10 years
- via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
- via Nationalization of PCT : 30 months from the earliest priority date.
20 years
The initial period of protection is 6 years, which can be renewed twice, up to a maximum of 10 years.
- via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
- via Nationalization of PCT : 30 months from the earliest priority date.
DIP only conducts formality examination for utility models, and the documents can be authorized if they meet the formality examination standards. If litigation or evaluation of the stability of utility model Claim is required, the applicant may submit a request for substantive examination within one year after the granted announcement.
DIP conducts substantive examination of design patent applications, and only examines whether the conditions of novelty and industrial applicability are met.
10 years
no
yes. Patent applicants can change the patent type from invention to petty patent (utility model) before the patent application is granted. The converted patent application has the filing date of the original patent application.
If within 12 months before the filing date/priority date, the essence or details of the invention are maliciously disclosed, or exhibited by the inventor in an international or official exhibition, the invention does not lose its novelty.