Legal basis: Article 4 of the Measures for the Reduction and Exemption of Patent Annual Fees. If the applicant or the patentee is an individual, he may request to postpone the payment of 85% of the application fee, the examination fee and annual fee of the application for a patent for invention and 80% of the maintenance fee and reexamination fee of the application for a patent for invention. Where the applicant or the patentee is a unit, it may request a postponement of 70% of the application fee, examination fee and annual fee for an application for a patent for invention, and 60% of the maintenance fee and examination fee for an application for a patent for invention. Where two or more individuals or individuals and units apply for a patent at the same time, they may request that 70% of the application fee, examination fee and annual fee for an application for a patent for invention and 60% of the maintenance fee and examination fee for an application for a patent for invention be deferred.