Introduction
Analysis method of patent applications
Data collection and preprocessing
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“EPO” database
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“WIPO” database
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“worldwide” database
Patent parsing
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Nanotechnology patent applications published in different countries’/regions’ patent offices (repositories)
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Patent family information of these patent applications.
Data field | Available |
---|---|
Publication number | Yes |
Publication date | Yes |
Inventor name | Yes |
Applicant institution name | Yes |
Applicant country | * |
International patent classification code (IPC) | Yes |
European patent classification code (EPC) | * |
Citation information | No |
Priority number(s) | Yes |
Title | Yes |
Abstract | Yes |
Claim | * |
Description | * |
Data analysis
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Longitudinal evolution of the number of patent publications per year and per applicant (i.e., the institution to which a patent is assigned to countries, applicant institutions, and technology fields)
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Topic analysis, where we have created content maps to identify the most important and emerging research topics in nanotechnology domain in different time intervals for each patent office (repository).
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Patent family analysis across different patent offices (repositories) including ranking those with the largest numbers of equivalent patent applications.
Results
Data description
Longitudinal evolution of patent applications
Global increase of nanotechnology patents
Number of patent applications per repository
Rank | Patent office (repository) | No. of nanotechnology patent applications (1991–2008) | 2000 | 2008 |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | USA | 19,665 | 405 | 3,729 |
2 | PRC | 18,438 | 105 | 5,030 |
3 | Japan | 10,763 | 328 | 1,744 |
4 | South Korea | 5,963 | 74 | 1,249 |
5 | Canada | 1,539 | 41 | 255 |
6 | Taiwan | 1,363 | 28 | 3 |
7 | Germany | 1,312 | 62 | 70 |
8 | Australia | 1,296 | 76 | 136 |
9 | Russian Federation | 859 | 45 | 162 |
10 | Mexico | 471 | 0 | 88 |
11 | UK | 412 | 14 | 68 |
12 | France | 390 | 8 | 38 |
13 | Brazil | 315 | 0 | 103 |
14 | Ukraine | 243 | 0 | 83 |
15 | New Zealand | 140 | 11 | 18 |
No. | Patent office/repository (no. of applications from all countries) | Rank | Applicant country | Number of nanotechnology patent applications (1991–2008) | 2000 | 2008 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | USA (19,665) | 1 | USA | 12,606 | 285 | 2,288 |
2 | Japan | 1,866 | 42 | 308 | ||
3 | South Korea | 1,272 | 6 | 343 | ||
4 | Germany | 1,048 | 23 | 168 | ||
5 | Taiwan | 839 | 7 | 175 | ||
2 | PRC (18,438) | 1 | PRC | 16,348 | 85 | 4,409 |
2 | USA | 805 | 3 | 260 | ||
3 | South Korea | 327 | 5 | 80 | ||
4 | Japan | 301 | 2 | 64 | ||
5 | Germany | 145 | 3 | 43 | ||
3 | South Korea (5,963) | 1 | South Korea | 4,087 | 41 | 967 |
2 | USA | 461 | 15 | 151 | ||
3 | PRC | 145 | 1 | 53 | ||
4 | Japan | 138 | 4 | 39 | ||
5 | Germany | 119 | 0 | 42 | ||
4 | Canada (1,539) | 1 | USA | 825 | 18 | 156 |
2 | Canada | 192 | 4 | 28 | ||
3 | Germany | 124 | 7 | 18 | ||
4 | France | 57 | 6 | 7 | ||
5 | Japan | 53 | 2 | 5 | ||
5 | Taiwan (1,363)a
| 1 | Taiwan | 906 | 3 | 165 |
2 | USA | 224 | 17 | 26 | ||
3 | Japan | 113 | 3 | 17 | ||
4 | Germany | 35 | 3 | 6 | ||
5 | South Korea | 32 | 2 | 10 | ||
6 | Germany (1,312) | 1 | Germany | 1,182 | 56 | 124 |
2 | Taiwan | 21 | 1 | 1 | ||
3 | USA | 20 | 1 | 3 | ||
4 | South Korea | 16 | 2 | 2 | ||
5 | Japan | 15 | 0 | 1 | ||
7 | Russian Federation (859) | 1 | Russian Federation | 711 | 41 | 147 |
2 | USA | 37 | 1 | 3 | ||
3 | Japan | 17 | 0 | 3 | ||
3 | Germany | 17 | 1 | 1 | ||
5 | France | 16 | 0 | 2 | ||
