Novelty grace period is available if the design is disclosed by the designer or the designer's representative within 12 months before the application to IGE/IPI.
Reinstatement of priority is accepted on grounds of "due care."
IGE/IPI conducts formal and substantive examinations of invention patent applications. The applicant does not need to file a separate request for substantive examination. Before commencing the substantive examination, IGE/IPI will send an examination bill, which will indicate the deadline for payment of the prescribed fees. Patents granted in Switzerland are automatically protected in Liechtenstein.
Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property
English: Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property, referred to as:
Website: Startseite - Eidgenössisches Institut für Geistiges Eigentum
Swiss Invention Patent Search: Swissreg - Institute for Intellectual Property
yes. It is allowed to include multiple designs in one design application.
1 year
Filing Language: German/French/Italian
via Paris Convention via Nationalization of PCT Necessary documents:
- Abstract
- Abstract Drawing
- Claim
- Specification
- Drawing
Necessary documents:
- Abstract
- Abstract Drawing
- Claim
- Specification
- Drawing
Attachments (if any)
- Sequence Listing (PDF format and TXT format)
- Certificate of Deposit of Microorganisms and its German/French/Italian translation
- Certificate of Microbiological Survival and its German/French/Italian translation
- Power of Attorney
- Certified Priority Document
- Declaration of Ownership/Certification of Employment/Assignment of priority
- Assignment for Patent Right Transfer
- Notification issued by CNIPA notify the applicant the application has passed through the security review
Attachments (if any)
- WIPO Publication
- ISR/IPRP
- Entering the Swiss national phase 19/28/34/41 Amendments
- Sequence Listing (PDF format and TXT format)
- Certificate of Deposit of Microorganisms and its German/French/Italian translation
- Certificate of Microbiological Survival and its German/French/Italian translation
- Power of Attorney
- Declaration of Ownership/Certification of Employment/Assignment of priority
Assignment for Patent Right Transfer
- Licensing Fee: None.
- Annuity: payable year by year starting from the fourth year from the date of application. The payment date can be the last day of the month where the application date is located. Overdue annual fees can be paid within a grace period of six months, and a penalty of 50.00 Swiss francs must be paid at the same time.
IGE/IPI only conducts formality examination of design patent applications. No novelty review is performed. Applicants may request a 30-month delay in publication.
Filing Language: German/French/Italian Necessary documents:
- Exterior Design Picture (Six Views)
- A Brief Description
Attachments (if any):
- Power of Attorney
- Certified Priority Document
- Declaration of Ownership/Certification of Employment/Assignment of priority
- Assignment for Patent Right Transfer
- via Paris Convention : 6 months from earliest priority date.
- Hague Agreement route: 6 months from earliest priority date.
- EU appearance route: 6 months from the earliest priority date.