Legal analysis: Under normal circumstances, the examination of patent substance generally means that the patent office should not only examine the formal requirements of the application, but also examine whether the invention in the application meets the substantive requirements of novelty, creativity and practicality. Within three years from the date of application, China National Intellectual Property Administration may, at any time, at the request of the applicant, conduct a substantive examination of his application.
Legal basis: Article 34 of the Patent Law of People's Republic of China (PRC). After receiving an application for a patent for invention, the administrative department for patent in the State Council, after preliminary examination, finds that it conforms to the provisions of this Law, and shall publish it within 18 months from the date of application. The patent administration department of the State Council may publish its application at an early date upon the request of the applicant.