Abstract: The number of valid patents owned by domestic innovators in China has increased significantly, but their patent application level and the ability of patent revenue have not been improved timely, so the burdens of annual fees for patents renewal have a certain impact on the sustainable development of innovations. On the basis of the analysis of basic principles of the annual fee system of patents renewal, through the research of survey findings of the annual fee system of patent maintenance for domestic innovators, conclusions are that: the number of valid patents in China increased significantly, while the burden of patents annual fee is too high; the annual fee system of patent maintenance is a monetary policy tool promoting innovation, which is similar to the tax leverage; the existing annual fee system of patent maintenance is not conducive to promoting the sustainable innovation activities, its comprehensive reform is beneficial to the implementation of the Innovation-driven Strategy and the Building of IP Power in China. Finally, some suggestions are put forward to perfect the annual fee system of patent maintenance in China.

摘要： 中国国内创新主体拥有有效专利数量大幅增加，但是其专利运用水平以及专利收益能力没有及时提升，使得专利维持年费负担为创新的可持续发展造成一定的影响。在研究专利维持年费制度基本原理的基础上，通过对国内创新主体就专利维持年费相关制度调查结果分析发现：中国有效专利数量大幅增加的同时，创新主体也承受着过重的专利维持年费压力；专利维持年费制度是一种类似于税收杠杆的、能够促进创新的货币政策工具；现有专利维持年费制度不利于促进创新主体的可持续创新活动，对其进行全面改革有利于创新驱动战略的实施和知识产权强国建设。最后提出完善中国专利维持年费制度的建议。