Non-functionality Requirement of Industrial Designs in Iran's Legal System: Challenges and Solutions

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 PhD Candidate in Private Law, Faculty of Law, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Private Law, Faculty of Law, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

10.22059/jolt.2024.368179.1007242

Abstract

Protection of an industrial design requires several substantive requirements that one of them is "Non-functional requirement". Despite the long history of examining and analyzing this requirement in other legal systems, this important issue has been neglected in Iran's legal system. Insufficient attention to the said requirement has led to a confusion in interpretation and implementation. Considering the importance of this requirement on the one hand and the lack of research in this field on the other hand, this article aims to answer the following questions: (1) how does the registration office during the examination of an industrial design application and the judicial authority in the industrial design cases face the non-functional requirement? And (2) how is the requirement to be identified from the perspective of legislation, organizational procedure of the registration office and judicial procedure? In the following by analyzing, criticizing and evaluating these procedures, it shows that although the requirement is taken into consideration by the registration office and the judicial procedure in some cases, there are incorrect perceptions and approaches regarding its concept and criteria that the main origin is lack of attention to the theoretical justifications of the non-functional requirement. Finally, suitable legislative, organizational and judicial proposals are presented based on the analysis.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

ابراهیم‏نیا، سعیده (1391). حمایت از طرح‏های صنعتی (شرایط و ضمانت‏اجراها) در حقوق ایران و اتحادیة اروپا. پایان‏نامة کارشناسی‌ارشد. دانشگاه فردوسی مشهد. استاد راهنما: سعید محسنی.
افغان، مهدی (1392). بررسی نظام‏های حقوقی حمایت از طرح‏های صنعتی. پایان‏نامة کارشناسی‌ارشد. دانشگاه قم. استاد راهنما: محمدهادی میرشمسی.
حاجی‌میرزایی، سلیله (1386). حمایت حقوقی از طرح‏های صنعتی. پایان‏نامة کارشناسی‌ارشد. دانشگاه تهران. استاد راهنما: علی‌رضا محمدزاده.
دهقانی، سید احمد (1393). بررسی تطبیقی شرایط ماهوی حمایت از طرح‏های صنعتی. پایان‌نامة کارشناسی‌ارشد. دانشگاه قم. استاد راهنما: سید حسن شبیری زنجانی.
قبولی درافشان، سید محمدمهدی و سعید، محسنی (1389). بررسی حقوقی طرح صنعتی قابل حمایت (مطالعة تطبیقی: پیشینه و مفهوم). دانش و توسعه، 32، 27 ـ 66.
میرحسینی، سید حسن (1395). حقوق طرح‏های صنعتی. تهران: میزان.
قوانین و مقررات
قانون ثبت اختراعات، طرح‏های صنعتی، و علائم تجاری، مصوب 1386.
قانون ثبت علائم و اختراعات، مصوب 1310.
طرح حمایت از مالکیت صنعتی، مصوب 1400، و ارجاعی به مجمع تشخیص مصلحت نظام، مورخ 1402.
آرای قضایی مورد استناد
پروندة شمارة 140168920003923402، شعبة سه دادگاه عمومی حقوقی مجتمع قضایی شهید بهشتی.
پروندة شمارة 1401168920005928825، شعبة سوم بازپرسی دادسرای ناحیة 26.
پروندة شمارة کلاسه 9409982121300316 و تصمیم نهایی به شمارة 9609972191800826، شعبة 1043 دادگاه کیفری دو مجتمع قضایی شهید قدوسی.
پروندة شمارة 140068920004034090 شعبة سوم بازپرسی دادسرای ناحیة 26.
پروندة شمارة 140168920005600608 شعبة نهم بازپرسی دادسرای ناحیة 26.
Afghan, M. (2013). Study of Industrial Designs Legal Protection Systems. Master thesis. The University of Qom: Qom. (in Persian)
Carani, Ch. V. & Barnes, D. H. (2022). Design Rights Functionality and Scope of Protection. Netherlands: Kluwer Law International B.V.
Dehqani, S. A. (2015). Comprative Study of Substantive Conditions for Protection of Industrial Designs. Master thesis. The University of Qom: Qom. (in Persian)
Ebrahimniya, S. (2013). Protection of Industrial Designs (Conditions and Sanctions) in Iran and the European Union Law. Master thesis. The Ferdowsi University: Mashhad. (in Persian)
Fischman Afori, O. (2010). The Role of the Non-Functionality Requirement in Design Law. Fordham Intellectual Property, Media and Entertainment Law Journal, 20(3), 847-874.
Ghabooli Dorafshan, M.M. & Mohseni, S. (2011). Legal Study on the Legal Protection of the Industrial Design (The Comparative Study of the Background and Concept). Journal of Monetary and Financial Economics, 17(32), 27-66. (in Persian)
Hajimirzai, S. (2007). Legal Protection of Industrial Designs (Master thesis). University of Tehran: Tehran. (in Persian)
Mirhosseini, S. H. (2016). Law of Industrial Designs. Tehran: Mizan. (in Persian)
Saidman, P. J. (2009). Functionality and Design Patent Validity and Infringement. Journal of the Patent and Trademark Office Society, 91, 313-337.
Saidman, P.J. & Hintz, J. M (1989). The Doctrine of Functionality in Design Patent Cases. University of Baltimore Law Review, 19(1), 352-361.
Acts
Act on the Legal Protection of Designs.2021.(Germany).
Council Regulation No 6/2002 of 12 December 2001 on Community designs.(EU).
Design Act.2021.(Japan).
Industrial Design Act.2023.(Canada).
Intellectual Property Code.2022.(France).
Law on Industrial Property.2016.(Turkey).
Patent Act.2022.(US). 
The Civil Code of the Russian Federation.2022.(Russia). 
The Designs Act.2000.(India).
Court Cases
Case No 140168920003923402, 3th Branch of the General Legal Court of Shahid Beheshti Judicial Complex on 26/06/1401. (Iran)
Case No 1401168920005928825, 3th Branch of the 26th District Prosecutor's Office on 10/10/1401. (Iran)
Case No 140168920005600608, 9th Branch of the 26th District Prosecutor's Office on 22/09/1401. (Iran) 
Case No 140068920004034090, 3th Branch of the 26th District Prosecutor's Office on 27/09/1400. (Iran)
Case No 9409982121300316 and Final Decision No 9609972191800826, 1043th Branch of Criminal Court of Shahid Qudousi Judicial Complex on 29/07/1396. (Iran)
Zero Spill Systems Inc. v. Heide, 2015 FCA 115. (Canada)
 
Private Law
Volume 20, Issue 2
Autumn & Winter
October 2023
Pages 195-208

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics