(1) 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) Preliminary review stage
If the accepted patent application pays the application fee in accordance with the regulations, it will automatically enter the preliminary examination stage. 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 If no reply is made within the time limit, the application shall be deemed to be withdrawn.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.
(3) Publishing 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 18 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.
(4) substantive examination 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. If the applicant fails to make a request for real trial within three years from the date of application, or the request for real trial does not take 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.
(5) 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.
Matters needing attention
(1) To apply for a patent for invention or utility model, the applicant shall submit the written request, specification and its abstract, claims and other documents. The request shall specify the name of the invention or utility model, the name of the inventor or designer, the name and address of the applicant and other matters.
(2) The specification shall give a clear and complete description of the invention or utility model, which shall be subject to the realization of the technical personnel in the technical field; Attached drawings shall be attached when necessary.
(3) The abstract shall briefly explain the technical points of the invention or utility model. The patent claim shall be based on the specification and indicate the scope of patent protection. To apply for a patent for a design, the applicant shall submit a request, a picture or photograph of the design and other documents, and shall specify the product and its category in which the design is used.
(4) The date when the Patent Office receives the patent application documents is the filing date. If the application documents are mailed, the postmark date of mailing shall be the application date. An applicant who applies for a patent for invention or utility model for the first time in a foreign country within 12 months, or for a patent for design for the first time in a foreign country within 6 months, and applies for a patent on the same subject in China, may enjoy the priority according to the agreement signed by the foreign country and China or the international treaties to which they are both parties, or according to the principle of mutual recognition of priority.
(5) Where an applicant files an application for a patent for invention or utility model in China for the first time within 12 months, he may enjoy priority. Where the applicant claims priority, he shall make a written statement at the time of application and submit a copy of the first patent application document within three months; Failing to submit a written statement or a copy of the patent application documents within the time limit shall be deemed as not claiming priority.
(6) An application for a patent for an invention or utility model shall be limited to one invention or utility model. Two or more inventions or utility models belonging to a general inventive concept may be filed as one application. An application for a patent for a design shall be limited to a design used by a product. Two or more designs of products sold or used in the same category in sets may be filed as one application. The applicant may withdraw his patent application at any time before being granted the patent right. The applicant may modify his patent application documents, but the modification of the application documents for patents for inventions and utility models shall not exceed the scope recorded in the original specifications and claims, and the modification of the application documents for patents for designs shall not exceed the scope shown in the original pictures or photographs.
(7) A patent for invention refers to a patent granted by proposing a brand-new solution to the existing technical problems arising from creative activities. An inventor may apply to the Patent Office for a patent for invention according to law. Therefore, it is necessary to fill in an application for a patent for invention. Matters needing attention when filling out an application for a patent for invention: when applying for a patent for invention, documents such as the request, specification, patent claim and abstract of the specification shall be submitted. The application documents are in duplicate, and copying is allowed, but the signature of the applicant or agency is not allowed; The application must be filled in Chinese. If there is no unified Chinese translation of the foreigner's name and place, the original text should be indicated: if this form cannot be filled in, a blank sheet of paper can be attached, but it must be the same size and quality as this form, and the column number should be indicated when it is added; Other matters needing attention shall be handled in accordance with the requirements of the Patent Office.