一、诉讼时效的概念、效力和分类 根据民法通则第七章的规定,诉讼时效是指权利人向人民法院请求保护民事权利有效期限。如果权利人在法定期间内不行使这种权利,就丧失了请求人民法院保护其民事权利的权利。也就是权利人行使民事权利失去了人民法院的保护,即失去了国家强制力的保护。 诉讼时效的效力是诉讼时效期间届满后所发生的 I. The Concept, Effectiveness and Classification of Limitation of Proceedings According to Chapter Seven of the General Principles of Civil Law, limitation of action refers to the right holder requesting the people's court for the expiration date of civil rights protection. If the obligee does not exercise such right within the statutory period, she loses the right to request the people's court to protect her civil rights. That is, the exercise of civil rights by the obligee loses the protection of the people's court, that is, it loses the protection of state coercion. The validity of the limitation of action occurs after the expiration of the limitation of action