中华人民共和国专利法（修正）（2）（附英文）

（题注：1984年3月12日第六届全国人民代表大会常务委员会第四次会议通过  根据1992年9月4日第七届全国人民代表大会常务委员会第二十七次会议《关于修改＜中华人民共和国专利法＞的决定》修正）

上接〖中华人民共和国专利法（修正）（1）（附英文）〗

Article 27.

Where an application for apatent for design is filed, a request, drawings

or  photographs  of  the design  shall  be  submitted, and  the  product

incorporating the design and theclass to which that product belongs shall

be indicated.

Article 28.

The date on which the PatentOffice receives the application shall be  the

date of filing. If theapplication is sent by mail, the date  of  mailing

indicated by the postmark shallbe the date of filing.

Article 29. [*5]

Where, within twelve months fromthe date on  which any  applicant  first

filed in a foreign country anapplication for a patent for  invention  or

utility model, or within sixmonths from the date on which any  applicant

first filed in a foreign countryan application for a patent for  design,

he or it files in China anapplication for a patent for the same  subject

matter, he or it may, inaccordance with any agreement concluded  between

the  said  foreign country  and  China,  or in   accordance  with   any

international treaty to whichboth countries are party, or on the basis of

the principle of mutualrecognition of the  right of  priority,  enjoy  a

right of priority.

Where, within twelve months fromthe date on  which any  applicant  first

filed in China an applicationfor a patent for invention or utility model,

he or it files with the PatentOffice an application for a patent for  the

same subject matter, he or itmay enjoy a right of priority.

Article 30. [*6]

Any applicant who claimsthe  right  of priority  shall  make  a written

declaration when the  application  is filed,  and  submit,  within three

months, a copy of the patentapplication document which was first filed;

if the applicant fails to makethe written declaration or to meet the time

limit for submitting the patentapplication document,  the claim  to  the

right of priority shall bedeemed not to have been made.

Article 31.

An application for apatent  for invention  or  utility  model shall  be

limited to one invention orutility  model. Two  or  more  inventions or

utility models belonging to asingle  general inventive  concept  may  be

filed as oneapplication.

An application for a patent fordesign shall  be limited  to  one  design

incorporated in one product. Twoor more designs which are incorporated in

products belonging to the sameclass and are sold or used in sets may  be

filed as oneapplication.

Article 32.

An applicant may withdraw his orits application for a patent at any time

before the patent right isgranted.

Article 33. [*7]

An applicant may amend hisor  its  application  for  a  patent, but  the

amendment to the application fora patent for invention or utility  model

may not go beyond the scope ofthe disclosure  contained in  the  initial

description and claims, and theamendment to the application for a patent

for design may not go beyond thescope of the disclosure as shown in  the

initial drawings orphotographs.

    Chapter IV EXAMINATION AND APPROVAL OF APPLICATION FORPATENT

Article 34. [*8]

Where, after receiving anapplication for  a patent  for  invention,  the

Patent Office, upon preliminaryexamination, finds the application to  be

in conformity with therequirements of this  Law, it  shall  publish  the

application promptly after theexpiration of eighteen months from the date

of filing. Upon the request ofthe applicant, the Patent Office publishes

the applicationearlier.

Article 35.

Upon the request of theapplicant for a patent for invention, made at  any

time within three years from thedate of filing, the  Patent Office  will

proceed to examine theapplication as to its substance. If,  without  any

justified  reason,  the applicant  fails  to  meet the  time  limit  for

requesting examination as tosubstance, the application shall be deemed to

have been withdrawn.

The Patent Office may, onits  own  initiative,  proceed  to  examine any

application for a patent forinvention as to its substance when it  deems

it necessary.

Article 36.

When the applicant for a patentfor invention requests examination as  to

substance, he or itshall  furnish pre-filing  date  reference  materials

concerning theinvention.  The applicant for a patent  for  invention who

has filed in a foreign countryan application for a patent for  the  same

invention shall, at the time ofrequesting examination  as to  substance,

furnish documents concerning anysearch made for the purpose of examining

that application, or concerningthe results of any  examination  made,  in

that country. If, without anyjustified reason, the said documents are not

furnished, the application shallbe deemed to have been withdrawn.

