1. When applying for an invention or utility model patent, a request, description, abstract, claims and other documents should be submitted. The request shall state the name of the invention or utility model, the name of the inventor, the name and address of the applicant, and other matters. The description shall provide a clear and complete description of the invention or utility model, which shall be subject to the ability of a person skilled in the technical field to realize it; when necessary, there shall be accompanying drawings. The abstract should briefly describe the technical key points of the invention or utility model. The claims should be based on the description and clearly and briefly define the scope of patent protection requested. For inventions and creations that rely on genetic resources, the applicant shall state the direct source and original source of the genetic resource in the patent application document; if the applicant is unable to explain the original source, the applicant shall state the reasons.
2. When applying for a design patent, a request, pictures or photos of the design, a brief description of the design and other documents should be submitted. The relevant pictures or photos submitted by the applicant should clearly show the design of the product for which patent protection is sought.
3. The date when the patent administration department of the State Council receives the patent application documents is the filing date. If the application documents are mailed, the postmark date shall be the date of application.
4. Within twelve months from the date when the applicant first filed a patent application for the invention or utility model in a foreign country, or six months from the date when the applicant first filed a patent application for a design in a foreign country. If a patent application is filed in China on the same subject within the same month, the foreign country may enjoy priority in accordance with the agreement signed by the foreign country with China or an international treaty to which both countries are party, or in accordance with the principle of mutual recognition of priority. If the applicant files another patent application for the same subject with the Patent Administration Department of the State Council within twelve months from the date of first filing a patent application for an invention or utility model in China, the applicant may enjoy priority.
5. If the applicant claims priority, he shall make a written statement when applying and submit a copy of the first patent application document within three months; if the applicant fails to make a written statement or fails to do so within the time limit, If a copy of the patent application document is submitted, it will be deemed that no priority has been claimed.
6. An invention or utility model patent application shall be limited to one invention or utility model. Two or more inventions or utility models belonging to one general inventive concept can be filed as one application. A design patent application shall be limited to one design. Two or more similar designs for the same product, or two or more designs for products of the same category that are sold or used in sets, can be submitted as one application
7. The applicant can apply after being granted Patents may withdraw their patent applications at any time.
8. Applicants may modify their patent application documents. However, modifications to invention and utility model patent application documents shall not exceed the scope recorded in the original description and claims. Design patent application documents shall not exceed the scope recorded in the original description and claims. Modifications must not exceed the scope of the original image or photo.