By Ram Deshpande由RAM的德什潘德

The People’s Republic of China is already a hub where key players from every industry have – or are likely to have in the near future – a strong presence. 人民共和国的的中国已经是一个枢纽，那里的关键球员，从每个行业有-或可能具有在不久的将来-一个强大的存在。 Unfortunately, China is also known as a place where unprotected technology is likely to be copied. 不幸的是，中国又被称为地方保护的技术很可能会被复制。 If a company wants to manufacture – or sell – its products or services in China, it must protect its intellectual property in the country. 如果一家公司想制造-或出售-其产品或服务在中国，它必须保护其智慧财产权在该国。 Although filing patent applications is not a strategy in itself, it is an integral part of any well-developed strategy. 虽然提交的专利申请是不是一个战略的本身，这是不可分割的一部分的任何发展良好的策略。

In 2007, the Chinese Patent Office (the State Intellectual Property Office or the SIPO) received a total of 694,153 patent applications, which represents a growth rate of 21.1 percent over the previous year.在2007年，中国专利局（国家知识产权局或国家知识产权局）共收到694153的专利申请，它代表的增长率为21.1 ％ ，比前一年。 245,161 out of the total number of applications were invention patent applications (20-year patents). This number of invention patent applications filed with the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) already ranks China third in the world with respect to patent application filings, which clearly suggests that filing in China has become an intrinsic part of most multinational companies’ IP strategies. 245161出申请总数分别为发明专利申请（ 20年专利） 。这个数目的发明专利申请与国家知识产权局（国家知识产权局）已居中国第三，在世界上与尊重，以专利申请备案，清楚地表明，存档在中国已成为固有的组成部分，大部分的跨国公司公司的知识产权战略。 Furthermore, if the growth rates of the filing of 20-year patent applications with the SIPO and of 20-year patent applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) continue at their current rates, China will overtake the US by 2012.此外，如果增长率提交20年的专利申请与国家知识产权局和20年的专利申请与美国专利和商标办公室（美国专利与商标局）继续在其目前的利率，中国将超过美国，到2012年。 This also means that the patent protection system in China will be tested more rigorously.这也意味着，专利保护制度在中国将测试更加严格。 Therefore, for the Chinese government, developing an efficient patent-protection system is no longer ‘good to have’ but ‘must have’.因此，对于中国政府，发展一个有效率的专利保护制度已不再是'好' ，但'必备的' 。

Another form of patents in China is the Utility model patent (10-year patent).另一种形式的专利在中国是实用新型专利（ 10年专利） 。 Ease of grant and the low cost of filing make these 10-year patents very popular with Chinese companies, which have also developed innovations and inventions but usually do not have the money or time to invest in pursuing 20-year patents.易用性津贴及低成本的备案，使这些10年的专利非常受欢迎与中国公司，还开发了创新和发明，但通常没有钱或时间来投资，在追求20年的专利。 Therefore, domestic Chinese companies generally file 10-year patent applications.因此，中国国内公司一般档案10年的专利申请。 Foreign companies do not file many 10-year patent applications, partly because this form of patent protection is not allowed in other countries, such as the United States, and partly because while entering the national phase through the Patent Co-operation Treaty (PCT) route in China, most applicants prefer 20-year patent applications over 10-year patent applications.外国公司不档案许多10年的专利申请，部分是因为这种形式的专利保护是不容许在其他国家，如美国，部分原因是同时进入国家阶段通过专利合作条约（ PCT ）的干线在中国，大多数申请人宁愿20年的专利申请超过10年的专利申请。

Chinese Strategy to Make the Most of Utility Models (10-year patents)中国的战略，使大部分的实用新型（ 10年专利）

Some Chinese companies have adopted a strategy that involves filing 10-year patent applications and 20-year patent applications for the same invention on the same day, thereby ensuring the same priority date with the SIPO.一些中国公司已通过了一项战略，涉及到存档10年的专利申请和20年的专利申请就同一发明而就在同一天，从而保证了相同的优先权日期与国家知识产权局。 Since a 10-year patent application is granted within a year (without substantive examination), the company can start producing, marketing and selling its “patented” product in China.自10年专利申请获得批准的内一年内（无实质性审查） ，该公司就可以开始生产，营销和销售其“专利”产品在中国。 If the corresponding 20-year patent is granted by the SIPO, the Chinese company can simply abandon the 10-year patent and enjoy a longer period of protection, whereas if the corresponding 20-year patent application is not granted by the SIPO after a substantive examination, then the Chinese company can still continue producing and marketing its product on the strength of the utility model it owns (unless it is challenged by another party and the 10-year patent is re-examined by the SIPO).如果相应的20年的专利是理所当然的，由国家知识产权局，中国公司可以简单地放弃10年的专利和享受一段较长时间的保护，而如果相应的20年的专利申请不授予由国家知识产权局后，一个实质性考试，那么，中国公司仍可以继续生产及销售其产品的实力，实用新型，它拥有（除非它是由另一挑战党和10年的专利是重新审查，由国家知识产权局） 。