Article 37.

Where the Patent Office, afterit has made the examination as to substance

of the application for a patentfor invention, finds that the application

is not in conformity with theprovisions of this Law, it shall notify  the

applicant and request him or itto submit, within a specified time limit,

his or its observations orto  amend  the application.  If,  without any

justified reason, the time limitfor  making  response is  not  met,  the

application shall be deemed tohave been withdrawn.

Article 38.

Where, after the applicant hasmade the observations  or amendments,  the

Patent Office finds that theapplication for a  patent for  invention  is

still not in conformity with theprovisions of this Law, the  application

shall be rejected.

Article 39. [*9]

Where it is found afterexamination as to substance that there is no cause

for rejection of the applicationfor a patent for  invention, the  Patent

Office shall make a decision togrant  the patent  right  for  invention,

issue the certificate of patentfor invention, and register and  announce

it.

Article 40. [*10]

Where it isfound after preliminary examination that there is no cause for

rejection of the application fora patent for utility model or design, the

Patent Office shall make adecision to grant the patent right for  utility

model  or  the patent  right  for  design, issue  the  relevant   patent

certificate, and register andannounce it.

Article 41. [*11]

Where, within six months fromthe date of the announcement of the grant of

the patent right by the PatentOffice, any entity or individual considers

that the grant of the saidpatent right is  not in  conformity  with  the

relevant provisions of this Law,it or he may request the Patent Office to

revoke the patentright.

Article 42. [*12]

The Patent Office shall examinethe request for revocation of the  patent

right, make a decision revokingor upholding the patent right, and notify

the person who made the requestand the patentee.  The decision  revoking

the patent right shall beregistered and announced by the Patent Office.

Article 43. [*13]

The Patent Office shall set up aPatent  Reexamination  Board.  Where  any

party is not satisfied with thedecision of the  Patent Office  rejecting

the application,  or  the decision  of  the  Patent Office  revoking  or

upholding the patent right, suchparty may, within three months from  the

date of receipt ofthe  notification,  request the  Patent Reexamination

Board to make a reexamination.The Patent Reexamination Board shall, after

reexamination, make a decisionand notify the applicant, the patentee  or

the person who made the requestfor revocation of the patent right.

Where the applicantfor  a  patent for  invention,  the  patentee of  an

invention or the person who madethe request for revocation of the patent

right for invention is notsatisfied  with the  decision  of  the Patent

Reexamination Board, he or itmay, within three months from the  date  of

receipt of the notification,institute legal proceedings in the  people's

court.

The decision of the PatentReexamination Board in respect of any  request,

made by the applicant, thepatentee or the person who made the request for

revocation of the patent right,for  reexamination  concerning a  utility

model or design isfinal.

Article 44. [*14]

Any patent right which has beenrevoked shall be deemed to be nonexistent

from the beginning.

    Chapter V DURATION, CESSATION AND INVALIDATION OFPATENT RIGHT

Article 45. [*15]

The duration of patent right forinventions shall  be twenty  years,  the

duration of patent right forutility models and patent right for  designs

shall be ten years, counted fromthe date of filing.

Article 46.

The patentee shall pay an annualfee beginning with the year in which  the

patent right wasgranted.

Article 47.

In any of the following cases,the patent right  shall cease  before  the

expiration of itsduration:

(1) where an annual fee is notpaid as prescribed;

(2) where the patentee abandonshis or  its patent  right  by  a written

declaration.  Anycessation of the patent right shall be  registered  and

announced by the PatentOffice.

Article 48. [*16]

Where,  after  the expiration  of  six  months from  the  date  of  the

announcement of the grant of thepatent right by the  Patent Office,  any

entity or individual considersthat the grant of the said patent right  is

not in conformity with therelevant provisions of this Law, it or  he  may

request the  Patent  Reexamination  Board  to  declare the  patent  right

invalid.

Article 49.

The Patent Reexamination Boardshall examine the request for invalidation

of the patent right, make adecision and notify the person who  made  the

request and the patentee. Thedecision declaring the patent right invalid

shall be registered andannounced by the Patent Office.