8 | Mexico (471) | 1 | USA | 277 | 0 | 53 |
2 | Germany | 30 | 0 | 5 | ||
3 | Mexico | 28 | 0 | 4 | ||
4 | France | 26 | 0 | 3 | ||
5 | Switzerland | 20 | 0 | 2 | ||
9 | UK (412) | 1 | UK | 162 | 5 | 27 |
2 | USA | 109 | 8 | 15 | ||
3 | Germany | 25 | 0 | 7 | ||
4 | Japan | 20 | 0 | 3 | ||
5 | South Korea | 19 | 1 | 5 | ||
10 | France (390) | 1 | France | 358 | 6 | 37 |
2 | Belgium | 6 | 0 | 2 | ||
2 | Japan | 6 | 0 | 0 | ||
4 | Taiwan | 5 | 0 | 0 | ||
4 | USA | 5 | 2 | 0 | ||
11 | Brazil (315) | 1 | Brazil | 116 | 0 | 42 |
2 | USA | 99 | 0 | 32 | ||
3 | Germany | 25 | 0 | 8 | ||
4 | Switzerland | 21 | 0 | 4 | ||
5 | France | 15 | 0 | 5 | ||
12 | Ukraine (243) | 1 | Ukraine | 221 | 0 | 78 |
2 | Switzerland | 4 | 0 | 3 | ||
3 | Japan | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
4 | Switzerland | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
4 | USA | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Top applicant institutions
No. | Patent office/repository | Rank | Applicant institution | Country of the institution | Number of nanotechnology patent applications (1991–2008) | 2000 | 2008 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | USA | 1 | IBM | USA | 277 | 11 | 54 |
2 | Univ California | USA | 209 | 11 | 29 | ||
3 | Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. | South Korea | 172 | 0 | 69 | ||
4 | Hon Hai Prec Ind Co. Ltd. | Taiwan | 157 | 0 | 54 | ||
5 | Ind Tech Res Inst | Taiwan | 106 | 3 | 15 | ||
2 | PRC | 1 | Chinese Academy of Sciencea
| PRC | 1,155 | 14 | 312 |
2 | Univ Zhejiang | PRC | 464 | 3 | 129 | ||
3 | Univ Tsinghua | PRC | 461 | 2 | 91 | ||
4 | Univ Shanghai Jiaotong | PRC | 409 | 3 | 75 | ||
5 | Univ Fudan | PRC | 317 | 3 | 81 | ||
3 | Japan | 1 | Nat Inst for Materials Science | Japan | 334 | 0 | 60 |
2 | Nat Inst of Adv Ind & Technol | Japan | 322 | 0 | 69 | ||
3 | Matsushita Electric Ind Co. Ltd. | Japan | 263 | 6 | 37 | ||
4 | Fujitsu Ltd. | Japan | 247 | 13 | 48 | ||
5 | Canon Kk. | Japan | 222 | 11 | 26 | ||
4 | South Korea | 1 | Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. | South Korea | 327 | 1 | 82 |
2 | Korea Inst Science Technology | South Korea | 253 | 3 | 57 | ||
3 | LG Electronics Inc. | South Korea | 153 | 2 | 26 | ||
4 | Samsung Sdi Co. Ltd. | South Korea | 144 | 1 | 12 | ||
5 | Seoul National University | South Korea | 120 | 0 | 46 | ||
5 | Canada | 1 | Xerox Co. | US | 27 | 0 | 18 |
2 | Nantero Inc. | US | 25 | 0 | 0 | ||
3 | Nat Res Council | Canada | 23 | 1 | 1 | ||
4 | Hyperion Catalysis International Inc. | USA | 21 | 0 | 3 | ||
5 | Nanosys Inc. | USA | 18 | 0 | 0 | ||
6 | Taiwanb
| 1 | Ind Tech Res Inst | Taiwan | 201 | 0 | 23 |
2 | Hon Hai Prec Ind Co. Ltd. | Taiwan | 78 | 0 | 51 | ||
3 | Univ Nat Cheng Kung | Taiwan | 32 | 0 | 2 | ||
4 | IBM | USA | 25 | 3 | 28 | ||
5 | Univ Nat Chiao Tung | Taiwan | 17 | 0 | 3 | ||
7 | Germany | 1 | Infineon Technologies AG | Germany | 55 | 0 | 0 |
2 | Fraunhofer Ges Forschung | Germany | 44 | 4 | 4 | ||
3 | Siemens AG | Germany | 36 | 2 | 10 | ||
4 | Henkel Kgaa | Germany | 31 | 5 | 0 | ||
5 | Hahn Meitner Inst Berlin Gmbh | Germany | 20 | 0 | 0 | ||
8 | Australia | 1 | Univ California | US | 37 | 3 | 5 |
2 | Univ Northwestern | US | 18 | 1 | 0 | ||
3 | Hyperion Catalysis International Inc. | US | 16 | 3 | 4 | ||
4 | Nanosphere Inc. | US | 15 | 0 | 1 | ||
5 | Harvard College | US | 14 | 0 | 1 | ||
9 | Russian Federation | 1 | G Obrazovatel Noe Uchrezhdenie | Russian Fed. | 45 | 0 | 22 |
2 | Zao NT MDT | Russian Fed. | 11 | 4 | 1 | ||
3 | Boreskova Inst Kataliza Sibir | Russian Fed. | 10 | 1 | 3 | ||
3 | Inst Fiz Tverdogo Tela Ran | Russian Fed. | 10 | 0 | 6 | ||
3 | Inst Ehlektrofiziki Ural Skogo | Russian Fed. | 10 | 6 | 0 | ||
10 | Mexico | 1 | Procter & Gamble | USA | 23 | 0 | 2 |
2 | Elan Pharma International Ltd. | Ireland | 9 | 0 | 9 | ||
2 | Hyperion Catalysis International Inc. | USA | 9 | 0 | 0 | ||
4 | Kimberly Clark Co. | USA | 8 | 0 | 1 | ||
4 | Rohm & Haas | USA | 8 | 0 | 0 | ||
