Patent renewals – what happens if you miss a deadline?
专利续展——错过截止日期的后果
（图片来源：https://www.rws.com/blog/missed-patent-renewal-deadline/）
Patent renewals can be deceptively simple on paper and frustratingly complex in practice – not to mention laden with risk. Deadlines, grace periods, jurisdictional rules and changing business priorities all shape how and when renewals are paid, and what happens when they are not.
专利续展看似简单，但做起来却复杂得令人厌烦——其中还充斥着风险。截止日期、宽限期、司法管辖规则和不断变化的业务重点都会影响续费的支付方式和时间，以及未支付续费时的后果。
In our recent RWS webinar, Patent Renewals: Ask Us Anything, our specialists discussed how to navigate the consequences of a missed patent renewal payment.
最近举办的RWS网络研讨会“专利续展”：在“向我们提问”环节，参会专家讨论，若专利续展费逾期未缴，该如何解决。
The importance of patent renewals
专利续展的重要性
A patent renewal (also referred to as an annuity or maintenance fee) is the jurisdictional charge that keeps a patent in force. Paying it maintains the exclusive rights granted by the patent office, while failing to do so leads to those rights lapsing. Each jurisdiction determines its own renewal structure, including when fees are due, how often they must be paid, and how the official rates are calculated or updated.
专利续展费（也称为专利年费或专利维持费）是指专利权人为维持专利权的有效性，向专利局缴纳的费用。缴纳专利费，专利局授予的专利权才会一直生效，否则，这些权利则会失效。各司法管辖区自行决定续费结构，包括费用何时到期、缴费频率以及官方费率的计算或更新方式。
While most patents require annual renewal (after the initial four-year period), not all intellectual property follows that cadence. For registered designs, for instance, renewals are typically due every five years, depending on the country. The key point is that the timing, cost and administrative process differ across jurisdictions, meaning that global portfolios demand careful, continuous management and up-to-date knowledge of local rules.
虽然大多数专利在授权四年后需要每年续展，但并非所有知识产权都采用这一缴费周期。例如，已注册的外观设计，通常是每五年续展一次，具体时间取决于所在国家。但关键在于，各个司法管辖区的办理时限、办理成本和行政流程各不相同，这意味着需要一直谨慎管理全球专利，并掌握各辖区的最新规则。
Organizations may deliberately allow a patent to lapse as a way of managing cost and focusing protection on assets that continue to deliver commercial value. Unintentional lapses, on the other hand, are a different matter. They often result from unclear ownership responsibilities, poor docketing, or misalignment between business and legal teams. Given the jurisdictional variations and the high stakes, maintaining an organized, centralized renewal process is essential for avoiding costly mistakes.
一些机构可能会故意让专利失效，以控制成本，重点保护能够持续创造商业价值的资产上。专利的非故意失效则是另一回事。这通常是因为，所有权责任不明确、案件管理疏漏或业务团队与法律团队协作脱节。各个司法管辖区存在差异，专利续展利害关系重大，因此维持有组织、集中化的续展流程有助于避免重大损失。
The cost of missing a patent renewal payment
未及时缴纳专利续展费的损失
If a renewal fee is not paid on time, most patent offices allow a grace period during which payment can still be made, albeit with a surcharge. These grace periods are typically around six months, though the exact length varies. If payment is made within that window, the patent remains in force.
如果续展费没有按时缴纳，大多数专利局都会给出一段宽限期，在此期间仍然可以缴纳费用，但需要支付附加费。宽限期通常约为六个月，但具体时长会有所不同。如果在该期限内缴费，专利仍然有效。
However, if the renewal is not paid within the grace period, the patent lapses. Once lapsed, the patent holder loses the exclusive rights previously held, and the invention enters the public domain. At that point, others can use, manufacture or sell the invention freely, without infringing any rights that once existed under that patent.
若未在宽限期内缴费，专利将会失效。专利一旦失效，专利持有人将失去之前享有的专有权，该专利就会进入公有领域。之后，其他人可以自由使用、生产或售卖该专利，同时也不会侵犯该专利曾享有的任何权利。
This is more than a procedural formality. A lapse effectively ends protection. Any enforcement rights are lost, and competitors are free to act on the technology immediately. Reinstating protection can be difficult and may not be possible. The cost of a missed deadline therefore goes far beyond the renewal fee itself. It can erase years of investment and eliminate a company’s competitive edge in that technology.
这并不只是一个程序上的形式。专利失效，专利保护期结束。任何专利实施权都会失效，各个竞争对手可以立即使用该技术。而恢复专利保护难度极大，甚至可能无法实现。因此，错过缴费日期涉及的不只是续费金额本身。多年的资金投入也付之东流，相关公司也会失去该技术领域的竞争优势。
What to do when a renewal deadline has been missed?
错过续订截止日期怎么办？
If you find yourself in a situation where your patent has lapsed, first and foremost, don’t panic. There may still be steps you can take to restore protection.If you work with a third party IP provider, the first step is to get in touch with them. Depending on the nature of their service, they may be able to help. At RWS, we are happy to advise and support clients whose patents have inadvertently lapsed.
如果专利已经过期，首先，不要惊慌。采取以下步骤或许能恢复专利保护。如果您是和第三方知识产权服务机构合作，第一步是联系该机构。能否提供帮助，取决于这些其服务类型。RWS愿意为专利意外失效的客户提供建议和支持。
The next step is to determine whether the grace period is still open. If it is, an immediate payment, along with any surcharge, may restore the patent’s good standing.
下一步是确定宽限期是否结束。若没有结束，立即支付款项及所有附加费，或许能恢复专利效力。
If the grace period has passed, you will need to find out whether the jurisdiction offers any reinstatement or restoration mechanism. Some offices provide a narrow path to apply for reinstatement, often requiring evidence of genuine error. But these options are not universally available, and approval not guaranteed.
若宽限期结束，就需要了解相关司法管辖区有无恢复机制。并且有些机构的专利恢复申请要求严格，往往要求申请人提供材料证明错过截止日期情有可原。但这些途径并非普遍适用，也不一定能恢复专利效力。
If the patent cannot be revived, the practical next move is to assess the commercial impact. You may still protect associated technology through trade secrets, new filings or design rights. It’s also essential to tighten internal renewal processes to prevent recurrence.
如果专利无法恢复，下一步能做的就是评估造成的商业影响。但您仍可以采取保密措施、申请新专利或注册外观设计权，保护相关技术。另外重要的一步是，加强内部续约流程，以免其他专利失效。
原文网址：
https://www.rws.com/blog/missed-patent-renewal-deadline/
特别说明：本文内容选自RWS官网，仅供学习交流使用，如有侵权请后台联系小编删除。
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摘译编辑：张婧茜
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