Where any  party  is not  satisfied  with  the decision  of  the  Patent

Reexamination Board declaringthe patent right for  invention invalid  or

upholding the patent right forinvention, such  party may,  within  three

months from receipt of thenotification of the decision, institute  legal

proceedings in the people'scourt.

The decision of the PatentReexamination Board in respect of a request  to

declare invalid the patent rightfor utility model or design is final.

Article 50. [*17]

Any patent right which has beendeclared invalid shall  be deemed  to  be

nonexistent from thebeginning.

The decision of invalidationshall  have no  retroactive  effect  on any

judgement or order on patentinfringement which has  been pronounced  and

enforced by the people's court,on any decision concerning the handling of

patent infringement which hasbeen made and enforced by the administrative

authority for patent affairs,and on any contract of patent license and of

assignment of patent  right  which have  been  performed,  prior to  the

decision of invalidation;however, the damages caused to other persons  in

bad faith on the part of thepatentee shall be compensated.

If, pursuant to the provisionsof the preceding paragraph, no  repayment,

by the patentee or the assignorof the patent right to the licensee or the

assignee of the patent right, ofthe  fee  for the  exploitation  of  the

patent or the price for theassignment of the patent right  is  obviously

contrary to the principle ofequity, the patentee or the assignor  of  the

patent right shall repay thewhole or part of the fee for the exploitation

of the patent or the price forthe assignment of the patent right to  the

licensee or the assignee of thepatent right.

The provisions of the second andthird paragraph  of this  Article  shall

apply to the patent right whichhas been revoked.

    Chapter VI COMPULSORY LICENSE FOR EXPLOITATION OF THEPATENT

Article 51. [*18]

Where any entity which isqualified to exploit the invention  or  utility

model has  made  requests for  authorization  from  the patentee  of  an

invention or utility model toexploit its  or his  patent  on  reasonable

terms and such efforts have notbeen successful within a reasonable period

of time, the Patent Office may,upon the application of that entity, grant

a compulsory license to exploitthe patent for invention or utility model.

Article 52. [*19]

Where a national emergency or anyextraordinary state of  affairs occurs,

or where the public interest sorequires, the Patent Office may  grant  a

compulsory license to exploitthe patent for invention or utility model.

Article 53.

Where the invention orutility  model for  which  the  patent right  was

granted is technically moreadvanced than  another invention  or  utility

model  for  which a  patent  right  has been  granted  earlier  and the

exploitation of thelater  invention or  utility  model  depends on  the

exploitation of the earlierinvention or utility model, the Patent  Office

may, upon the request of thelater patentee, grant a compulsory license to

exploit the earlier invention orutility model.

Where, according tothe  preceding  paragraph, a  compulsory  license  is

granted, the Patent Office may,upon the request of the earlier patentee,

also grant a compulsory licenseto exploit the later invention or utility

model.

Article 54.

The entity or individualrequesting, in accordance with the provisions  of

this Law, a compulsory licensefor exploitation shall furnish proof  that

it or he has notbeen  able  to conclude  with  the  patentee a  license

contract for exploitation onreasonable terms.

Article 55.

The decision made by the PatentOffice granting a compulsory license  for

exploitation shall be registeredand announced.

Article 56.

Any entity  or  individual that  is  granted  a compulsory  license  for

exploitation shall not have anexclusive right to exploit and  shall  not

have the right to authorizeexploitation by any others.

Article 57.

The entity  or  individual that  is  granted  a compulsory  license  for

exploitation shall pay to thepatentee a reasonable exploitation fee,  the

amount of which shall be fixedby both parties in consultations. Where the

parties fail to reach anagreement, the Patent Office shall adjudicate.

Article 58.

Where the patentee is notsatisfied with the decision of the Patent Office

granting a compulsory licensefor exploitation or  with the  adjudication

regarding the exploitation feepayable for exploitation, he  or  it  may,

within three months from thereceipt of the notification, institute  legal

proceedings in the people'scourt.

    Chapter VII PROTECTION OF PATENT RIGHT

Article 59.

The extent of protection of thepatent  right for  invention  or  utility

model shall be determined by theterms of the claims. The description  and

the appended drawings may beused to interpret the claims.

