Legal analysis: Only inventions or major technological innovations are meritorious services. Ordinary patents do not constitute meritorious service.
Legal basis: Article 78 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China and the People's Republic of China Education and reform, and those who have truly shown repentance or performed meritorious services may have their sentences reduced; those who have performed one of the following major meritorious services shall have their sentences reduced: (1) Preventing other people from major criminal activities; (2) Reporting major criminal activities inside or outside the prison, Verified to be true; (3) Having inventions or major technological innovations; (4) Sacrificing oneself to save others in daily production and life; (5) Having outstanding performance in resisting natural disasters or eliminating major accidents; (6) Making other significant contributions to the country and society.