11 | UK | 1 | Toshiba Res Europ Ltd. | UK | 13 | 1 | 4 |
2 | Hitachi Europ Ltd. | UK | 9 | 0 | 0 | ||
3 | Gen Electric | USA | 8 | 1 | 0 | ||
4 | Intel Co. | USA | 7 | 0 | 3 | ||
5 | Waters Investments Ltd. | USA | 6 | 0 | 0 | ||
12 | France | 1 | Centre Nat Rech Scient | France | 58 | 0 | 5 |
2 | Commissariat Energie Atomique | France | 41 | 1 | 3 | ||
3 | O’real | France | 27 | 0 | 0 | ||
4 | Rhone Poulenc Chimie | France | 10 | 0 | 0 | ||
5 | Arkema Sa | France | 8 | 0 | 0 | ||
13 | Brazil | 1 | Unicamp | Brazil | 13 | 0 | 1 |
2 | Comissao Nac de En Nuclear | Brazil | 8 | 0 | 1 | ||
3 | Gen Electric | US | 6 | 0 | 2 | ||
4 | Du Pont | US | 5 | 0 | 5 | ||
5 | Gomes Uilame Umbelino | Brazil | 5 | 0 | 1 | ||
14 | Ukraine | 1 | Kaplunenko Volodymyr Heorhiiov | Ukraine | 99 | 0 | 53 |
1 | Kosinov Mykola Vasyliovych | Ukraine | 99 | 0 | 53 | ||
3 | Shulzhenko Oleksandr Oleksandr | Ukraine | 6 | 0 | 0 | ||
4 | Lytvynenko Yurii Mykhailovych | Ukraine | 5 | 0 | 0 | ||
5 | Lviv Polytekhnika Nat Universi | Ukraine | 4 | 0 | 1 | ||
15 | New Zealand | 1 | Eastman Kodak Co. | US | 4 | 0 | 0 |
2 | Snow Brand Milk Prod Co. Ltd. | Japan | 3 | 1 | 0 | ||
3 | Smithkline Beecham Co. | USA | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
3 | Technologies Avancees & Membra | France | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
3 | Univ Johns Hopkins | USA | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Top technology fields
No | Patent office/repository | Rank | IPC class | Class name | Number of nanotechnology patent applications (1991–2008) | 2000 | 2008 |
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1 | USA | 1 | H01L | Semiconductor devices; electric solid state devices not otherwise provided for | 4,203 | 76 | 743 |
2 | A61K | Preparations for medical, dental, or toilet purposes | 1,974 | 51 | 367 | ||
3 | G01N | Investigating or analyzing materials by determining their chemical or physical properties | 1,754 | 36 | 230 | ||
4 | C01B | Non-metallic elements; compounds thereof | 1,453 | 23 | 187 | ||
5 | B32B | Layered products, i.e., products built-up of strata of flat or non-flat, e.g., cellular or honeycomb | 1,400 | 15 | 444 | ||
2 | PRC | 1 | A61K | Preparations for medical, dental, or toilet purposes | 1,549 | 9 | 370 |
2 | C01B | Non-metallic elements; compounds thereof | 1,501 | 14 | 392 | ||
3 | B01J | Chemical or physical processes, e.g., catalysis, colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus | 1,311 | 11 | 388 | ||
4 | C08L | Compositions of macromolecular compounds | 1,247 | 7 | 349 | ||
5 | H01L | Semiconductor devices; electric solid state devices not otherwise provided for | 1,095 | 4 | 350 | ||
3 | Japan | 1 | H01L | Semiconductor devices; electric solid state devices not otherwise provided for | 2,324 | 81 | 367 |
2 | C01B | Non-metallic elements; compounds thereof | 1,994 | 55 | 292 | ||
3 | B82B | Nano-structures manufacture or treatment thereof | 1,599 | 35 | 229 | ||
4 | G01N | Investigating or analyzing materials by determining their chemical or physical properties | 1,123 | 47 | 89 | ||
5 | H01J | Electric discharge tubes or discharge lamps | 1,031 | 58 | 82 | ||
4 | South Korea | 1 | B82B | Nano-structures manufacture or treatment thereof | 1,280 | 5 | 417 |
2 | H01L | Semiconductor devices; electric solid state devices not otherwise provided for | 1,094 | 29 | 238 | ||
3 | C01B | Non-metallic elements; compounds thereof | 409 | 5 | 103 | ||
4 | C08K | Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients | 374 | 0 | 88 | ||
5 | H01J | Electric discharge tubes or discharge lamps | 361 | 7 | 30 | ||
5 | Canada | 1 | A61K | Preparations for medical, dental, or toilet purposes | 328 | 8 | 47 |
2 | G01N | Investigating or analyzing materials by determining their chemical or physical properties | 169 | 7 | 9 | ||
3 | B01J | Chemical or physical processes, e.g., catalysis, colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus | 148 | 10 | 8 | ||
