CHAPTER 3: INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

3.6 Patent 3.7.6 Acts of infringement

3.6.1 Definition 3.7.7 Terms of protection
3.6.2 Conditions for protection
3.6.3 Subject matters not 3.8 Layout-design of
protected semiconductor integrated
3.6.4 Authors and owners circuit
3.6.5 Contents of the rights 3.8.1 Definition
3.6.6 Acts of infringement 3.8.2 Conditions for protection
3.6.7 Terms of protection 3.8.3 Subject matters not
protected
3.7 Industrial design 3.8.4 Authors and owners
3.7.1 Definition 3.8.5 Contents of the rights
3.7.2 Conditions for protection 3.8.6 Acts of infringement
3.7.3 Subject matters not 3.8.7 Terms of protection
protected
3.7.4 Authors and owners 3.9 The rights to prevent unfair
3.7.5 Contents of the rights competition acts
3.6 Patent
3.6.1 Definition

Q&A:
 Patent

An invention means a technical solution in form of a

product or a process which is intended to solve a
problem by application of laws of nature.
(Art. 4)
3.6 Patent
3.6.2 Condition for protection (Art. 58)

An invention shall be protected by mode of grant of invention

patent when it satisfies the following conditions:
a/ Being novel;
b/ Involving an inventive step;
c/ Being susceptible of industrial application.

2. Unless it is a common knowledge, an invention shall be

protected by mode of grant of utility solution patent when it
satisfies the following conditions:
a/ Being novel;
b/ Being susceptible of industrial application.
3.6 Patent
3.6.2 Condition for protection (Art. 58)
1. Sáng chế được bảo hộ dưới hình thức cấp Bằng độc quyền
sáng chế nếu :
a) Có tính mới;
b) Có trình độ sáng tạo;
c) Có khả năng áp dụng công nghiệp.
2. Sáng chế được bảo hộ dưới hình thức cấp Bằng độc quyền
giải pháp hữu ích nếu không phải là hiểu biết thông thường
và đáp ứng các điều kiện
a) Có tính mới;
b) Có khả năng áp dụng công nghiệp
Conditionsfor protection

Applicable
Novel Creative
to industry

Patent Utility Solution

 Novelty (Art. 60)
An invention shall be considered novel if it has not yet
been publicly disclosed
through use or by means of a written description or any
other form,
inside or outside the country,
before the filing date or the priority date, as applicable,
of the invention registration application
in another patent application with an earlier filing or
priority date but published on or after the filing or
priority date of that patent application
 Novelty
it is known to only a limited numb

having not yet been publicly disclosed

if
 Novelty (Art. 60.3 and 60.4)
An invention shall not be considered having lost its
novelty if it is published in the following cases:
a/ It is published by another person without permission
of the person having the right to register it defined in
Article 86 of this Law;
b/ It is published in the form of a scientific presentation
by the person having the right to register it defined in
Article 86 of this Law;
c/ It is displayed at a national exhibition of Vietnam or at
an official or officially recognized international
exhibition by the person having the right to register it
defined in Article 86 of this Law.
 Inventive step (Art. 61)
it constitutes an Person with average
inventive progress and skill in the art means a
cannot be easily created person who has
by a person with ordinary technical
average knowledge in practice skills and is
the art acquainted with
publicly available
general knowledge in the
art.
(Art. 23.6.a- Decree
16/2016/TT-BKHCN)
 Inventive step (Art. 61)
Có bước tiến sáng tạo, Người có hiểu biết trung
không thể được tạo ra một bình về lĩnh vực kỹ thuật
cách dễ dàng đối với người tương ứng: là người có các
có hiểu biết trung bình về kỹ năng thực hành kỹ
lĩnh vực kỹ thuật tương thuật thông thường và biết
ứng (Điều 61) rõ các kiến thức chung phổ
biến trong lĩnh vực kỹ
thuật tương ứng (Điều
23.6.a- TT 16/2016/TT-
BKHCN)
Mẫu văn bằng bảo hộ Sáng chế
Mẫu văn bằng bảo hộ GPHI
 Susceptibility of industrial application (Art. 62)

