1. ¼·Ð
ÀΰøÁö´ÉÀÇ ¹ßÀüÀ¸·Î ÀÎÇÏ¿© ÀΰøÁö´ÉÀ» È°¿ëÇÏ¿© ¹ß¸íÈ°µ¿À» ÇÏ´Â ¿¬±¸¿øÀÌ Áõ°¡ÇÏ°í ÀÖ´Ù. »ç½Ç ÀΰøÁö´ÉÀº ¼º´ÉÀÌ ¿ùµîÇÑ ÇÁ·Î±×·¥À̶ó°í º¸¸é, ¿¬±¸¿øÀ¸·Î¼´Â ¼º´ÉÀÌ ´õ ÁÁÀº ÇÁ·Î±×·¥À» È°¿ëÇÏ´Â °ÍÀÌ ´ç¿¬ÇÏ°í ÇÊ¿äÇÏ´Ù. ´Ù¸¸, ¿¬±¸¿øÀÇ ÀΰøÁö´É ÀÇÁ¸µµ°¡ ³ô¾ÆÁö¸é¼, ÀΰøÁö´É¿¡°Ô ¹ß¸íÀÚ¼º(inventorship)À» ÀÎÁ¤ÇØ¾ß ÇÏ´ÂÁö, ±âÁ¸ÀÇ (°øµ¿)¹ß¸íÀÚ ÆǴܱâÁØ¿¡ º¯È°¡ ÇÊ¿äÇÑ °ÍÀÎÁö µî¿¡ ´ëÇÑ »õ·Î¿î ÀïÁ¡ÀÌ ´ëµÎµÇ¾ú´Ù. ±× »õ ÀïÁ¡¿¡ ´ëÇÏ¿© ¹Ì±¹Æ¯Çã»óǥûÀÌ »õ·Î¿î ½É»ç°¡À̵å¶óÀÎ(¡®´ë»ó °¡À̵å¶óÀΡ¯)À» °ø°³ÇÏ¿´´Ù. ÀÌ ±ÛÀº ±× °¡À̵å¶óÀÎÀ» ¿ä¾à, ¼Ò°³ÇÑ´Ù.
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¹Ì±¹Æ¯Çã»óǥûÀº ÇöÇà °¡À̵å¶óÀÎÀ» °ø°³Çϱâ Àü¿¡ ÃÊ¾È 12) ¹× ÃÊ¾È 2¸¦3) ¸ÕÀú °ø°³ÇÑ ÈÄ °øÁßÀÇ ÀÇ°ßÀ» ¼öÁýÇÏ¿´´Ù. ±× ÀÇ°ß¿äû(RFC)¿¡ ´ëÇÑ °øÁßÀÇ ÀÀ´äÀ»4) Âü°íÇÏ¿© ¹Ì±¹Æ¯Çã»óǥûÀº ´ë»ó °¡À̵å¶óÀÎÀ» ¸¸µç °ÍÀÌ´Ù.
3. ´ë»ó °¡À̵å¶óÀÎÀÇ Àû¿ë
´ë»ó °¡À̵å¶óÀÎÀº 2024³â 2¿ù 13ÀϺÎÅÍ À¯È¿Çϳª, ±× ³»¿ëÀº À¯È¿ÀÏ ÀÌÀü¿¡ Ãâ¿øµÈ ¸ðµç Ãâ¿ø, ƯÇã¿¡ ´ëÇØ °øÅëÀûÀ¸·Î Àû¿ëµÈ´Ù. Áï, ´ë»ó °¡À̵å¶óÀÎÀÌ Á¦½ÃÇÏ´Â ¹ý¸®´Â »õ·Î¿î °ÍÀ̰ųª º¯ÈµÈ °ÍÀÌ ¾Æ´Ï¸ç ±âÁ¸ÀÇ ¹ý¸®¸¦ ¸íÈ®ÇÏ°Ô ÇÏ´Â °ÍÀÌ´Ù.
