作者 | 张艺卓 北京康信知识产权代理有限责任公司 《专利法》第22条第5款规定，"现有技术，是指申请日以前在国内外为公众所知的技术"，在该定义中包含三个核心要素： 时间标准：以专利申请日（或优先权日）为界限，早于该日期的公开信息构成现有技术。 地域标准：采用绝对新颖性原则，无论国内还是国外公开，均可能构成现有技术。 下面将以一件笔者处理过的案例为例，分享下针对此类情况的处理方式，以下将具体的申请人名称用申请人A代替。 01 争议案例 申请人A的某项专利的申请日为2020年6月17日，审查员于2023年4月29日下发了该项专利的第一次审查意见通知书，并在该通知书中引 用申请人A在《深空探测学报（中英文）》中发表的一篇文献，该文献在中国知网CNKI中记载的发表日期为"2020年6月15日"，审查员 将该发表日期视为公开日，并基于该文献，以创造性缺陷驳回该项专利的申请。 02 公开方式：包括出版物公开、使用公开、其他方式公开（如口头报告、展览等）。 笔者在答复审查意见通知书时，发现审查意见通知书中经常会引用文献作为对比文件，用以评述专利申请的新颖性或创造性。 文献作为现有技术的几种典型情形包括：传统印刷期刊、电子 ...

Core Viewpoint - The European Patent Office (EPO) ruled in favor of Borealis, allowing it to continue producing polyolefin elastomer (POE) films, concluding an eight-year patent dispute with Mitsui Chemicals [2][6]. Group 1: Patent Dispute Overview - The dispute originated from Mitsui Chemicals' European patent EP2626911B1, granted in November 2017 for its ENGAGE® 8400 POE material, aimed at creating a technological barrier in the photovoltaic POE encapsulant film market [3]. - Borealis challenged the patent in August 2018, arguing it lacked inventiveness due to the existence of similar solar cell encapsulation polymer products in the market prior to Mitsui's patent application [4]. - EPO's final ruling in July 2025 determined that Mitsui's patent was invalid based on the concept of "market publicness," indicating that existing technology must be assessed based on its public availability rather than its extractability [5]. Group 2: Market Dynamics and Trends - POE has gained significant traction in recent years, with major players like Dow, Mitsui, ExxonMobil, LG Chem, SK, and SABIC dominating the market. China has been heavily reliant on imports, with approximately 860,000 tons imported in 2023 [7]. - The penetration rate of POE in N-type module encapsulation has increased from 20% to 40%, squeezing the high-end EVA market and driving global demand for POE to 1.5 million tons [8]. Group 3: POE Product Types and Applications - Main types of POE include four-carbon POE and eight-carbon POE. Four-carbon POE is cost-effective and widely used in general products, while eight-carbon POE offers superior performance in extreme conditions but has higher production costs due to reliance on imported raw materials [9][10]. - Four-carbon POE is primarily used in cost-sensitive products, while eight-carbon POE is utilized in high-performance applications such as automotive parts and high-end packaging [10]. Group 4: Technological Barriers and Innovations - Key technological barriers in POE production include metallocene catalyst systems, sourcing high-carbon α-olefins, and solution polymerization processes. The catalyst's high-temperature resistance and equipment costs are significant challenges [11]. - Recent breakthroughs in the synthesis of 1-octene, a crucial raw material, have been achieved, with several companies establishing industrial trial facilities for its production [12]. - The China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation announced successful advancements in reactor heat control and polymer stability, leading to the development of a thousand-ton/year solution method for high-end elastomers [13]. Group 5: Future Directions - Future developments in POE materials are expected to focus on sustainability and multifunctionality, including the creation of bio-based, biodegradable, and recyclable POE products, as well as enhancements through the incorporation of nanoparticles and fibers [14].