it is possible
(Art. to realize
25.4.a - Decree mass manufacture or production of
16/2016/TT-BKHCN)
products or repeated application of the process that is the
(i) Information
subject mater of on thenatureand
the invention, of to the solution
achieve and
stable results
instructions on necessary technical conditions are
presented so clearly and adequately that any person
with average knowledge in the art can create, produce,
utilize, exploit or realize that solution.
(ii) the creation, production, utilization, exploitation or
realization of the above solution may be repeated with
the same result identical to the result stated in the
invention description
Industrial
applicatio The nature of the object or instructions for realization of the object
run counter to the basic scientific principles (for instance, non-
compliance with the conservation of energy law)
 The object consists of elements or components which are not
technically interrelated or cannot be interlinked (through
connections, constraints, interdependence, etc.)
 The object contains an inherent contradiction
Unsusceptible of

 Instructions on the object can only be realized in a limited

number of times (unrepeatable)
industrial

 Tobeabletoapplythesolution,apersonmusthaveaspecial skilwhichcannotbepassed down or

guided to others
 Results achieved at different times of realization are not the
same
 Achieved results are different from those stated in the
application
 The most important instructions to realize the solution are totaly
absent or insufficient
 Khả năng áp dụng công nghiệp
- Ngược lại các nguyên lý cơ bản của khoa học
Không có (ví dụ không tuân theo nguyên lý bảo toàn
g áp dụng công nghiệp
năng lượng...);
- Các yếu tố, thành phần không có mối liên hệ
kỹ thuật với nhau hoặc không thể liên hệ (ghép
nối, ràng buộc, phụ thuộc ...) được với nhau;
- Có chứa mâu thuẫn nội
- Chỉ thực hiện được một số giới hạn lần
-Người thực hiện phải có kỹ năng đặc biệt và
kỹ năng đó không thể truyền thụ hoặc chỉ cho
người khác được;
- Kết quả thu được không đồng nhất với nhau;
- Kết quả thu được khác với kết quả nêu trong
đơn;
- Không có hoặc thiếu các chỉ dẫn quan trọng
nhất để thực hiện giải pháp;
3.6 Patent
3.6.3 Subject maflers not protected (Art. 59)
 Patent subject matters: exclusions

Business Method
Inventions, Scientific Theories

R u l es and implementation methods

of b r a in activiti es Method of treatment and diagnosis

Computer Program

Animal breeds and Plant seeds

8 Aesthetic solutions
5
3.6 Patent
3.6.4 Authors and owners (Art. 121 and Art. 122)

 Authors of inventions mean persons who have personally

created such invention objects. Where two or more persons
have jointly created, they shall be co-authors.
 Owners of inventions mean organizations or individuals
that are granted by the competent agency protection titles
for such inventions.
3.6 Patent
3.6.5 Content of the rights

 The rights of authors: moral rights (Art. 122) and economic

rights (Art. 135)
 The rights of owners: economic rights (Art. 123)
 Rights of authors of the patent
 Economic rights:

 Receive remuneration paid by the patent owner, unless

otherwise agreed by the two parties
 Remuneration: Article 135.2
 Inventions are created by many authors, the
remuneration is for all co-authors, and the co-authors
themselves agree to divide the remuneration.