The extent  of  protection of  the  patent  right for  design  shall  be

determined by the productincorporating the patented design as  shown  in

the drawings orphotographs.

Article 60.

For any exploitation ofthe  patent,  without the  authorization  of  the

patentee, constituting aninfringing act, the patentee or any  interested

party may requestthe  administrative  authority for  patent  affairs  to

handle the matter ormay  directly  institute legal  proceedings  in  the

people's court. Theadministrative authority for patent affairs  handling

the matter shall havethe  power  to order  the  infringer  to stop  the

infringing act and to compensatefor the damage.  Any party  dissatisfied

may, within three months fromthe receipt of the  notification,  institute

legal proceedings in thepeople's  court. If  such  proceedings  are not

instituted within the time limitand if the order is  not complied  with,

the administrative authority forpatent affairs may approach the people's

court for compulsoryexecution.

When any infringement disputearises, if the patent  for invention  is  a

process for the manufacture of anew product,  any entity  or  individual

manufacturing the identicalproduct shall furnish  proof of  the  process

used in the manufacture of itsor his product. [*20]

Article 61.

Prescription for institutinglegal proceedings concerning the infringement

of patent right is two yearscounted from the date on which the  patentee

or any interested party obtainsor should have obtained knowledge of  the

infringing act.

Article 62.

None of the following shall bedeemed an infringement of the patent right:

(1) Where, after the sale of apatented  product that  was  made  by the

patentee or with theauthorization of the patentee, any other person  uses

or sells that product;

(2) Where any person uses orsells a patented product not knowing that  it

was made and sold without theauthorization of the patentee;

(3) Where, before the date offiling of the application for  patent,  any

person who has already madethe  identical  product, used  the  identical

process, or made necessarypreparations for its making or using, continues

to make or use it within theoriginal scope only;

(4) Where any foreign means oftransport which temporarily passes through

the territory, territorialwaters or territorial airspace of  China  uses

the patent concerned, inaccordance with any agreement concluded  between

the country to which the foreignmeans of transport belongs and China,  or

in accordance with anyinternational treaty to which both  countries  are

party, or on the basis of theprinciple of reciprocity, for its own needs,

in its devices andinstallations;

(5) Where any person uses thepatent concerned solely for the purposes  of

scientific research andexperimentation.

Article 63.

Where any person passes off thepatent of another person, such passing off

shall be treated inaccordance  with Article  60  of  this Law.  If  the

circumstances are  serious,  any person  directly  responsible  shall be

prosecuted, for his  criminal  liability, by  applying  mutatis  mutandis

Article 127 of the CriminalLaw.

Where any person passes anyunpatented product off as patented product  or

passes any unpatented processoff as patented process, such person  shall

be ordered by the administrative authority for patent affairs to stop  the

passing off, correct itpublicly, and pay a fine. [*21]

Article 64.

Where any person, in violationof the provisions of  Article 20  of  this

Law, unauthorizedly files in aforeign country an application for a patent

that divulges an importantsecret of the State, he shall  be  subject  to

disciplinary sanctionby  the  entity to  which  he  belongs or  by  the

competent authority concerned atthe higher level.  If the  circumstances

are serious, he shall beprosecuted for his criminal liability  according

to the law.

Article 65.

Where any person usurps theright of an inventor or creator to apply for a

patent for a non serviceinvention-creation, or usurps any other right  or

interest of an inventor orcreator, prescribed by this Law, he  shall  be

subject to disciplinary sanctionby the entity to which he belongs or  by

the competent authority at thehigher level.

Article 66.

Where any staff member of thePatent Office, or any staff member concerned

of the State, acts wrongfullyout of personal  considerations  or  commits

fraudulent acts, he shallbe  subject  to disciplinary  sanction  by the

Patent Office or the competentauthority concerned. If the  circumstances

are serious, heshall  be prosecuted,  for  his  criminal liability,  by

applying mutatis mutandisArticle 188 of the Criminal Law.

    Chapter VIII SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS

Article 67.

Any application for a patentfiled with, and any other proceedings before,

the Patent Office shall besubject to the payment of a fee as prescribed.

Article 68.

