專利授權之訴訟策略實證分析-以半導體產業為中心

Abstract

傳統上台灣公司建構專利組合最主要的目的是為了防禦，即有效降低專利權利金的支付。然而隨著對於無形智慧財產權的運用方式與學習，愈來愈多公司了解到它的價值可能高於透過製造產品所產生的利潤，於是很多公司紛紛檢視自家的專利是否有授權的可能性，積極運用智慧財產權為公司創造盈餘。隨著台灣研發能力的提昇，對智財權運用趨勢發展之了解，台灣公司保守的作法若能改變策略反守為攻，不僅能有效降低權利金的支出，更有機會能為企業增加收益。 然而要如何做才能活用智財權並達到增加收益的目的呢? 本文希望以專利訴訟及授權談判實務經驗中所觀察到的現象為基礎，利用客觀的授權資料及訴訟成本分析，提供專利授權者在考慮發動專利訴訟以達到授權目的時應該檢視的訴訟策略，供作業界參考。本文藉由實證研究，分析專利訴訟中可能影響經濟效益的因素，發現如果被告過去六年之營業額持平未大幅成長，原告被告雙方對於和解的想法比較容易趨於一致，而於短時間和解節省訴訟費用。如果被告過去六年的營業額大幅成長，那麼原告被告雙方對於和解的想法會有比較大的落差，因此延遲和解時間而耗費較多訴訟費用。如果專利有明顯被判決無效的可能性，則被告寧可訴訟到底支付律師費也不會輕言和解支付賠償金給原告，因此會拖延和解的時間。若將重要客戶一起列為共同被告，會促使被告儘快和解。若被告提起反訴或確認之訴將會增加原告的訴訟成本，降低可能的賠償金，而嚴重影響原告的訴訟經濟效益。 因此建議原告於提起訴訟前應先做好策略規劃及風險評估，對於專利強度，主要被告及共同被告，訴訟法院，事務所選擇，成本控制，和解條件等都應做適當的規劃，並試算控訴該被告是否符合經濟效益。

Taiwanese companies used to consider the value of a patent portfolio as a defense line against royalty-seeking licensors for reducing the royalty payout. Recently, some companies have realized that patent licensing may be a more profitable and efficient way to monetize the fruit of R&D, i.e. the intellectual properties, than actually manufacturing products. People now are reviewing every piece of intellectual property carefully and aggressively, evaluating every opportunity that may bring in cash. If Taiwanese companies are able to switch their mindset about the application of intellectual property to a more active position through following and understanding the latest development of intellectual property monetization, they may be able to get more profits out of their intellectual property. This research is trying to figure out ways to achieve the goal by analyzing published information about licensing data and litigation expenses in real cases. The goal is to provide a guideline for patentees to trim the litigation strategy regarding suits for licensing. By applying empirical research, several economic factors are analyzed. This research finds that in cases the revenue of a defendant has not rapidly increased and remained stable during the 6-year period prior to the litigation, settlement usually can be reached faster in order to reduce litigation cost, and vice versa. If the asserted patent has high likelihood to be invalid in the final judgment, then the defendant prefers to defend seriously rather than pay licensing fee easily, therefor delay the settlement. Listing defendant’s major customers as co-defendants is found useful for shortening the time to settlement. A counter suit or declaration judgment action raised by defendant will increase the litigation cost, reduce the possible compensation, and severely impact the litigation economics. Therefore, as a patentee, one should well set up the litigation strategy and evaluate the risk of counter action in advance before filing a lawsuit. The considered maters include patent strength, major and co-defendants, litigation court, law firm selection, cost control, settlement condition. It is even better to estimate the economic effect for filing this lawsuit against the identified defendants.