The effects of this strategy have been weakened in the latest version of SIPO’s “Guidelines for Examination” that was implemented on July 1, 2006.的影响，这一战略已削弱了在最新版的国家知识产权局的指导方针“考试” ，这是落实2006年7月1 。 According to Chapter 3, Section 6.2.2, Part II of ‘Handling of One Application and One Patent’ of the Guidelines for Examination, when an invention patent is going to be granted, the assignee needs to submit a written declaration to abandon the corresponding utility model application from its filing date (as though the utility model application was never in existence).根据第3章，第6.2.2 ，第二部分处理的一个应用程序和一个专利'的指导方针考试，当一个发明专利是去获得，受让人需要提交一份书面声明放弃相应的实用新型的申请，其申请日期（虽然实用新型的申请是从来没有在存在） 。 With this modification, the period between the grant of the 10-year application and the publication of the 20-year patent (usually 8 to 12 months) is no longer protected under the rights of the 10-year application.与此修改，期间批出10年的应用和出版20年的专利（通常为8至12个月）不再是保护下的权利10年的应用。

A possible loophole in the utility model (10-year patent) system is the lack of substantive examination, which can enable an applicant to copy a patent owned by another company in another country, and then enforce this 10-year patent against any other company in China (including the foreign company that owns the original patent in the other country).一个可能的漏洞，实用新型（ 10年专利）制度，是缺乏实质性审查，这可以使申请人复制专利所拥有的另一家公司在另一个国家，然后执行这10年的专利对任何其他公司在中国（包括外国公司，拥有原专利在其他国家） 。 The amendments proposed in 2006 include a provision for penalizing patentees that are found to be indulging in such “patent counterfeiting”.建议的修订，在2006年加入一项条文，惩罚专利被发现被沉迷于这种“假冒专利” 。 This amendment will help in reducing, if not eliminating, the copying of prior art.这项修正案将有助于在减少，如果不消除，复制之前的艺术。

Against this backdrop, foreign companies have started to recognize the importance of 10-year patents and are actively formulating their IP strategies around such patents in China.在此背景下，外国公司已开始认识到的重要性， 10年的专利，并正在积极制订自己的知识产权战略，围绕这些专利在中国。 In fact, their change in mindset may partly be a result of the outcome of the litigation between the Chint Group of China and Schneider Electric of France – a case that has been in the headlines recently.事实上，他们在改变心态，可能会部分导致的结果，诉讼之间的正泰集团，中国和施耐德电气法国-病例已在最近的头条。

The Chint versus Schneider Case该正泰银两施奈德案件

In this case, The Chint Group alleged that Schneider Electric infringed on one of its 10-year patents.在这种情况下，正泰集团指称，施耐德电气侵犯了它的一个10年的专利。 The Wenzhou Intermediate People’s court ruled in favor of The Chint Group and awarded damages worth CNY 330 million (approximately USD 48 million), which is believed to be the highest award for damages with respect to intellectual property infringement in China.温州市中级人民法院的裁定，赞成的正泰集团和判给损害赔偿，价值人民币3.3亿（约合4800万美元） ，这是相信是最高奖的损害赔偿与尊重智慧财产权的侵权在中国。 Schneider Electric has since appealed to a higher court, but regardless of the outcome, it would have accrued considerable expense and trouble that could have been probably avoided had it invalidated this 10-year patent before The Chint Group filed its lawsuit.施耐德电气一直以来，呼吁上级法院，但无论结果如何，便累积了相当的费用和麻烦，本来可能避免它失效，这10年的专利之前，正泰集团提起诉讼。

