論閉環供應鏈權利人售後市場控制之研究

閉環供應鏈係2004年左右被提出的一個供應鏈概念，不同於傳統供應鏈的從製造到銷售的正向物流，閉環供應鏈尚且結合了一個逆向物流，即回收、再製造與再處理、並再次售出到售後市場。觀察閉環供應鏈中售後市場之狀況，一般可分為獨立之第三方再製造商之再處理或由授權代工製造之廠商進行回收再處理，在售後市場中兩者呈現對立競爭之關係。閉環供應鏈中原製造商長期透過專利訴訟以企圖在售後市場取得優勢，本文透過回顧美國法院有關閉環供應鏈售後市場涉及專利之實務判決，可發現因為專利耗盡原則抗辯之存在，使得原製造商及授權代工之再處理商在在售後市場之競爭力逐漸削弱。2017年美國最高法院判決之Impression Products, Inc. v. Lexmark Intern., Inc.案更是對售後市場產生劇烈影響，使得原製造商無法再透過售後限制及地區限制之方式限制專利權之耗盡而控制售後市場。本文藉由判決個案分析閉環供應鏈之原製造商及獨立第三方再處理商在售後市場之過去於售後市場之專利侵權判決，並分析Impression Products, Inc. v. Lexmark Intern., Inc.案對售後市場之影響，此外並一併探討有關閉環供應鏈中設計專利、著作權法及營業秘密法之問題，並兼論修理權發展與再製造過程豁免科技保護措施破壞之議題，並提出未來再處理商與獨立第三方再製造商在售後市場中因應判決立場改變及其他智慧財產權發展因應之可行建議。

關鍵字

閉環供應鏈；售後市場；修理權；專利耗盡

並列摘要

The closed-loop supply chain is a concept which has been proposed in 2004. Different from the traditional supply chain of the positive logistic, a closed-loop supply chain includes a reverse logistic, which is recycling, remanufacturing, reprocessing, and reselling to the aftermarket. Observing the aftermarket in closed-loop supply chain, it is supported by independent third-party remanufacture and authorized original equipment manufacturer, and these two parties would compete with each other. In the closed-loop supply chain, taking a patent legal action against the third party over the patent issue takes the manufacturer and the original equipment manufacturer a very good advantage. Based on the study of patent cases about the closed-loop supply chain and, we can conclude that the manufacturer and the original equipment manufacturer seem to weaken their competitiveness in the aftermarket. In 2017, Impression Products, Inc. v. Lexmark Intern., Inc. is a decision made by the Supreme Court of the United States, which causes a severe impact in the aftermarket that the manufacturer cannot rely on the post-sale restriction to prevent the patent exhaustion. The main purpose of this article is to advise the member in the aftermarket of the closed-loop supply chain by analyzing the patent exhaustion issue about manufacturer and independent third party manufacturer in the closed loops supply chain and also study on the related intellectual property, including the copyright, technological protection measure and right to repair act in the US.