As the registration authority, we keep up-to-date information regarding the legal status of patents. However, patent owners are responsible for notifying us of any changes regarding ownership, representatives or licensing agreements so that they can be entered in the register.

During the period of validity of a Swiss patent, there are always changes in ownership, representatives or licence holders. There is no obligation to notify the IPI of these changes. Nevertheless, it is advisable to keep your register entry up to date. You can do so by notifying us of the following:

• A change in the patent owner or his/her registered office or company
• A change in the mandate of the patent attorney authorised to represent you
• The granting of licences

Patent owners keep their patent rights irrespective of the register entry, e.g. even in the event of a company acquisition. However, an up-to-date register entry ensures clarity. It can also make it easier to enforce the patent.

Changes to the register are free of charge.

Bibliographical data and information on the legal status are published in the online database at www.swissreg.ch. Please note that Swissreg is not the same as the Swiss register of IP rights. Only the entries in the Swiss register of IP rights and the register extracts issued by us are legally binding.