Lessons from the Schneider Electric versus Chint Group Case 教训，施耐德电气银两正泰集团案

• Damages relating to a patent litigation do not always have an upper limit: A popular myth about patent enforcement in China is that even if infringement has been established, damages are capped at CNY 500,000.损害赔偿有关的专利诉讼并不总是有一个上限：流行的神话，专利执法，在中国的是，即使侵权已经确立，赔偿上限为五十万元。 In reality, damages are calculated based on a) losses incurred by the plaintiff and b) the profits made by the defendant from the sale of the infringing product.在现实中，损害赔偿的基础上计算得出一）所引致的损失由原告和b ）的利润，由被告从销售的侵权产品。 In the event that there is no evidence available to ascertain these two amounts, statutory damages within a compensation limit of CNY 500,000 can be awarded.在该事件目前并无证据显示可用以确定这两个数额，法定赔偿在一个赔偿限额人民币500000可以批出。 However, patent license royalties can also be used as a reference to calculate damages.但是，专利许可使用费也可以用来作为参考来计算损害赔偿。 These damages could be between one and three times the amount of such royalties.这些赔偿可之间的1倍以上3倍的金额上述特许权使用费。 The damages may also include expenses incurred by the plaintiff to investigate and prevent the said infringement.造成的损害也可能包括的费用由原告进行调查和防止侵权说。 In summary, with increasing awareness of enforcement of patent rights in China, the amount of money paid by companies in out-of-court settlements and in patent license fees is bound to increase in the near future.总括来说，与日益认识到执行专利的权利在中国，这笔钱所付出的公司在不折不扣的庭外和解，并在专利许可费，势必增加，在不久的将来。

• Chinese prior art cannot be ignored: Given the exponential increase in the number of filings with the SIPO, it is prudent for every company operating in China to review Chinese patent prior art.中国艺术之前，不能忽视：鉴于指数的数目增加申报与国家知识产权局，这是为审慎起见，每家公司在中国经营的检讨中国专利之前的艺术。 One of the best practices may be to regularly review patent application filing activity in the country within a given field of interest.其中一个最好的做法可能会定期检讨专利申请备案的活动在该国在某一特定领域的利益。 As always, forewarned is forearmed.一如往常，预先是forearmed 。 Proactive measures towards invalidation of granted patents (especially 10-year patents) may also be a good way to avoid possible litigation.积极主动的措施，对失效授予的专利（尤其是10年的专利）也可能是一个好方法，以避免可能的诉讼。

• Seek the help of Chinese patent research professionals: Foreign companies should try to identify Chinese patent professionals who can help them analyze Chinese patents and other prior art.寻求帮助的中国专利研究的专业人士：外国公司应该尝试找出中国专利的专业人士谁可以帮助他们分析中国专利和其他前艺术。 The primary reason for this is that the majority of Chinese patents are only available in Chinese languages (particularly Mandarin).最主要的原因，这是因为多数中国人的专利仅适用于中国语文（尤其是国语） 。 Searching the Chinese patent database is easy, since all patents and published applications are available online, but the search has to be carried out in Chinese.搜索中国专利数据库是容易，因为所有的专利和发表的申请是在网上提供，但搜索，以进行在中国。 Furthermore, simply translating English keywords to Chinese (or vice versa) may not work because Chinese languages have many variations that cannot be captured in English.此外，简单英语翻译的关键字，以中文（或反之亦然）可能无法正常工作，因为中国的语言有很多变化，不能在英语抓获。 Machine translations cannot be relied on for semantic, cultural, and contextual reasons.机器翻译不能依赖于语义，文化和语境的原因。

• Utility model (10-year) patents should figure in every company’s China IP strategy: In view of the unique position of 10-year patents in China’s intellectual property scenario, any company producing or selling its products in China cannot afford to ignore these patents.实用新型（ 10年）专利的数字，应该在每家公司的中国知识产权战略：鉴于中的独特地位， 10年的专利在中国的知识产权情况下，任何公司生产或销售它的产品在中国不能忽略这些专利。 After the changes to the patent law proposed in 2006 have been implemented, foreign applicants may need to choose between an invention patent and a utility model if they want to enter the national phase in the country through the PCT route.变化后，以专利法的建议，在2006年已付诸实行，外国申请人可能需要之间作出选择一项发明专利和实用新型的，如果他们希望进入国家阶段在该国通过PCT的途径。

Ram Deshpande, Senior Manager Intellectual Property at RAM的德什潘德，高级经理知识产权 Evalueserve evalueserve . 。