Registering semiconductor products (chips rights)

If you have made a semiconductor product, you can protect its topography by registering it with the Netherlands Patent Office.

What are semiconductor products?

Semiconductors are products which perform an electronic functions, such as:

• chips
• microprocessors

They are used in many appliances, from industrial machines and medical equipment to pocket calculators and household appliances.

Chips rights are automatically created when the semiconductor product is made (in this sense it is comparable with copyright). You must register your chips rights, to make sure your rights can be enforced.

Registered chips rights are valid for 10 years from the moment of deposit or first use of the product (whichever comes first). This period may be 15 years from the creation of the topography if the topography has not yet been used or deposited. You pay a one-off fee of €79 for registration.

Application rules for chips rights

You must submit an application within two years of first operating your semiconductor product. Drawings must be provided in duplicate in photographic form or as a diagram, so that the topography can be identified. You can find the form to submit an application through mijn.rvo.nl (in Dutch). The submission of the application will be published in the Hoofdblad publication of Netherlands Patent Office and in the Register.

Read more on chips rights, registering your semiconductor products, and the necessary information you must supply.