According to the Patent Law, the examination and approval procedure of an application for a patent for invention includes five stages: acceptance, preliminary examination, publication, actual examination and authorization. However, the application for utility model and design has only three stages, and there is no early publication and substantive examination.
One: Acceptance stage
After receiving the patent application, the Patent Office will examine it. If the conditions for acceptance are met, the Patent Office shall determine the date of application, give the application number, and after checking the list of documents, issue an acceptance notice to inform the applicant. The application documents are not printed, printed, illegible or altered; Or drawings and pictures are not drawn with drawing tools and black ink, and the photos are blurred and altered; Or the application documents are incomplete; Or the name or address of the applicant is not known in the request; Or the patent application category is unclear or uncertain, and the patent application sent directly by foreign units and individuals without foreign-related patent agencies will not be accepted.
2: A patent application accepted in the preliminary examination stage will automatically enter the preliminary examination stage if the application fee is paid according to the regulations. Before the preliminary examination, the application for a patent for invention must be examined in confidentiality, and if confidentiality is required, it shall be handled in accordance with the confidentiality procedures.
In the preliminary examination, it is necessary to examine whether there are obvious defects in the application, mainly including whether the contents of the examination fall within the scope of the patent law that does not grant the patent right, whether the obvious lack of technical content does not constitute a technical scheme, whether it lacks singularity, whether the application documents are complete and whether the format meets the requirements. If it is a foreign applicant, it is necessary to conduct qualification examination and application formalities examination. If it is unqualified, the Patent Office will notify the applicant to make corrections or statements within the prescribed time limit. If no reply is made within the time limit, the application shall be deemed to be withdrawn. If the defect has not been eliminated after the reply, it shall be rejected. Where an application for a patent for invention has passed the preliminary examination, a notice of passing the preliminary examination shall be issued. In addition to the above examination, the application for a patent for utility model and design shall also be examined whether it is obviously the same as the existing patent, not a new technical scheme or a new design, and no reason for rejection has been found after preliminary examination. Will directly enter the authorization instruction.
Three: the announcement stage
The application for a patent for invention has entered the publication stage since the issuance of the notice of preliminary examination. If the applicant does not make a request for early publication, it will not enter the public preparation procedure until 15 months after the application date. If the applicant requests to be made public in advance, the application will immediately enter the public preparation procedure. After format review, editing and proofreading, computer processing, typesetting and printing, about three months later, the abstract of its instructions was published in the Patent Gazette, and a brochure was published. After the application is published, the applicant has the right to temporary protection.
IV: Substantive review stage
After the publication of the application for a patent for invention, if the applicant makes a request for substantive examination and it has taken effect, the applicant will enter the actual trial procedure. Where an application for a patent for invention has not been submitted for trial within three years from the date of application, or the request for trial has not taken effect, the application shall be deemed to have been withdrawn.
In the actual trial process, whether the patent application is novel, creative and practical will be comprehensively examined. After examination, if it is found that the application does not meet the authorization conditions or there are various defects, the applicant will be notified to state his opinions or make amendments within the specified time. If no reply is made within the time limit, the application shall be deemed to have been withdrawn. If the application still fails to meet the requirements after repeated replies, the application shall be rejected. The actual probation period is very long. If it is not authorized within two years from the date of application, the application maintenance fee shall be paid every year from the third year. Failing to pay within the time limit shall be deemed to have withdrawn the application.
If the substantive examination finds no reason for rejection, it shall enter the authorization procedure as required.
V: Authorization stage
If the application for a patent for utility model or design is not found to be rejected after preliminary examination, and the application for a patent for invention has been substantially examined, the examiner will make a notice of authorization and apply for authorization to register. The Patent Office examines the legal effect and completeness of the authorized text, proofreads and modifies the description items of the patent application, and then issues a notice of authorization and a notice of registration. After receiving the notice, the applicant shall go through the registration formalities in accordance with the requirements of the notice and pay the prescribed fees within 2 months. If the registration formalities are completed on schedule, the Patent Office will grant a patent right, issue a patent certificate, record it in the patent register, and announce it in the patent bulletin two months later. Failure to go through the registration formalities in accordance with the provisions shall be regarded as giving up the right to obtain the patent right.
VI. What do patent granting units and patent grades mean?
Patent level is also the patent type: 1, appearance patent; 2. Patent for utility model; 3. Invention patents
Among them, the invention patent has the widest scope of protection and the most stable legal status.
The awarding unit means that the patentee of the patent is a unit, or the patentee can be an individual, which is chosen by the applicant.
What does the first year of patent mean?
The patent year is counted from the date of application, which has nothing to do with the priority date and authorization date, and is not necessarily related to the natural year. For example, the filing date of a patent application is 1 June 1999 1 day, the first year of patent application is 1 June 19991day to May 3, 2000/day, and the second year is1day to 20/day.
legal ground
Article 26 of the Patent Law of People's Republic of China (PRC)
To apply for a patent for invention or utility model, a written request, a specification, an abstract thereof, a patent claim and other documents shall be submitted. 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 immediately after 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.
Article 35 of the Patent Law of People's Republic of China (PRC)
Within three years from the date of filing, the patent administration department of the State Council may conduct substantive examination according to the request made by the applicant at any time;
If the applicant fails to request substantive examination within the time limit without justifiable reasons, the application shall be deemed to have been withdrawn.
Article 39 of the Patent Law of People's Republic of China (PRC)
If the application for a patent for invention is rejected after substantive examination, the administrative department for patent in the State Council shall make a decision to grant the patent right for invention, issue a patent certificate for invention, and register and announce it at the same time. The invention patent right shall take effect as of the date of announcement.