´ë»ó °¡À̵å¶óÀÎÀº ¹ýÀû È¿·ÂÀ» °¡ÁöÁö´Â ¾ÊÀ¸¸ç, ´ÜÁö ƯÇãû¿¡¼ ±âÁ¸ ´ë¹ý¿ø ¹× ƯÇã¹ý¿ø ÆÇ°áÀ» Çؼ®ÇÑ °ÍÀÌ´Ù.5) Áï, ÇâÈÄ ¹ý¿øÀÌ º» °¡À̵å¶óÀΰú ´Ù¸£°Ô ÆÇ°áÇÏ´Â °ÍÀÌ °¡´ÉÇÏ´Ù´Â °ÍÀÌ´Ù. »ç½Ç ¹Ì±¹Æ¯Çã»óǥûÀ̳ª ¿ì¸® ƯÇãûÀÌ °ø°³ÇÏ´Â MPEP, ½É»çÁöħ¼´Â ¹ýÀû È¿·ÂÀ» °¡ÁöÁö ¾ÊÀ¸¸ç, ±×°Í¿¡ Æ÷ÇԵǴ ´ë»ó °¡À̵å¶óÀεµ µ¿ÀÏÇÏ°Ô ¹ýÀû È¿·ÂÀ» °¡ÁöÁö ¸øÇÏ´Â °ÍÀÌ´Ù.
4. ´ë»ó °¡À̵å¶óÀÎÀÇ ³»¿ë
°¡. ¡®ÀΰøÁö´É È°¿ë ¹ß¸í¡¯ÀÇ Á¤ÀÇ
ÀΰøÁö´É È°¿ë ¹ß¸íÀº Çϳª ÀÌ»óÀÇ ÀΰøÁö´É ½Ã½ºÅÛÀ» È°¿ëÇÏ¿© ÀÚ¿¬Àο¡ ÀÇÇØ Ã¢ÃâµÈ ¹ß¸íÀ» ¸»ÇÑ´Ù.6) ÀΰøÁö´É ½Ã½ºÅÛÀÇ ±â¿©°¡ »ó´çÇÏ´Ù°í ÇÏ¿©µµ ÀΰøÁö´ÉÀº ¹ß¸íÀÚ°¡ µÉ ¼ö ¾ø´Ù.7) ´ë»ó °¡À̵å¶óÀÎÀÌ ¸íÈ®ÇÏ°Ô ÇÏ°íÀÚ Çϴ ù ¹ø° ÀïÁ¡À̶ó°í »ý°¢µÈ´Ù.
³ª. ÀÚ¿¬ÀÎ(natural person)¸¸ ¹ß¸íÀÚ
¹Ì±¹¿¡¼´Â ÀΰøÁö´ÉÀÇ ¹ß¸íÀÚ¼ºÀ» ºÎÁ¤ÇÑ Thaler v. Vidal ÆÇ°áÀÌ Á¸ÀçÇϸç, ±× ÆÇ°á¿¡ µû¶ó, ÀÚ¿¬Àθ¸ (°øµ¿)¹ß¸íÀÚ°¡ µÉ ¼ö ÀÖ´Ù.8) ƯÈ÷, ¹Ì±¹ ƯÇã¹ýÀÌ °³ÀÎ(individual)ÀÌ ¹ß¸íÀÚ°¡ µÉ ¼ö ÀÖ´Ù°í ±ÔÁ¤Çϴµ¥, ¹Ì±¹ ¹ý¿¡¼ °³ÀÎÀº (Ưº°È÷ ´Þ¸® Á¤ÀÇµÈ °æ¿ì¸¦ Á¦¿ÜÇÏ°í´Â) ÀÚ¿¬ÀÎÀ» ÀǹÌÇÑ´Ù.9)
´Ù. ÀΰøÁö´É È°¿ë ¹ß¸íµµ ƯÇã °¡´É
ÀÚ¿¬ÀÎÀÌ ÀΰøÁö´ÉÀ» È°¿ëÇÏ¿© ±× ¹ß¸íÀÇ Ã¢Ãâ¿¡ »ó´çÈ÷(significantly) ±â¿©ÇÑ °æ¿ì, ±× ÀÚ¿¬ÀÎÀÌ ¹ß¸íÀÚ°¡ µÈ´Ù. ¿©±â¼ÀÇ ¡®»ó´çÇÑ ±â¿©¡¯´Â ¿ì¸®ÀÇ ¡®½ÇÁúÀû ±â¿©¡¯¿¡ ´ëÀÀµÇ´Â °ÍÀÌ´Ù. ¾î¶² ÀΰøÁö´ÉÀ» È°¿ëÇÑ ¹ß¸íÀÌ Ã¢ÃâµÇ¾úÀ½¿¡µµ ºÒ±¸ÇÏ°í, ÇØ´ç âÃâ¿¡ ±â¿©ÇÑ ÀÚ¿¬ÀÎÀÌ º»ÀÎÀÇ ±â¿©°¡ »ó´çÇÑ Á¤µµ°¡ ¾Æ´Ï¶ó°í ÀÎÁ¤ÇÏ´Â °æ¿ì ±× ÀÚ¿¬ÀÎÀº ¹ß¸íÀÚ°¡ µÉ ¼ö ¾ø°í, ÇØ´ç ¹ß¸í¿¡´Â ¹ß¸íÀÚ°¡ ¾ø°Ô µÈ´Ù. Áï, ¾ö¸¶°¡ ¾ø´Â ¾Æ±â(a baby without a mother)°¡ µÈ´Ù. Ãâ¿ø¼´Â ÀΰøÁö´ÉÀ» ¹ß¸íÀÚ ¸í´Ü¿¡ Ãß°¡ÇÒ ¼ö ¾ø´Ù. ÀΰøÁö´ÉÀÇ ±â¿©¿¡µµ ºÒ±¸ÇÏ°í ÀΰøÁö´ÉÀ» ¹ß¸íÀÚ¿¡ Æ÷ÇÔ½ÃÅ°Áö ¾ÊÀ½¿¡ ¾Æ¹«·± ¹®Á¦°¡ ¾ø´Â °ÍÀÌ´Ù. ±âÁ¸¿¡µµ °í¼º´É ÄÄÇ»Å͸¦ ÀÌ¿ëÇÏ¿© ¹ß¸íÇÑ Á¡°ú ´Ù¸¦ ¹Ù°¡ ¾ø´Ù°í º¸´Â °ÍÀÌ´Ù.
¶ó. ¹ß¸íÀÇ Âø»ó(conception)µµ ÀÚ¿¬ÀÎÀÇ Á¤½ÅÀû È°µ¿ÀÓ
¹ß¸íÀÇ ½Ã¹ßÁ¡ÀÌ Âø»óÀε¥, ±× Âø»óµµ ÀÚ¿¬Àθ¸ÀÌ ÇÒ ¼ö ÀÖ´Ù.10)11)
¸¶. °¢ û±¸Ç׺° ¹ß¸í¸¶´Ù ÀÚ¿¬ÀÎ ¹ß¸íÀÚ°¡ Á¸ÀçÇÏ¿©¾ß ÇÔ
°¢ û±¸Ç×Àº °¢ ´Ù¸¥ ¹ß¸íÀ» û±¸ÇϹǷÎ, °¢ ¹ß¸í(û±¸Ç×)¸¶´Ù ÀÚ¿¬ÀÎ ¹ß¸íÀÚ°¡ Á¸ÀçÇÏ¿©¾ß ÇÑ´Ù.12) ÇØ´ç û±¸¹ß¸í¿¡ ´ëÇØ ÀÚ¿¬ÀÎ ¹ß¸íÀÚ°¡ ¾ø´Â °æ¿ì ½É»ç°üÀº Á¦101Á¶¿¡13) ±Ù°ÅÇÏ¿© °ÅÀý°áÁ¤À» ÇÏ¿©¾ß ÇÑ´Ù.14) ±×·¡¼ ¾ö¸¶°¡ ¾ø´Â ¾Æ±â(a baby without a mother)´Â ƯÇãµÉ ¼ö ¾ø´Ù. ¹Ì±¹Æ¯Çã¹ý ½ÃÇà±ÔÄ¢ Á¦1.48Á¶(Correction of inventorship pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 116 ... in a patent application ...) ¶Ç´Â Á¦1.324Á¶(Correction of inventorship in patent, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 256)¿¡ µû¶ó ÇØ´ç Ãâ¿ø¹ß¸í ¶Ç´Â ƯÇã¹ß¸íÀÇ ÀÚ¿¬ÀÎ ¹ß¸íÀÚ¸¦ Ãß°¡, ¼öÁ¤ÇÏ´Â °ÍÀÌ °¡´ÉÇÏ´Ù. ¿ì¸®ÀÇ °æ¿ì, ÀÚ¿¬ÀÎ ¹ß¸íÀÚ·Î Ãâ¿ø¼¸¦ ¼öÁ¤Ç϶ó´Â ¸í·É¿¡ Ãâ¿øÀÎÀÌ ÀÀÇÏÁö ¾Ê¾Æ¼, ÇØ´ç Ãâ¿øÀÌ Æ¯Çã°ÅÀý°áÁ¤µÈ ¹Ù ÀÖ´Ù.