4 | C01B | Non-metallic elements; compounds thereof | 144 | 2 | 23 | ||
5 | H01L | Semiconductor devices; electric solid state devices not otherwise provided for | 123 | 4 | 22 | ||
6 | Taiwana
| 1 | H01L | Semiconductor devices; electric solid state devices not otherwise provided for | 367 | 11 | 47 |
2 | C01B | Non-metallic elements; compounds thereof | 114 | 1 | 14 | ||
3 | H01J | Electric discharge tubes or discharge lamps | 112 | 1 | 9 | ||
4 | C23C | Coating metallic material coating material with metallic material surface treatment of metallic material by diffusion into the surface, by chemical conversion or substitution coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering, by ion implantation or by chemical vapor deposition, in general | 78 | 2 | 13 | ||
5 | G01N | Investigating or analyzing materials by determining their chemical or physical properties | 71 | 0 | 15 | ||
7 | Australia | 1 | A61K | Preparations for medical, dental, or toilet purposes | 295 | 22 | 19 |
2 | C01B | Non-metallic elements; compounds thereof | 212 | 12 | 7 | ||
3 | H01L | Semiconductor devices; electric solid state devices not otherwise provided for | 209 | 9 | 11 | ||
4 | B01J | Chemical or physical processes, e.g., catalysis, colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus | 177 | 10 | 12 | ||
5 | G01N | Investigating or analyzing materials by determining their chemical or physical properties | 163 | 15 | 4 | ||
8 | Germany | 1 | H01L | Semiconductor devices; electric solid state devices not otherwise provided for | 165 | 7 | 17 |
2 | B01J | Chemical or physical processes, e.g., catalysis, colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus | 135 | 13 | 10 | ||
3 | B82B | Nano-structures manufacture or treatment thereof | 121 | 3 | 16 | ||
4 | G01N | Investigating or analyzing materials by determining their chemical or physical properties | 111 | 3 | 13 | ||
5 | A61K | Preparations for medical, dental, or toilet purposes | 103 | 6 | 8 | ||
9 | Russian Federation | 1 | B82B | Nano-structures manufacture or treatment thereof | 118 | 2 | 55 |
2 | H01L | Semiconductor devices; electric solid state devices not otherwise provided for | 88 | 4 | 13 | ||
3 | C01B | Non-metallic elements; compounds thereof | 75 | 2 | 16 | ||
4 | B01J | Chemical or physical processes, e.g., catalysis, colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus | 69 | 6 | 15 | ||
5 | A61K | Preparations for medical, dental, or toilet purposes | 58 | 1 | 12 | ||
10 | UK | 1 | H01L | Semiconductor devices; electric solid state devices not otherwise provided for | 83 | 2 | 16 |
2 | G01N | Investigating or analyzing materials by determining their chemical or physical properties | 58 | 2 | 15 | ||
3 | B01D | Separation | 30 | 2 | 2 | ||
4 | A61K | Preparations for medical, dental, or toilet purposes | 29 | 0 | 7 | ||
5 | C01B | Non-metallic elements; compounds thereof | 28 | 0 | 2 | ||
11 | Mexico | 1 | A61K | Preparations for medical, dental, or toilet purposes | 109 | 0 | 26 |
2 | B01J | Chemical or physical processes, e.g., catalysis, colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus | 60 | 0 | 0 | ||
3 | C08K | Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients | 58 | 0 | 8 | ||
4 | C08L | Compositions of macromolecular compounds | 52 | 0 | 3 | ||
5 | C09D | Coating compositions, e.g. paints, varnishes, lacquers; filling-pastes; chemical paint or ink removers; inks; correcting fluids; wood stains; pastes or solids for coloring or printing; use of materials therefore | 45 | 0 | 8 | ||
12 | France | 1 | A61K | Preparations for medical, dental, or toilet purposes | 69 | 0 | 2 |
2 | H01L | Semiconductor devices; electric solid state devices not otherwise provided for | 61 | 0 | 6 | ||
3 | B82B | Nano-structures manufacture or treatment thereof | 55 | 0 | 7 | ||
4 | C01B | Non-metallic elements; compounds thereof | 47 | 0 | 7 | ||
5 | A61Q | Use of cosmetics or similar toilet preparations | 45 | 0 | 2 | ||
