Patent

 Most aspects of Chinese Patent regulation are similar to other countries’ legislation. One part that is noteworthy is that there is a patent for utility model. The utility model patent exists in other states as well but the Chinese legislation differs in some ways. The Utility model patent provides the patentee with protection for ten years. The protection only covers the model of the product, the design and function of it, not the inside of it or the way it is produced. For a utility model patent only the formal examination, thus no examination of novelty etcetera is performed. This way the utility model patent is sort of a simplified version of a patent.

Apart from utility model patent there is also patent for invention which provides the patentee with protection for a period of 20 years, and a design patent which provides the patentee with protection for a period of ten years.

Noteworthy regarding the design patent is that the pictures of the design have to be detailed and taken from each side of the design. All pictures must also be in the same scale. I you do not provide pictures of all sides of the design you will have to explain why you are not providing it. A description of the product and the inside of it is not needed, you only have to provide the name of it and how to use it and also information of what aspects of it you want protected. Similar to the utility model patent only a formal examination will be performed regarding a design patent.