Here you will find explanations of the terms used in the patent database. They are listed in alphabetic order.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

• Application date
  Date on which a patent application was filed.

• Application number
  The number a patent application is assigned upon filing.

• Cancellation, Cancellation date
  Date on which a patent or patent application was removed from the register.
• CPC (Cooperative Patent Classification)

  Patent documents worldwide are assigned to a specific patent class depending on their technical content. The IPI classes inventions in accordance with the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) and the International Patent Classification (IPC) systems. The Cooperative Patent Classification was developed by the European Patent Office and the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
   

  Further information

• Electronic delivery address
  The electronic delivery address is the email address that an applicant, patent owner or their representative uses to receive communications from the IPI regarding a particular IP right. See also Filter: Electronic delivery address.
• EP
  European patent. Through a centralised procedure with the European Patent Office, applicants can obtain patent protection in all member states of the European Patent Convention with a single application, including in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Further information.
• Exhibition immunity
  If an invention has been presented to the public at an official or officially recognised international exhibition in the six months prior to the application or priority date, this disclosure does not form part of the state of the art provided that the patent applicant has declared this fact and supplied evidence when filing the patent application (Art. 7b Patents Act). In this case, the exhibition of the invention prior to the patent application is therefore not prejudicial to novelty.

• File status

The file status refers to the different types of published patent documents, such as a patent application with a search report or a patent specification with a rectified title page. Only the most recent valid type of patent document is shown in the database.

For documents since July 2008, the statuses are equivalent to the following kind codes:

• Grant date
  Date of the grant of a patent.

• Inventor
  Person who invented the registered product or process. This person can also waive the right to be named.

• IPC (International Patent Classification)
  Patent documents worldwide are assigned to a specific patent class depending on their technical content. The IPI classes inventions in accordance with the International Patent Classification (IPC) and the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) systems. The International Patent Classification is used by all patent offices worldwide.
  
  Further information

• Maximum term of protection
  A patent can be maintained for up to 20 years after the filing of the application. To this end, the owner must pay renewal fees from the fourth year after filing. The patent is cancelled after expiry of the maximum term of protection.

• Patent application
  Swiss patent applications are generally published 18 months after the filing.
• Patent number
  Number a patent or patent application is assigned upon publication; e.g. CH689101 for a Swiss patent or EP3034093 for a European patent.

• PCT application number
  Number of the international patent application (PCT) on which the national application, Swiss patent or Swiss component of a European patent is based.
   

  The PCT application number consists of the following:

  • Application reference: PCT

  • Separator: /

  • Two-letter country code: e.g. DE

  • Year (four digits): e.g. 1995

  • Separator: / 

  • Six-digit number: e.g. 001353

  
  Example: PCT/DE1995/001353

• PCT publication number
  Publication number of the international patent application (PCT) on which the national application, Swiss patent or Swiss component of a European patent is based.
   

  The PCT publication number consists of:

  • Publication reference: WO

  • Year (four digits): e.g. 1996

  • Separator: /

  • Six-digit number: e.g. 011415
     

  Example: WO1996/011415

• Priority
  If an application for a patent or a utility model is filed in a country that is party to the Paris Convention or which grants Switzerland reciprocity, it gives rise to a right of priority. This can be claimed for a patent application filed in Switzerland for the same invention within 12 months from the date of the first filing.

• Publication date
  Date on which a patent application or patent was published for the first time. In the case of international patent applications (PCT), it is the date on which the entry into the national phase was published on Swissreg.

• Reason for cancellation

  Reason for which a patent or patent application was removed from the register.

  See also Filter: Reason for cancellation

• IP right status, Status

  • Active status: includes all valid patents entered in the patent register and all published patent applications.

  • Cancelled status: includes cancelled patents and patent applications.

• Title
  Title of the patent or patent application.
   
• Type of IP right

  • CH stands for national patent and includes patents granted and applications published in Switzerland.

  • EP stands for European patent and includes granted European patents with effect in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

• The search function
• Filters
• Advanced search options
• Search results
• Detailed results view