Legal analysis: According to the patent law, the protection period of invention patent is 20 years. If the applicant wants to protect the invention patent within 20 years, he must pay the annual fee. The annual fee has nothing to do with the value of the invention itself, but with the type of patent and the year when the annual fee is paid. Among the three kinds of patents, the annual fee of invention patent is the highest, and the annual fee of utility model patent and design patent is the same. For example, the annual fee for the invention patent in the eighth year is 2000 yuan, while the annual fee for the utility model and design patent in the same period is 1200 yuan. For the same kind of patent right, the amount of annual fee payable is the same, and the amount of annual fee increases with the continuation of protection time, and a progressive system is implemented. For example, the annual fee for utility model and design patent is 2000 yuan in 600 yuan from the first year to the third year, 900 yuan from the fourth year to the fifth year, 1.200 yuan from the sixth year to the eighth year, and 2000 yuan from the ninth year to the tenth year. The amount of the annual fee shall be determined according to the year in which the patent right is granted. For example, if the application date of a utility model patent is March 1 day, 2000 and the authorization date is May 1 day, then the annual fee for the second year should be paid when the patent right is granted, not the annual fee for the first year. The annual fee for the third year is paid in the following year, and so on.
Legal basis: Article 42 of the Patent Law of People's Republic of China (PRC) has a term of 20 years, and the term of utility model patent and design patent is 10 years, counting from the date of filing.