Article 50. Where the invention or utility model for which the
patent right has been granted involves important technical advance of
considerable economic significance in relation to another invention or
utility model for which a patent right has been granted earlier and the
exploitation of the later invention or utility model depends on the exploitation
of the earlier invention or utility model, the patent administration department
under the State Council may, upon the request of the later patentee, grant
a compulsory license to exploit the earlier invention or utility
model.
Where, according to the preceding paragraph, a compulsory license is
granted, the Patent Administration Department Under the State Council may,
upon the request of the earlier patentee, also grant a compulsory license to
exploit the later invention or utility model.
Article 51. The entity or individual requesting, in accordance
with the provisions of this Law, a compulsory license for exploitation shall
furnish proof that it or he has not been able to conclude with the patentee a
license contract for exploitation on reasonable terms and conditions.
Article 52. The decision made by the patent administration department
under the State Council granting a compulsory license for exploitation
shall be notified promptly to the patentee concerned, and shall be registered
and announced.
In the decision granting the compulsory license for
exploitation, the scope and duration of the exploitation shall be specified on
the basis of the reasons justifying the grant. If and when the
circumstances which led to such compulsory license cease to exist and are
unlikely to recur, the patent administration department under the State
Council may, after review upon the request of the patentee, terminate the
compulsory license.
Article 53. Any entity or individual that is granted a compulsory
license for exploitation shall not have an exclusive right to exploit and shall
not have the right to authorize exploitation by any others.
Article 54. The entity or individual that is granted a compulsory
license for exploitation shall pay to the patentee a reasonable exploitation
fee, the amount of which shall be fixed by both parties in consultations. Where
the parties fail to reach an agreement, the Patent Administration Department
Under the State Council shall adjudicate.
Article 55. Where the patentee is not satisfied with the decision
of the patent administration department under the State
Council granting a compulsory license for exploitation, or where the
patentee or the entity or individual that is granted the compulsory license for
exploitation is not satisfied with the ruling made by the patent administration
department under the State Council regarding the fee payable for
exploitation, it or he may, within three months from the receipt of the
date of notification, institute legal proceedings in the people's court.
Chapter VII Protection of Patent Right
Article 56. The extent of protection of the patent right for
invention or utility model shall be determined by the terms of the claims. The
description and the appended drawings may be used to interpret the
claims.
The extent of protection of the patent right for design shall be
determined by the product incorporating the patented design as shown in the
drawings or photographs.
Article 57. Where a dispute arises as a result of the
exploitation of a patent without the authorization of the patentee, that
is, the infringement of the patent right of the patentee, it shall be
settled through consultation by the parties. Where the parties are not willing
to consult with each other or where the consultation fails, the patentee or any
interested party may institute legal proceedings in the people's court, or
request the administrative authority for patent affairs to handle the matter.
When the administrative authority for patent affairs handling the matter
considers that the infringement is established, it may order the infringer to
stop the infringing act immediately. If the infringer is not satisfied with the
order, he may, within 15 days from the date of receipt of the notification of
the order, institutes legal proceedings in the people's court in accordance with
the Administrative Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China. If, within
the said time limit, such proceedings are not instituted and the order is not
complied with, the administrative authority for patent affairs may approach the
people's court for compulsory execution. The said authority handling the matter
may, upon the request of the parties, mediate in the amount of compensation for
the damage caused by the infringement of the patent right. If the
mediation fails, the parties may institute legal proceedings in the people's
court in accordance with the Civil Procedure Law of the People's Republic of
China.
Where any infringement dispute relates to a patent for invention for a
process for the manufacture of a new product, any entity or individual
manufacturing the identical product shall furnish proof to show that the process
used in the manufacture of its or his product is different from the patented
process. Where the infringement relates to a patent for utility model, the
people's court or the administrative authority for patent affairs may ask the
patentee to furnish a search report made by the patent administration department
under the State Council.
Article 58. Where any person passes off the patent of another person as
his own, he shall, in addition to bearing his civil liability according to law,
be ordered by the administrative authority for patent affairs to amend his act,
and the order shall be announced. His illegal earnings shall be confiscated and
, in addition, he may be imposed a fine of not more than three times his illegal
earnings and, if there is no illegal earnings, a fine of not more than RMB
50,000 yuan. Where the infringement constitutes a crime, he shall be prosecuted
for his criminal liability.
Article 59. Where any person passes any non-patented product off as
patented product or passes any non-patented process off as patented process, he
shall be ordered by the administrative authority for patent affairs to amend his
act , and the order shall be announced, and he may be imposed a fine of no
more than RMB 50,000 yuan.
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