 Moral rights:
 To be named as authors in invention patents, utility
solution patents;
 To be acknowledged as authors in documents in which
inventions are published or introduced.
 Rights of the owners of the patent
 To use or authorize others to use (Art.
124.1): a/ Manufacturing the protected
product;
b/ Applying the protected process;
c/ Exploiting utilities of the protected product or the product
manufactured under the protected process;
d/ Circulating, advertising, offering, stocking for circulation
the product mentioned at Point c of this Clause;
e/ Importing the product mentioned at Point c of this Clause.
 Rights of the owners of the patent
 To prevent others from using unless such use falls into the
cases:
a/ Using inventions in service of their personal needs or for non-
commercial purposes, or for purpose of evaluation, analysis,
research, teaching, testing, trial production or information
collection for carrying out procedures of application for licenses
for production, importation or circulation of products;
c/ Using inventions only for the purpose of maintaining the
operation of foreign means of transport in transit or temporarily
staying in the Vietnamese territory;
d/ Using inventions by persons with the prior use right
according to the provisions of Article 134 of this Law;
e/ Using inventions by persons authorized by competent state
agencies according to the provisions of Articles 145 and 146 of
this Law;
 To dispose of.
 Obligations of owners of the patent
 Pay remunerations to authors of inventions (Art. 135)
 Use inventions (Art. 136): to manufacture protected
products or apply protected processes to satisfy the
requirements of national defense, security, disease
prevention and treatment and nutrition for the people or to
meet other social urgent needs

Q&A: If the owners fail to perform such obligation?

 Obligations of owners of the patent
 Pay remunerations to authors of inventions (Art. 135)
The obligation to pay remuneration to the author of a patent
exists for the duration of the patent term

 Use inventions (Art. 136): to manufacture protected

products or apply protected processes to satisfy the
requirements of national defense, security, disease
prevention and treatment and nutrition for the people or to
meet other social urgent needs

If the owners fail to perform such obligation, the competent

state agency may license such inventions to others without
permission of invention owners according to the provisions of
Articles 145 and 146.
 Obligations of owners of the patent
 Authorize the use of principal inventions for the purpose of
using dependent inventions (Art. 137)

A dependent invention means an invention created based on

another invention (hereinafter referred to as principal
invention) and may only be used on the condition that the
principal invention is also used.
Sáng chế phụ thuộc là sáng chế được tạo ra trên cơ sở một sáng
chế khác (sáng chế cơ bản) và chỉ có thể sử dụng được với điều kiện
phải sử dụng sáng chế cơ bản

Nếu chủ sở hữu sáng chế cơ bản không đáp ứng yêu cầu
chuyển giao quyền sử dụng của chủ sở hữu sáng chế phụ
thuộc mà không có lý do chính đáng thì?
 Obligations of owners of the patent
 Authorize the use of principal inventions for the purpose of
using dependent inventions (Art. 137)

If the owner of a dependent invention can prove that his/her

invention makes an important technical advance as compared
with the principal invention and has a great economic
significance, he/she may request the owner of the principal
invention to license such principal invention with reasonably
commercial price and conditions.

If the owner of a principal invention fails to satisfy the request

of the owner of a dependent invention without justifiable
reasons, the concerned competent state agency may license
such invention to the owner of the dependent invention
without permission of the owner of the principal invention
according to the provisions of Articles 145 and 146.
3.6 Patent
3.6.6 Acts of infringement (Art. 126)

 Using protected inventions insignificantly different from

protected inventions within valid terms of protection titles
without permission of owners;
 Using inventions without paying compensations according
to the provisions on provisional rights in Article 131 of this
Law.
3.6 Patent
3.6.7 Terms of protection

 Duration
 Limitation upon prior use of inventions
 Limitation upon behalf of the State
 Limitation upon obligations to authorize the use of
principal inventions for the purpose of using dependent
inventions
3.6 Patent
3.6.7 Terms of protection

 Duration (Art. 93)

Invention patents shall each have a validity starting from the

grant date and expiring at the end of 20 years after the filing
date.
Utility solution patents shall have a validity starting from the
grant date and expiring at the end of 10 years after the filing
date.
3.6 Patent
3.6.7 Terms of protection
 Right of prior use of inventions (Art. 134)
Where a person has, before the publication date of an
invention registration application, used or prepared necessary
conditions for use of an invention identical with the protected
invention stated in such registration application but created
independently (hereinafter referred to as the prior use right
holder), then after a protection title is granted, such person
shall be entitled to continue using such invention within the
scope and volume of use or use preparations without having
to obtain permission of or paying compensations to the owner
of the protected invention. The exercise of the right of prior
users of inventions shall not be regarded as an infringement
of the right of invention owners.
3.6 Patent
3.6.7 Terms of protection
 Right of prior use of inventions (Art. 134)

