernment…”
The foregoing provisions applyto the China International Import Expo (CIIE), which is an exhibition sponsoredby the Chinese government. However, exhibitors should file Chinese patentapplications within six months from the date of exhibition of their products toavoid the loss of novelty thereof.
If the content of theinvention-creation contained in a new product displayed at an exhibition is notdisclosed or made public with the display of the product at the exhibition, forinstance, none of the internal structure, manufacturing method, etc of theproduct are displayed, the product will not lose its novelty because of suchdisplay.
Where a patent application isgoing to be filed for a product displayed at an exhibition after theexhibition, to determine the product doesn’t lose its novelty, the followingrequirements shall be met: First, the exhibition was held “within six monthsbefore the date of filing”. In accordance with relevant provisions of thePatent Law, for all applications submitted on site andsatisfying the criteria for acceptance, the date offiling shall be the date of submission; for all applications submitted bymail and satisfying the criteria for acceptance, the date of filing shall bethe date when the mail is sent off; where the date ofpostmark when the mail is sent off is illegible, the date of filing shallbe the date of postmark when the mail is delivered to the Patent Office; whereboth the date of postmark when the mail is sent off and the date of postmarkwhen the mail is delivered to the Patent Office are illegible, the date offiling shall be the date when the Patent Office receives the application; foran application filed by electronic means, the date of filing shall be the datewhen the electronic patent application system of the Patent Office receivespatent application documents conforming to the Patent Law and the regulationsfor the implementation thereof. Second, the exhibition is an internationalexhibition sponsored or or recognized by the Chinese government. The Guidelinesfor Patent Examination further defines the exhibition as “an international exhibition sponsored by the Chinesegovernment, including international exhibitions sponsored by the State Councilor ministries and commissions or held by other authorities or local governmentswith the approval of the State Council. The internationalexhibition recognized by the Chinese government refers to an internationalexhibition registered with or recognized by the Bureau of InternationalExpositions (BIE) as stated in the Convention on International Exhibitions.Exhibits at an international exhibition shall include the products of both thehosting country and other countries.” Third, the product must be “firstexhibited” at the exhibition.
Also, there are explicitstipulations on materials required to be submitted in the Regulations for theImplementation of the Patent Law and the Guidelines for Patent Examination:Such certification document for the display of relevant invention-creation andthe date of display as issued by relevant international exhibition shall bestated in a patent application when the application is filed, and submittedwithin two months from the date of filing. The provided certification documentshall be issued by the sponsor of the exhibition, bearing an official seal andindicating the date, venue and name of the exhibition as well as the date, formand content of display of the invention-creation.
5. If a new product of an enterprise that can be got throughreverse engineering and is easy to be imitated by others enters the hostingcountry of an exhibition, how can it be protected?
Generally, there are two waysof intellectual property protection of the technology of a new product: patentprotection, which is to make the product public in exchange for protection fromcompetition, and trade secret protection, which is toprotect the product by means of confidentiality measures, both having their ownadvantages. For new products easy to be obtained through reverse engineering and imitated, it’s not suitable to adopt trade secret protection, butsuitable to be protected by means of patent application. It should be notedthat patent is regional, and if a new productof an enterprise enters and hopes to get patent protection in the hosting country of an exhibition, the application for apatent therefor shall be filed with the Patent Office of such country and thepatent therefor shall be granted.
6. If an enterprise is going to display at an exhibition and sell in thehosting country of the exhibition its new products, what should the enterprisenote?
(1) It should search suchgranted patents and patents for which applications have been filed but thathaven’t been granted in the hosting country of theexhibition as related to its new products, make its infringement analysisand protection plan, confirm if it infringes upon or may infringe upon thepatents of others in such country, and reduce or prevent its new products frombeing displayed at the exhibition and sold in such country so as not toinfringe upon such patents of others in such country as have been granted ormay be granted in the future.
(2) It should confirm if therehave been any patent applications for the invention-creations related to itsnew products in China before the exhibition; if there have been no suchapplications, it should promptly apply for patents for its new products inChina before the exhibition.
(3) If it’s too late topromptly apply for patent in China before the exhibition, it should confirm ifrelevant invention-creations will be made public due to its participation inthe exhibition, and if the exhibition that it’s to participate in is aninternational exhibition held or recognized by the Chinese government.
(4) It should consult and knowabout the legal provisions on patent application and protection of the hosting country of the exhibition.
