legal analysis: announcement of preliminary examination. If the applicant has no special requirements, the announcement period is 18 months.
legal basis: article 34 of the patent law. after receiving an application for a patent for invention, the administrative department for patent in the State Council, after preliminary examination, finds that it meets the requirements of this law, and will 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.