The IPI System

The purpose of the IPI system is the global unique identification of a right holder acting across multiple creation classes (musical work, literary work, work of art etc.), assuming different roles (musical creator, film director, author of fine art etc.), and owning all rights (performing right, reproduction right, radio broadcast right etc.), determined by each creation class he deals with. This is related to the data exchange not only within the copyright societies, but also in the world-wide transaction processing with third parties, such as user organizations like radio and TV stations, sound carrier producers etc. The IPI system contains the real and artistic names of the right holders, as well as their nationalities and place of birth (natural persons) or foundation (legal entities), including their territory, time and share dimensioned agreements with the corresponding copyright societies. Around 6.5 Million right holders (IPs) are today included in the IPI system.

The IPI system is designed, developed and operated by SUISA to support all types of intellectual property rights protection, not limited to copyright. It directs the international economic flow, between creation users and creation right holders, through administrative organizations. The IPI system is in fact the back bone administration tool for all collective, intellectual property protection organizations.

History

For music copyright societies, it is essential to identify the (copy)right holders, when some music work is copied or performed. Some years ago, the music copyright societies decided to use the CAE list, created and developed by SUISA, for this purpose. They appointed SUISA to be responsible for further development and operation of the CAE list.

After three decades of existence, the CAE list was showing limitations and shortcomings that makes it less adapted to the reality of the market.

A reconstruction of the CAE system became necessary. In 2001 the IPI system was created as a mainframe kernel application operated via a VT3270 console for internal use, and a Jacada based GUI access for external users. In 2008 a HTML based web client was created for all users.

In 2015, SUISA implemented a project to modernize the IPI system. The infrastructure has been completely replaced with a modern, robust, open system solution. The new system is fully backward compatible with the old system, no IT changes are required for societies using the EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) file interfaces. The new system is also easier to maintain and adapt to future changes.

Services

Multiple types of clients are available for Society users:

  • IPI online web application
  • Quarterly IPI read-only DVD available as a Windows (PC) application.
  • EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) file upload for automated IT integration.
  • Daily EDI transaction update files for maintenance of own replica.
  • Quarterly full export EDI files for initial (re)construction of own replica.
  • PocketEdition API. New in 2023-Q2.

For publisher users

  • Quarterly IPI PocketEdition read-only DVD available as a Windows (PC) application.
  • PocketEdition (REST/Query) API. New in 2023-Q2. Documentation here IPI-QS-PocketEdition-API.pdf
  • PocketEdition Bulk Data availible weekly via SFTP. New 2023-Q2.

Contact

For support or more information, contact the IPI center at SUISA, e-mail: ipi@suisa.ch