Patent level 13 refers to the different confidentiality levels that patent applicants can choose when applying for a patent. According to the "Patent Law" and its implementing regulations, patent confidentiality levels range from one to thirteen. One level is the public standard confidentiality level, and level 13 is the highest confidentiality level. Only state secrets or important interests are involved. Only patents with patents can choose this level for protection.
The establishment of thirteen levels of patents can effectively protect the country’s core technologies and business secrets, prevent the leakage of technology and information, and ensure national security and stable economic development. At the same time, compared with other internationally commonly used patent protection levels, such as the United States' Confidential level mark (Confidential), China's patent confidentiality level settings are clearer, more targeted and operable, which greatly improves the efficiency of patent protection. and operability.
However, there are certain problems and challenges in the practical application of patent level 13. On the one hand, patent applicants need to carefully weigh the applicant's own needs and the technical content of the patent when choosing a patent level to avoid being too confidential and affecting the application and use of the patent. On the other hand, the pros and cons of confidentiality and disclosure also need to be weighed during the patent review process. In particular, when deciding whether to grant a patent, it is necessary to carefully consider whether the patent involves state secrets or involves national security and economic development and stability.