The implementing Regulations ofthis Law shall be drawn up by the  Patent

Office and shall enter intoforce after approval by the State Council.

Article 69.

This Law shall enter into forceon April 1, 1985.

This Decision [*22]shall  enter into  force  on  January 1,  1993.  The

applications for patent filedbefore the entry into force of this Decision

and the patent rights granted onthe basis of the said applications shall

continue to be governed by theprovisions of the  Patent Law  before  its

amendment. However, theprocedures provided by the amended Articles 39  to

44 and the amended Article 48 ofthe Patent Law concerning the approval of

applications for patent, and therevocation and invalidation of the patent

right shall apply  to  the said  applications  which  are not  announced

according to the provisions ofArticles 39 and 40 of the Patent Law before

its amendment. (Extract from theDecision Regarding the  Revision of  the

Patent Law of the People'sRepublic of China, Adopted at the 27th  Session

of the Standing Committee of theSeventh  National People's  Congress  on

September 4, 1992)

[*1] This Table of Contents wasestablished for  the convenience  of  the

reader by the Patent LawsResearch Institute of the Chinese Patent Office.

The text of the PatentLaw  adopted  by the  Standing  Committee  of the

National People's Congress doesnot contain such a table and the Articles

have no titles in theLaw.

[*2] The texts of thosearticles  of the  Law  printed  in boldface  are

amended texts.  The  relevant old  texts  are,  for the  convenience  of

reference, printed in thefootnotes on the same page.

[*3] Old Article 11. After thegrant of the patent right for an invention

or utility model, except asprovided for in Article 14 of  this  Law,  no

entity or individualmay,  without  the authorization  of  the patentee,

exploit the patent, that is,make, use or sell the  patented product,  or

use the patented process, forproduction or business purposes.

After the grant of the patentright for a design, no entity or individual

may, without the authorizationof the patentee, exploit the patent,  that

is, make or sell the  product,  incorporating  the  patented  design, for

production or businesspurposes.

[*4] Old Article 25. For any ofthe following, no patent right  shall  be

granted:

(1) scientificdiscoveries;

(2) rules and methods for mentalactivities;

(3) methods for the diagnosis orfor the treatment of diseases;

(4) food, beverages andflavorings;

(5) pharmaceutical products andsubstances obtained by means of a chemical

process;

(6) animal and plantvarieties;

(7) substances obtained by meansof nuclear transformation.

For processes used in producingproducts referred to in items (4) to (6)

of the preceding paragraph,patent right may be granted in accordance with

the provisions of thisLaw.

[*5] Old Article 29.

Where any foreign applicantfiles an application in China  within  twelve

months from the date on which heor it first filed in a foreign country an

application for a patent for theidentical invention or utility model,  or

within six months from the dateon which he or it first filed in a foreign

country an application for apatent for the identical design,  he  or  it

may, in accordance with anyagreement concluded  between the  country  to

which he or it belongs andChina, or in accordance with any international

treaty to which both countriesare party, or on the basis of the principle

of mutual recognition of theright of priority, enjoy a right of priority,

that is, the date on which theapplication was first filed in the foreign

country shall be regarded as thedate of filing.

Where the applicant claims aright of priority and where one of the events

listed in Article 24 of this Lawoccurred, the  period of  the  right  of

priority shall be counted fromthe date on which the event occurred.

[*6] Old Article 30. Anyapplicant who claims the right of priority  shall

make a written declaration whenthe application is filed, indicating  the

date of filing of the earlierapplication in the foreign country and  the

country in which thatapplication was  filed, and  submit,  within  three

months, a copy of thatapplication document, certified by  the  competent

authority of that country; ifthe applicant  fails to  make  the  written

declaration or to meet the timelimit for  submitting the  document,  the

claim to the right of priorityshall be deemed not to have been made.

[*7] Old Article 33. Anapplicant may amend his or its application  for  a

patent, but may not go beyondthe scope of the disclosure contained in the

initial description.

[*8] Old Article 34. Where,after receiving an application for  a  patent

for invention, the PatentOffice, upon preliminary examination, finds  the

application to be in conformitywith the  requirements  of  this  Law, it

shall publish the applicationwithin 18 months from the date of filing.