Holders of prior use right to inventions must not assign such

right to others, except where such right is assigned together
with the transfer of business or production establishments
which have used or are prepared to use the inventions. Prior
use right holders must not expand the use scope and volume
unless it is so permitted by invention owners.
3.6 Sáng chế
3.6.7 Giới hạn bảo hộ quyền SHCN đối với sáng chế
 Giới hạn do quyền sử dụng trước (Điều 134)
Trước ngày nộp đơn hoặc ngày ưu tiên (nếu có) của đơn đăng
ký sáng chế mà có người đã sử dụng hoặc chuẩn bị các điều
kiện cần thiết để sử dụng đồng nhất với sáng chế trong đơn
đăng ký nhưng được tạo ra một cách độc lập (người sử dụng
trước) thì người đó vẫn có quyền tiếp tục sử dụng sáng chế
trong phạm vi và khối lượng đã sử dụng hoặc đã chuẩn bị để
sử dụng mà không phải xin phép hoặc trả tiền đền bù cho chủ
sở hữu sáng chế
Người có quyền sử dụng trước sáng chế không được phép
chuyển giao quyền đó cho người khác, trừ việc chuyển giao
kèm cả cơ sở sản xuất, kinh doanh.
Người có quyền sử dụng trước không được mở rộng phạm vi,
khối lượng sử dụng nếu không được CSH sáng chế cho phép.
3.6 Patent
3.6.7 Terms of protection
 Rights to use inventions on behalf of the State (Art. 133)

Ministries and ministerial-level agencies shall have the right

to, on behalf of the State, use or permit other organizations or
individuals to use inventions in domains under their
respective management for public and non-commercial
purposes, national defense, security, disease prevention and
treatment and nutrition for the people, and to meet other
urgent social needs without having to obtain permission of
invention owners or their licensees under exclusive contracts
(hereinafter referred to as holders of exclusive right to use
inventions) according to Articles 145 and 146
3.6 Sáng chế
3.6.7 Giới hạn bảo hộ quyền SHCN đối với sáng chế
 Giới hạn do yêu cầu của nhà nước (Điều 133)

Bộ, cơ quan nganh bộ có quyền nhân danh Nhà nước sử dụng

hoặc cho phép tổ chức, cá nhân khác sử dụng sáng chế thuộc
lĩnh vực quản lý của mình nhằm mục đích công cộng, phi
thương mại, phục vụ quốc phòng, an ninh, phòng bệnh, chữa
bệnh, dinh dưỡng cho nhân dân và đáp ứng các nhu cầu cấp
thiết khác của xã hội mà không cần sự đồng ý của chủ sở hữu
sáng chế hoặc người được chuyển giao quyền sử dụng sáng
chế theo hợp đồng độc quyền.
3.7 Industrial design
3.7.1 Definition

An industrial design means a specific appearance of a product

embodied by three-dimensional configurations, lines, colors,
or a combination of these elements.
(Art. 4)
 Subject matters for protection

Outward appearance of a product: Aesthetic impression

perceive,
visually

Colour Lines No expressive value

and
communication

Shapes Attached with

Patterns the product
3.7 Industrial design
3.7.2 Conditions for protection (Art. 63)

 Being new;
 Being creative;
 Being susceptible of industrial application.
 Novelty (Art. 65)
An industrial design shall be considered new if it
significantly differs from other industrial designs that are
already publicly disclosed through use or by means of
written descriptions or in any other form, inside or outside
the country, prior to the filing date or the priority date, as
applicable, of the industrial design registration application.