(5) It should confirm if therehave been any patent applications for the invention-creations related to itsnew products in the hosting country of theexhibition before the exhibition.
(6) It, if identifies anyinfringement acts of others, should fix the evidence of such acts in a timelyfashion, and handle the same in accordance with the provisions on patentprotection of the hosting country of the exhibition.
7. If exhibitors, when participating in exhibitions, find that otherenterprises may infringe upon their patents, how can it be handled?
As set forth in Article 8 ofthe Protection Measures for Intellectual Property Rights during Exhibitions, anintellectual property right holder may file acomplaint to the office in charge of intellectual property right complaintsduring an exhibition or to the intellectual property right administrativedepartment. The intellectual property right holder shall, when filing acomplaint to the office in charge of intellectual property right complaints,submit the following materials:
(1) A legitimate and effectivecertificate of intellectual property right ownership: Where any patent isinvolved therein, the patent certificate, the text of patent announcement, theidentity certification of the patent owner, and the certification on the legalstatus of the patent shall be submitted; where any trademark is involvedtherein, the certification documents of trademark registration confirmed bymeans of the signature or seal affixed by the complainant, and the identitycertification of the trademark owner shall be submitted; where any copyright isinvolved therein, the certification of the copyright and the identitycertification of the copyright owner shall be submitted;
(2) Basic information aboutthe parties suspected of having committed any infringement;
(3) Explanations and evidencesof any suspected infringement; and
(4) Where an agent isentrusted to file a complaint, the relevant power of attorney shall besubmitted.
In addition to theabove-mentioned means of complaint, exhibitors may fix the evidence ofinfringement by the infringer, directly bring a case to court, and hold theinfringer responsible for infringement.
8. What are the main patent infringement acts? What liabilities (civil,administrative and criminal liabilities) shall be taken?
Patent infringement actsinclude patent infringement acts in a narrow sense andin a broad sense.
Patent infringement acts in anarrow senserefer to acts of exploiting the patents of others without authorization,including:
(1) Withoutthe authorization of the patentee of an invention or utility model patent, manufacturing, using, offering to sell, sellor import products of the invention or utility model patent for the purpose ofproduction and business operations;
(2) Withoutthe authorization of the patentee of a patent for a process, manufacturing,using, offering to sell, sell or import products directly obtained according tothe process for the purpose of production and business operations; and
(3) Without the authorizationof the patentee of a design patent, manufacturing, sell or import products ofthe design patent for the purpose of production and business operations.
Patent infringement acts in abroad sense also include the act of indicating the number of a patent on anyproducts or the packaging thereof and selling such products without theauthorization of the patentee, i.e. the act of counterfeiting the patents ofothers.
For patent infringement acts,civil, administrative and criminal liabilities are required to be taken:
l Civil liability includes:
(1) Ceasing infringement;
(2) Paying damages. The amountof damages for the infringement of a patent shall be determined according tothe actual loss incurred by the patentee as a result of such infringement, or maybe determined according to the the infringer's gains from such infringement ifsuch actual loss is difficult to determine, or may be reasonably determined byreference to the multiples of the royalties for the patent if both the loss ofthe patentee and the gains of the infringer are difficult to determine. Theamount of damages shall cover the reasonable expenses incurred by the patenteefor stopping such infringement; and
(3) Eliminating ill effects.In case of damage to the goodwill of the patentee due to patent infringementact, the infringer shall accept liability for eliminating ill effects thereof.
l Administrative liabilityincludes:
For the act of exploiting apatent without the authorization of the patentee, as stipulated in Article 60of the Patent Law, the administration department for patent-related work, ifbelieves the infringement is established, may order the infringer to forthwithcease the infringement.
For the act of counterfeiting the patent of another person, asprescribed in Article 63 of the Patent Law, the administrative liabilityrequired to be taken includes:
(1) The administrationdepartment for patent-related work ordering the person counterfeiting thepatents of another person to put such act right and making the matter known tothe public;
(2) Confiscating unlawfulgains;
(3) Imposing a fine. A fine ofno more than four times unlawful gains may be imposed; if there are no unlawfulgains, a fine of no more than RMB 200,000 may be imposed.
l Criminal liability includes:
[crime of counterfeiting the patent of another person]Whoever counterfeits the patent of another person shall, in serious cases, besentenced to no more than three years in prison or criminal detention, subjectto a fine as an additional or