Upon the request  of  the applicant,  the  Patent  Office publishes  the

application earlier.

[*9] Old Article 39. Where it isfound after examination as to  substance

that there is no cause forrejection of the application for a patent  for

invention, the Patent Officeshall make a decision, announce it and notify

the applicant.

[*10] Old Article 40. Where,after receiving the application for a  patent

for utility model or design,the  Patent  Office finds  upon  preliminary

examination that the applicationis in conformity with the requirements of

this Law, it shall not proceedto examine it as  to substance  but  shall

immediately make an announcementand notify the applicant.

[*11]Old  Article  41. Within  three  months  from the  date  of   the

announcement  of  the application  for  a  patent, any  person  may,  in

accordance with the provisionsof this Law, file with the Patent Office an

opposition to that application.The Patent Office shall send a copy of the

opposition to the applicant,to  which  the applicant  shall  respond  in

writing within three months fromthe date of its receipt; if, without  any

justified reason, the time limitfor making the written  response is  not

met, the application shall bedeemed to have been withdrawn.

[*12] Old Article 42. Where,after examination, the  Patent Office  finds

that the opposition isjustified, it shall make a decision to  reject  the

application and notify theopponent and the applicant.

[*13]Old  Article  43. The  Patent  Office  shall set  up   a   Patent

Reexamination Board.  Where  the applicant  is  not  satisfied with  the

decision of the Patent Officerejecting the application, he  or  it  may,

within three months from thedate of receipt of the notification,  request

the Patent  Reexamination  Board to  make  a  reexamination.  The  Patent

Reexamination Board shall, afterreexamination, make a decision and notify

the applicant.

Where the applicant for a patentfor invention is not satisfied with  the

decision of thePatent  Reexamination  Board  rejecting  the request  for

reexamination, he or it maywithin three months from the date of  receipt

of the notification, institutelegal proceedings in the people's court.

The decision of the PatentReexamination Board in respect of any  request

by the applicant forreexamination concerning a utility model or design is

final.

[*14] Old Article 44. Where noopposition to the application for a patent

is filed  or  where, after  its  examination,  the opposition  is  found

unjustified, the Patent Officeshall make a decision to grant the  patent

right, issue  the  patent certificate,  and  register and  announce  the

relevant matters.

[*15] Old Article 45. Theduration of patent right for inventions shall be

15 years counted from the dateof filing.

The duration of patent right forutility models or designs shall be  five

years counted from the date offiling. Before the expiration of the  said

term, the patentee may apply fora renewal for three years.

Where the patentee enjoys aright of  priority, the  duration  of  patent

right shall be counted from thedate on which the application was filed in

China.

[*16] Old Article 48. Where,after the grant  of the  patent  right,  any

entity or individual considersthat the grant of the said patent right  is

not in conformity with theprovisions of this Law, it or he  may  request

the Patent Reexamination Boardto declare the patent right invalid.

[*17] Old Article 50. Any patentright which  has been  declared  invalid

shall be deemed to benonexistent from the beginning.

[*18] Old Article 51. Thepatentee himself or itself has the obligation to

make the patented product, or touse the patented process, in  China,  or

otherwise to authorize otherpersons to make the patented product,  or  to

use the patented process, inChina.

[*19] Old Article 52. Where thepatentee of an invention or utility model

fails, without any justifiedreason, by the expiration of three years from

the date of the grant of thepatent right, to fulfil the  obligation  set

forth in Article 51, the PatentOffice may, upon the request of an entity

which is qualified to exploitthe invention  or utility  model,  grant  a

compulsory license to exploitthe patent.

[*20] The old second  paragraph  of Article  60:  When  any infringement

dispute arises, if the  patent  for  invention is  a  process  for the

manufacture of aproduct,  any entity  or  individual  manufacturing  the

identical  product  shall furnish  proof  of  the process  used  in  the

manufacture of its or hisproduct.

[*21] This is a new paragraphadded to Article 63.

[*22] This Decision relates tothe amendments of Articles 11, 25, 29,  30,

33, 34, 39-45, 48, 50-52, 60 and63 of the Patent Law.