5. ¿ì¸®³ª¶ó¿¡¼ÀÇ Àû¿ë
¿©·¯ ±¹°¡´Â ¹ß¸íÀÇ ÁÖü¿Í °ü·ÃÇÏ¿© ¹ß¸íÀÚÁÖÀÇ(¹Ì±¹, µ¶ÀÏ, Çѱ¹, Áß±¹ µî) ¶Ç´Â »ç¿ëÀÚÁÖÀÇ(À¯·´ ¿©·¯ ±¹°¡)¸¦ ¼±ÅÃÇÏ°í ÀÖ´Ù. ¿ì¸® ƯÇã¹ýÀº ¹ß¸íÀÚÁÖÀǸ¦ äÅÃÇÏ°í ÀÖ´Ù. ±× ¡®¹ß¸íÀÚ¡¯¿¡ ÀΰøÁö´ÉÀÌ Æ÷ÇԵǴÂÁö°¡ ÀïÁ¡ÀÌ µÈ´Ù. ¿ì¸® ƯÇã¹ý Á¦33Á¶´Â ¡°¹ß¸íÀ» ÇÑ »ç¶÷ ¶Ç´Â ±× ½Â°èÀΡ±ÀÌ Æ¯Ç㸦 ¹ÞÀ» ¼ö ÀÖ´Â ±Ç¸®¸¦ °¡Áö´Â °ÍÀ¸·Î ±ÔÁ¤ÇÑ´Ù. ¿©±â¼ÀÇ ¡®»ç¶÷¡¯Àº ÀÚ¿¬ÀÎ(natural person)¸¸À» ¸»Çϸç, ¡®½Â°èÀΡ¯Àº ÀÚ¿¬ÀÎ ¹× ¹ýÀÎÀ» ÀǹÌÇÑ´Ù. ±×·¡¼, Á÷¹«¹ß¸íÀº Á¾¾÷¿øÀÎ ÀÚ¿¬ÀÎÀÌ Ã¢ÃâÇÏ°í, ȸ»ç(¹ýÀÎ)°¡ ±×°ÍÀ» ½Â°è¹ÞÀ» ¼ö ÀÖ´Ù. ¹Î¹ý Á¦3Á¶°¡ ¡°»ç¶÷Àº »ýÁ¸ÇÑ µ¿¾È ±Ç¸®¿Í Àǹ«ÀÇ ÁÖü°¡ µÈ´Ù¡±°í ±ÔÁ¤ÇÏ´Â ¹Ù¿¡ µû¶ó »ýÁ¸°ú Á×À½À» °¡Áö´Â ÀÚ¿¬Àθ¸ÀÌ »ç¶÷ÀÌ´Ù. ¿ì¸® ƯÇã¹ý¿ø 2002Çã4811 ÆÇ°áµµ ¡°¹ß¸íÀº »ç½ÇÇàÀ§À̹ǷΠƯÇã¹ý»ó ¹ß¸íÀÚ´Â ÀÚ¿¬ÀÎÀ» ÀǹÌÇÑ´Ù¡±°í ¼³½ÃÇÏ¸é¼ ¹ýÀÎÀÇ ¹ß¸íÀÚ Àû°ÝÀ» ºÎÀÎÇÑ ¹Ù ÀÖ´Ù. ½Â°èÀÎÀº ±Ç¸®Àǹ«ÀÇ ÁÖü°¡ µÉ ¼ö ÀÖ´Â ÀÚ¿¬ÀÎ(Á¦3Á¶)°ú ¹ýÀÎ(Á¦34Á¶)¿¡ ÇÑÁ¤µÈ´Ù.
