실용신안제도에 의한 "소발명"의 효과적인 보호방안

Abstract

Many scholars argue that utility models are generally useful for developing

countries to encourage innovations. This is because utility models require lower

novelty and inventive step compared with patent, and thus they can provide

protection for small innovations. In general developing countries have not enough

resources to produce a major invention. Innovations occurred in these countries

are generally small and gran-sized. These innovations cannot be protected by a

patent. If there is no utility model system in these countries and examinations

are made by the same standard that is applied to international patent

applications, such innovations would not be able to receive any protection.

On the other hand, under the liability regime, follow-on innovators can use the

first comer's innovation only if they are willing to pay a certain royalty to the

first comer. This lowers transactions costs and reduces undesirable social

behaviour such as free riding appropriation. Utility models that are modified by

the concepts of compensatory liability regimes could solve the critical issue of

the relationship between the first comer and second comers in sequential

innovation, i.e. encouraging innovation without impeding follow-on innovations.

Thus, I suggest the following:

① The basic concept of compensatory liability regime should be introduced

into the current utility model system.

② Substantial examination for novelty should be done in order to minimize

the negative effect of an unexamined utility model right.

③ The inventive step requirement should be abandoned because most of...