Following the new PRC Patent Law and the PRC Patent Implementation Rules which came into effect on 1 October 2009 and 1 February 2010 respectively, the PRC State Intellectual Property Office recently released the "Measures for Patent Label Marking" ("New Patent Marking Rules") which will supersede the old rules - "Measures for Patent Mark and Patent Number Marking" ("Old Rules") and become effective on 1 May 2012.