Khác biệt đáng kể với những KDCN đã bị bộc lộ công khai dưới
hình thức sử dụng, mô tả bằng văn bản hoặc bất kỳ hình thức nào
khác ở trong nước hoặc ở nước ngoài trước ngày nộp đơn hoặc
trước ngày ưu tiên trong trường hợp đơn đăng ký KDCN được
hưởng quyền ưu tiên
 Novelty (Art. 65)
• Two industrial designs shall not be considered
significantly different from each other if they are only
different in appearance features which are not easily
noticeable and memorable and which cannot be used to
distinguish these industrial designs as whole.
• An industrial design shall be considered having not yet
been publicly disclosed if it is known to only a limited
number of persons who are obliged to keep it secret.
 Novelty (Art. 65)
• An industrial design shall not be considered having lost
its novelty if it is published in the following cases,
provided that the industrial design registration
application is filed within 6 months from the date of
publication:
a/ It is published by another person without permission of
the person having the right to register it defined in Article
86 of this Law;
b/ It is published in the form of a scientific presentation by
the person having the right to register it defined in Article
86 of this Law;
c/ It is displayed at a national exhibition of Vietnam or at an
official or officially recognized international exhibition by
the person having the right to register it defined in Article
86 of this Law.
 Creativity of industrial designs
(Art. 66)
it cannot be easily Person with average skill in
the art means a person who
created by a person with has ordinary technical
average knowledge in the practice skills and is
art. acquainted with publicly
available general knowledge
in the art.
(Art. 23.6.a- Decree
16/2016/TT-BKHCN)
 Susceptibility of industrial
application of industrial designs
(Art. 67)

it can be used as a model for mass manufacture of

products with appearance embodying such industrial
design by industrial or handicraft methods
3.7 Industrial design
3.7.3 Subject matters not protected
Art. 64
 Subject matters:
exclusions
1. Outward appearance of a product
which is necessarily due to the
technical features of the product.
2. Outward appearance of civil or
industrial construction works.
(Bản thân sản phẩm)
3. Shape of a product which is
invisible duringthe use of the
product.
(Khả năng phân biệt của dấu hiệu)
109
 Exceptions

Outward appearance of a product which is

necessarily due to the technical features of the Outward appearance of civil or
product industrial construction works
Exceptions:
HHìnìhnhdád ngnogàoiàciủcaủasảsnản
á ng b êphpẩhnhmẩm ctíntíh
n g bê n m kỹ thtuhậut
kỹ
dodođm bắật

Shape of a product which is invisible

during the use of the product Modules or separate elements which can
1
be installed
independently
3.7 Industrial design
3.7.4 Authors and

owners Q&A?
3.7 Industrial design
3.7.4 Authors and owners

 Authors of industrial designs mean persons who have

personally created such industrial designs. Where two or
more persons have jointly created industrial designs, they
shall be co-authors. (Art. 122)

 Owners of industrial designs mean organizations and

individuals that have been granted industrial design
protection titles by competent agencies or have
internationally registered industrial designs
recognized by competent agencies (Art. 121)
3.6 Industrial design
3.6.5 Content of the rights

 The rights of authors: moral rights (Art. 122) and economic

rights (Art. 135)
 The rights of owners: economic rights (Art. 123)
 Rights of authors of industrial design
 Economic rights:

 Receive remuneration paid by the industrial design

owner, unless otherwise agreed by the two parties
 Remuneration: Article 135.2
 Industrial designs are created by many authors, the
remuneration is for all co-authors, and the co-authors
themselves agree to divide the remuneration.

 Moral rights:
 To be named as authors in industrial design patents;
 To be acknowledged as authors in documents in which
industrial designs are published or introduced.
 Rights of the owners of the industrial design
 To use or authorize others to use (Art. 124.2):

a/ Manufacturing products with appearance embodying the

protected industrial design;
b/ Circulating, advertising, offering and stocking for
circulation products mentioned at Point a of this Clause;
c/ Importing products mentioned at Point a of this Clause.
Rights of the owners of the industrial design
 To prevent others from using unless such use falls into the
cases:
a/ Using industrial designs in service of their personal needs or
for non-commercial purposes, or for purpose of evaluation,
analysis, research, teaching, testing, trial production or
information collection for carrying out procedures of application
for licenses for production, importation or circulation of
products;
c/ Using industrial designs only for the purpose of maintaining
the operation of foreign means of transport in transit or
temporarily staying in the Vietnamese territory;
d/ Using industrial designs by persons with the prior use right
according to the provisions of Article 134 of this Law;

 To dispose of.
Obligations of owners of the industrial
design
 Pay remunerations to authors of inventions (Art. 135)
The obligation to pay remuneration to the author of an
industrial design exists for the duration of the patent term.
3.6 Industrial design
3.6.6 Acts of infringement (Art. 126)

 Using protected industrial design insignificantly different

from protected industrial design within valid terms of
protection titles without permission of owners;
 Using industrial design without paying compensations
according to the provisions on provisional rights in Article
131 of this Law.
3.6 Industrial design
3.6.7 Terms of protection

 Duration
 Limitation upon prior use of industrial design
 Limitation upon behalf of the State
3.7 Industrial design
3.7.7 Terms of protection

 Duration (Art. 93)

Industrial design patents shall have a validity starting from

the grant date and expiring at the end of 5 years after the
filing date and may be renewed for two consecutive terms,
each of 5 years.
3.6 Industrial design
3.6.7 Terms of protection

 Right of prior use of industrial design (Art. 134)

Where a person has, before the publication date of an
industrial design registration application, used or prepared
necessary conditions for use of an industrial design identical
with the protected industrial design stated in such
registration application but created independently
(hereinafter referred to as the prior use right holder), then
after a protection title is granted, such person shall be entitled
to continue using such industrial design within the scope and
volume of use or use preparations without having to obtain
permission of or paying compensations to the owner of the
protected industrial design. The exercise of the right of prior
users of industrial designs shall not be regarded as an
infringement of the right of industrial design owners.
3.6 Patent
3.6.7 Terms of protection
 Right of prior use of inventions (Art. 134)

Holders of prior use right to inventions must not assign such

right to others, except where such right is assigned together
with the transfer of business or production establishments
which have used or are prepared to use the inventions. Prior
use right holders must not expand the use scope and volume
unless it is so permitted by invention owners.
3.7 Industrial design
3.7.7 Terms of protection

 Giới hạn do quyền sử dụng trước (Điều 134)

Trước ngày nộp đơn hoặc ngày ưu tiên (nếu có) của đơn đăng
ký KDCN mà có người đã sử dụng hoặc chuẩn bị các điều
kiện cần thiết để sử dụng đồng nhất với KDCN trong đơn
đăng ký nhưng được tạo ra một cách độc lập (người sử dụng
trước) thì người đó vẫn có quyền tiếp tục sử dụng KDCN
trong phạm vi và khối lượng đã sử dụng hoặc đã chuẩn bị để
sử dụng mà không phải xin phép hoặc trả tiền đền bù cho chủ
sở hữu KDCN.
Người có quyền sử dụng trước KDCN không được phép
chuyển giao quyền đó cho người khác, trừ việc chuyển giao
kèm cả cơ sở sản xuất, kinh doanh.
Người có quyền sử dụng trước không được mở rộng phạm vi,
khối lượng sử dụng nếu không được CSH KDCN cho phép.
3.8 Layout-designs of semiconductor
integrated circuits
3.8.1 Definition

Q&A:
3.9 Acts of unfair competition
The following acts shall be regarded as acts of unfair
competition:
a/ Using commercial indications to cause confusion as to
business entities, business activities or commercial origin of
goods or services;
b/ Using commercial indications to cause confusion as to the
origin, production method, utilities, quality, quantity or other
characteristics of goods or services; or as to the conditions for
provision of goods or services;
c/ Using marks protected in a country which is a contracting
party to a treaty to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is
also a contracting party and under which representatives or
agents of owners of such marks are prohibited from using
such marks, if users are representatives or agents of the mark
owners and such use is neither consented to by the mark
owners nor justified;
3.9 Acts of unfair competition
d/ Registering or possessing the right to use or using domain
names identical with, or confusingly similar to, protected
trade names or marks of others, or geographical indications
without having the right to use, for the purpose of possessing
domain names, benefiting from or prejudicing reputation and
popularity of respective marks, trade names or geographical
indications.