Writing and Reading Patent Application Documents for Chemicals and Biotechnology

Author: Motoyuki Watanabe and Jianbo Feng
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-04-01
Features: This book is an authoritative monograph in the field in Japan. It provides detailed explanations of the rules and methods for drafting and reviewing patent specifications and claims in the fields of Japanese chemistry and biotechnology, along with numerous examples for readers to understand and learn. The book has been revised and reprinted multiple times in Japan, and this edition is a Chinese translation of the latest Japanese version. It is suitable for inventors, applicants, patent agents, and other patent professionals in the fields of chemistry and biotechnology. This book is a masterpiece completed by Motoyuki Watanabe, a renowned Japanese patent agent, based on decades of practical experience in patent representation. Since its first publication in October 1990, it has been reprinted six times in Japan over nearly 15 years, with four revisions. The fact that a work of this nature has received such popularity fully demonstrates its influence and esteemed reputation in the industry.
A notable feature of this book is that the author, from the perspective of a patent agent, explains the drafting and reviewing methods of patent specifications and claims in the fields of chemistry, medicine, and biotechnology from the standpoint of an inventor. As a practical reference book, it is particularly helpful for fellow agents, especially inventors, to read and gain insights into handling actual cases. Another distinctive feature is that it summarizes changes made to the Japanese Patent Act, its implementing rules, and examination guidelines after the 2003 revision, significantly reducing outdated content and case law while incorporating new concepts and more representative case law related to drafting and reviewing application documents.
In particular, many provisions of the revised Japanese Patent Act are very similar to those of China's Patent Law. Therefore, this book is not only beneficial for Chinese patent agents and professionals in chemistry and biotechnology to understand and familiarize themselves with the Japanese Patent Act but also plays a positive role in improving the drafting and reviewing standards of patent application documents domestically.
Additionally, China's Patent Law includes three types of patents: invention, utility model, and design, whereas Japan's Patent Act only covers invention patents. To better assist Chinese readers and deepen their understanding of the differences and similarities between the patent systems of the two countries, the translators have intentionally retained some Japanese kanji terms used in the original book, such as "" (equivalent to China's Invention Patent Law), "" (equivalent to China's rejection), and "" (equivalent to China's reexamination). While this may cause some inconvenience for readers encountering these terms for the first time, reading the book will provide significant insights and help address the lack of practical reference materials in China concerning patents in the fields of chemistry and biotechnology.
Compared to the 1995 July edition, the fifth edition of this book has streamlined the introductory sections (Chapter 1: Obtaining a Patent, Chapter 2: General Matters of Drafting a Specification and Claims, Chapter 3: Drafting Methods of Claims, Chapter 5: Drafting Methods of a Specification, Chapter 6: Drafting Methods of Drawings and Explanations, Chapter 7: Drafting Methods of a Summary of the Specification, Chapter 9: Selection of Invention, Chapter 10: Numerically Limited Inventions, Chapter 11: Chemical Substance Inventions, Chapter 12: Methods of Manufacturing Inventions, Chapter 13: Utility Inventions, Chapter 16: Methods of Reading Patent Bulletins, etc.), substantially revised and expanded content related to application document amendments, patent rights, and patent disputes (Chapter 8: Deficiencies in the Specification and Countermeasures, Chapter 17: Preventing Patent Disputes, Chapter 18: Methods of Reading Claims), and supplemented content on cutting-edge biotechnology (Chapter 14: Biotechnological Inventions). A new chapter addressing the issue of unity of invention (Chapter 4) has also been added.