1, principle of legal form. All procedures for patent application must be handled in written form or in other forms stipulated by China National Intellectual Property Administration Patent Office, otherwise it will be invalid.
2. The principle of oneness. It means that a patent application document can only file a patent application for one invention and creation.
3. Apply first. Where two or more applicants apply for a patent for the same invention-creation, the patent right shall be granted to the first applicant. Precautions:
(1) For the determination of the patent application date, the date when the patent administrative department of the State Council receives the complete patent application documents is the patent application date.
(2) If the application documents are mailed, the postmark date of mailing shall be the application date. If the postmark date is unclear, unless the parties concerned can provide proof, the date when the Patent Office receives the patent application documents shall be the filing date.
(3) Where the patent applicant enjoys priority, the priority date shall be the filing date.
4. The principle of priority. Where an applicant for a patent files an application for a patent for an invention-creation with the same theme within the statutory time limit after filing the patent application for the first time, the date of the first application shall be the filing date. This right is called priority, and the so-called statutory time limit here is the priority time limit.