Legal basis: People's Republic of China (PRC) Patent Law.
Article 26 Where an applicant applies for a patent for invention or utility model, he shall submit the written request, specification and its abstract, patent right and other documents.
The request shall specify the name of the invention or utility model, the name of the inventor, the name and address of the applicant and other matters.
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. The technical points of the invention or utility model shall be briefly explained.
The patent claim shall be based on the specification, and clearly and briefly define the scope of patent protection.
For inventions that rely on genetic resources, the applicant shall state the direct source and original source of genetic resources in the patent application documents; If the applicant cannot explain the original source, it shall explain the reasons.
Article 27 To apply for a patent for design, a written request, a picture or photograph of the design, a brief description of the design and other documents shall be submitted.
The relevant pictures or photographs submitted by the applicant shall clearly indicate the design of the product for which patent protection is required.
Article 28 The date when the patent administrative department in the State Council receives the patent application documents shall be the filing date. If the application documents are mailed, the postmark date of mailing shall be the application date.
Article 29 Where an applicant applies for a patent for invention or utility model for the first time in a foreign country within twelve months, or applies for a patent for design for the first time in a foreign country within six months, and applies for a patent on the same subject in China, he may enjoy the priority in accordance with the agreement signed between that country and China or the international treaties to which both countries are parties, or in accordance with the principle of mutual recognition of priority.
Applicants who file a patent application for invention or utility model for the first time in China within 12 months, or apply for a patent for design for the first time in China within 6 months may enjoy priority.
Article 30 Where an applicant claims the priority of a patent for invention or utility model, he shall make a written statement at the time of application and submit a copy of the first patent application document within 16 months from the date of filing the first application.
Where an applicant claims the priority of a design patent, he shall make a written statement at the time of application and submit a copy of the first patent application document within three months.
Where the applicant fails to submit a written statement or a copy of the patent application documents within the time limit, it shall be deemed that the priority has not been claimed.
Article 31 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 design shall be limited to one design. Two or more similar designs of the same product, or two or more designs of products used in the same category and sold or used in sets, may be filed as one application.
Article 32 An applicant may withdraw his patent application at any time before being granted the patent right.
Article 33 An applicant may modify the 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.