6. °á·Ð
¹Ì±¹ÀÇ ´ë»ó °¡À̵å¶óÀÎÀº ÀΰøÁö´É¿¡°Ô ¹ß¸íÀÚ¼º(inventorship)À» ÀÎÁ¤ÇÏÁö ¾Ê´Â Á¡ ¹× ±âÁ¸ÀÇ (°øµ¿)¹ß¸íÀÚ ÆǴܱâÁØ¿¡ º¯È°¡ ÇÊ¿äÇÏÁö ¾Ê´Ù´Â Á¡À» ¸íÈ®ÇÏ°Ô ÇÏ¿´À½¿¡ ÀÇÀÇ°¡ ÀÖ´Ù. ´ë»ó °¡À̵å¶óÀÎÀÌ ¶ß°Å¿î ÀïÁ¡¿¡ °üÇÑ ¹Ì±¹Æ¯Çã»óǥûÀÇ ÀÔÀåÀ» Á¤¸®ÇÑ °ÍÀ̱â´Â Çϳª, ±× ³»¿ëÀº (Àû¾îµµ ÇÊÀÚ¿¡°Ô´Â) ±ØÈ÷ »ó½ÄÀûÀÎ °ÍÀÌ´Ù. ÀΰøÁö´ÉÀÌ ³î¶ó¿ï Á¤µµ·Î ¹ßÀüÇÏ¿´´Ù°í´Â Çϳª, ¿©ÀüÈ÷ ÀΰøÁö´ÉÀÇ ÀÚÀ²¼ºÀº ÀÎÁ¤µÇÁö ¾Ê´Â´Ù.15) ÀÚÀ²ÀûÀ¸·Î ¹ß¸íÇÏ´Â ÀΰøÁö´ÉÀ» °ÇÑ ÀΰøÁö´ÉÀ¸·Î ºÐ·ùÇÒ ¼ö Àִµ¥, ¾ÆÁ÷±îÁö °ÇÑ ÀΰøÁö´ÉÀÌ º¸°íµÈ »ç·Ê´Â ¾ø´Ù. ±×·¸´Ù¸é, ¾àÇÑ ÀΰøÁö´É ½Ã´ë¿¡¼´Â ´ë»ó °¡À̵å¶óÀÎÀÌ ¹Ù¸¥ ¹ý¸®°¡ µÈ´Ù. ´Ù¸¸, ÇâÈÄ µ¹ÆÄÁ¡(breakthrough point)ÀÌ ¹ß»ýÇÏ¿© °ÇÑ ÀΰøÁö´ÉÀÌ ÃâÇöÇÏ´Â °æ¿ì¿¡´Â ´ë»ó °¡À̵å¶óÀÎÀº ÀüÇô ¾µ¸ð°¡ ¾ø´Â °ÍÀÌ µÉ °ÍÀÌ´Ù. °ÇÑ ÀΰøÁö´ÉÀÌ ¼¼»óÀ» ÅëÁ¦ÇÏ°í °¡À̵å¶óÀεµ Á¦½ÃÇÒ °ÍÀ̱⠶§¹®ÀÌ´Ù. ÀÚ¿¬ÀÎÀÇ ÀÏ¿øÀ¸·Î, ±×·± ½Ã´ë°¡ Á¶±Ý õõÈ÷ ¿À±â¸¦ ¹Ù¶ö »ÓÀÌ´Ù.
