Chapter IV Examination and Approval of Patent Applications

Article 34 Upon receipt of an invention patent application, if the patent administration department under the State Council, after preliminary examination, confirms that the application meets the requirements of this Law, it shall publish the application within 18 full months from the date of application. And it may do so at an earlier date upon request of the applicant.

Article 35 Within three years from the date an invention patent application is filed, the patent administration department under the State Council may, upon request made by the applicant at any time, carry out substantive examination of the application. If the applicant, without legitimate reasons, fails to request substantive examination at the expiration of the time limit, such application shall be deemed to have been withdrawn.

The patent administration department under the State Council may carry out substantive examination of its own accord, as it deems it necessary.

Article 36 When an applicant for an invention patent requests substantive examination, he shall submit the reference materials relating to the invention existing prior to the date of application.

If an application has been filed for an invention patent in a foreign country, the patent administration department under the State Council may require the applicant to submit, within a specified time limit, materials concerning any search made for the purpose of examining the application in that country, or materials concerning the results of any examination made in the country. In the event of the applicant's failure to comply at the expiration of the specified time limit without legitimate reasons, the application shall be deemed to be withdrawn.

Article 37 After the patent administration department under the State Council has made the substantive examination of the invention patent application, if it finds that the application does not conform to the provisions of this Law, it shall notify the applicant of the need to state its opinions within a specified time limit or to make amendment to the application. In the event of the applicant's failure to comply at the expiration of the specified time limit without legitimate reasons, the application shall be deemed to be withdrawn.

Article 38 After the applicant states his opinions on or makes amendment to the invention patent application, if the patent administration department under the State Council still believes the application does not conform to the provisions of this Law, it shall reject the application.

Article 39 If no reason for rejection is discerned after an invention patent application is substantively examined, the patent administration department under the State Council shall make a decision on granting of the invention patent right, issue an invention patent certificate, and meanwhile register and announce the same. The invention patent right shall become effective as of the date of announcement.

Article 40 If no reason for rejection is discerned after preliminary examination of a utility model or design patent application, the patent administration department under the State Council shall make a decision on granting of the utility model or design patent right, issue a corresponding patent certificate, and meanwhile register and announce the same. The utility model patent right and the design patent right shall become effective as of the date of announcement.

Article 41 The patent administration department under the State Council shall establish a patent review board. If a patent applicant is dissatisfied with the decision made by the Patent Administration Department under the State Council on rejecting of the application, he may, within three months from the date of receipt of the notification, file a request with the patent review board for review. After review, the Patent Review Board shall make a decision and notify the patent applicant of the same.

If the patent applicant is dissatisfied with the review decision made by the patent review board, he may take legal action before the people's court within three months from the date of receipt of the notification.