August 2017

論述商標識別性強弱時 不得區隔或割裂商標文字進行審查(台灣)

陳品蓉 律師
最高行政法院於民國105年5月12日作成105年判字第231號判決(下稱本號判決)指出,論述商標識別性強弱時,不得區隔或割裂商標文字進行審查。
本號判決事實為參加人經被上訴人申請准予註冊「kbro 凱擘大寬頻SMOD及圖(三)」商標(系爭商標),後經上訴人以系爭商標提起異議,經被上訴人審查為異議不成立之行政處分。上訴人不服,循序提起本案行政訴訟。
本號判決指出在論述商標混淆誤認之虞因素之一的識別性強弱時,應先就各該系爭商標及據以異議商標之整體予以觀察,再比對兩商標識別性之強弱,並無必要先區隔或割裂各該商標構成商標之一部分觀察有無識別性。
本號判決進而認為本件在審查混淆誤認之虞之識別性強弱因素時,應就附圖所示系爭商標(即圖樣由類似「k」字設計圖、「kbro」、「凱擘大寬頻」及「SMOD」,由左至右排列所組成)及據以異議商標(據以異議商標其一圖樣由立體方塊圖形、「MOD」及「中華電信」,乃左至右排列所組成;據以異議商標其二圖樣由「天天」與「MOD」,經上下排列所組成)之整體審查其識別性,再予以比對兩商標同具識別性亦可)判斷,並無必要區隔或割裂商標圖樣之「MOD」部分商標圖案文字贅予論述其識別性,是以原判決區隔或割裂系爭商標「MOD」文字,贅論係通用名稱不具識別性云云,自屬不合,亦不符判斷混淆誤認之虞步驟。惟本號判決認為原審判決贅論上述部分,並不影響判決結果為由,仍駁回上訴。

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