°¢ÁÖ>-----------------------------------
1) <https://www.regulations.gov/document/PTO-P-2023-0043-0001>.
2) <www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USPTO_AI-Report_2020-10-07.pdf>.
3) 88 FR 9492 (February 14, 2023).
4) <www.regulations.gov/docket/PTO-P-2022-0045/comments>.
5) ´ë»ó °¡À̵å¶óÀÎ 7¸é(¡°Disclaimer: This guidance does not constitute substantive rulemaking and does not have the force and effect of law. The guidance sets out agency policy with respect to the USPTO¡¯s interpretation of the inventorship requirements of the Patent Act in view of decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States (Supreme Court) and the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (Federal Circuit).¡±).
6) ´ë»ó °¡À̵å¶óÀÎ °¢ÁÖ 1)(¡°AI-assisted inventions are inventions created by natural persons using one or more AI systems.¡±).
7) Thaler v. Vidal, 43 F.4th 1207 (Fed. Cir. 2022).
8) Thaler v. Vidal, 43 F.4th 1207, 1213 (Fed. Cir. 2022), cert denied, 143 S. Ct. 1783 (2023) (¡°that only a natural person can be an inventor, so AI cannot be.¡±).
9) Mohamad v. Palestinian Auth., 566 U.S. 449, 454 (2012).
10) Burroughs Wellcome Co. v. Barr Lab'ys, Inc., 40 F.3d 1223, 1228 (Fed. Cir. 1994) (¡°[i]t is ¡®the formation in the mind of the inventor, of a definite and permanent idea of the complete and operative invention, as it is hereafter to be applied in practice.¡¯¡±).
11) ´ë»ó °¡À̵å¶óÀÎ 11¸é(¡°Because conception is an act performed in the mind, it has to date been understood as only performed by natural persons.¡±).
12) ´ë»ó °¡À̵å¶óÀÎ 16¸é(¡°However, each claim must have been invented by at least one named inventor.¡±).
13) ¡°Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.¡±
14) ¿ì¸® ƯÇã¹ýÀÇ °æ¿ì, ¡°Æ¯Ç㸦 ¹ÞÀ» ¼ö ÀÖ´Â ÀÚ¡±¸¦ ±ÔÁ¤ÇÑ Á¦33Á¶¿¡ ±Ù°ÅÇÏ¿© °ÅÀýµÇ¾î¾ß ÇÒ °ÍÀÌ´Ù.
15) ±Çº¸¿ø, ¡°ÀΰøÁö´ÉÀ» ¹ß¸íÀÚ·Î º¼¼ö ÀÖÀ»±î? - DABUS ÆÇ°á¿¡ ºÎÃÄ¡±, »ç¹ý Á¦59È£, »ç¹ý¹ßÀüÀç´Ü, 2022, ÃÊ·Ï(¡°Àΰø½Å°æ¸ÁÀº ÀÔ·ÂµÈ µ¥ÀÌÅͷκÎÅÍ, µ¡¼À°ú °ö¼À¿¡ ±âÃÊÇÑ Çà·Ä ¿¬»êÀ» ÅëÇØ, ¿øÇÏ´Â Ãâ·Â¿¡ À̸£±â À§ÇÑ ÃÖÀûÀÇ ÆĶó¹ÌÅ͸¦ ã¾Æ³»´Â ¼öÇÐÀû ¸ðÇüÀÌ´Ù. ¡®ÀÚµ¿ÈµÈ¡¯ ¼öÇÐÀû °è»êÀÌ ¾Æ¹«¸® º¹ÀâÇÏ´õ¶óµµ, ÀÌ´Â ÀΰøÁö´ÉÀÌ ¡®ÀÚÀ²ÀûÀ¸·Î¡¯ ¹ß¸íÇÏ¿´´Ù´Â °Í°ú µ¿ÀÏ½ÃµÉ ¼ö ¾ø´Ù.¡±).