13 | Brazil | 1 | A61K | Preparations for medical, dental, or toilet purposes | 65 | 0 | 21 |
2 | C08K | Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients | 30 | 0 | 7 | ||
3 | C08L | Compositions of macromolecular compounds | 28 | 0 | 6 | ||
4 | B01J | Chemical or physical processes, e.g., catalysis, colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus | 28 | 0 | 8 | ||
5 | B82B | Nano-structures manufacture or treatment thereof | 24 | 0 | 12 | ||
14 | Ukraine | 1 | B01J | Chemical or physical processes, e.g., catalysis, colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus | 52 | 0 | 25 |
2 | C01B | Non-metallic elements; compounds thereof | 24 | 0 | 3 | ||
3 | B22F | Working metallic powder; manufacture of articles from metallic powder; making metallic powder | 21 | 0 | 4 | ||
4 | C12N | Micro-organisms or enzymes; compositions thereof | 19 | 0 | 16 | ||
5 | C02F | Treatment of water, waste water, sewage, or sludge | 18 | 0 | 4 | ||
15 | New Zealand | 1 | A61K | Preparations for medical, dental, or toilet purposes | 62 | 4 | 8 |
2 | A61P | Therapeutic activity of chemical compounds or medicinal preparations | 28 | 1 | 3 | ||
3 | B01J | Chemical or physical processes, e.g., catalysis, colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus | 20 | 2 | 4 | ||
4 | B01D | Separation | 18 | 1 | 3 | ||
5 | C07K | Peptides | 17 | 0 | 3 |
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“Semiconductor devices; electric solid state devices not otherwise provided for” (H01L) ranked among the top five in 11 patent offices (except in those of Mexico, Brazil, the Ukraine, and New Zealand)
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“Preparations for medical, dental, or toilet purposes” (A61K) ranked among the top five in 11 patent offices (except in those of Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and the Ukraine)
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“Non-metallic elements; compounds thereof” (C01B) ranked among the top five in 11 patent offices (except in those of Germany, Mexico, Brazil, and New Zealand)
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“Chemical or physical processes, e.g., catalysis, colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus” (B01J) also ranked among the top five in nine patent offices
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“Investigating or analyzing materials by determining their chemical or physical properties” (G01N) ranked among the top five in seven patent offices
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“Nano-structures manufacture or treatment thereof” (B82B) ranked among the top five in six patent offices.
Topic analysis
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Nanomaterial-related topics, such as “Carbon atoms,” “Carbon nanotubes,” and “Memory cells”
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Properties of nanomaterials, such as “Average molecular weight,” “Low dielectric,” “Molecular weights,” and “Surface roughness”
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Nano-device related topics, such as “Alkali metals,” “Laser beams,” “Light source,” “Magnetic recording medium,” “Silicon substrates,” “Substrate surfaces”
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Measurement- and method-related topics, such as “Nanometers at reaction conditions,” “Surface roughness,” and “Ultraviolet radiation.”
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Nanomaterial-related topics, such as “Composite materials,” “Metal nanoparticles,” “Quantum dots,” “Single walled carbon nanotubes,” “Solar cells,” and “Thin films”
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Properties of nanomaterials, such as “Average particle sizes,” “Effective average particle size,” and “Electrical conductivities”
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Nano-device related topics, such as “Electric fields,” “Electronic devices,” “Field emission devices,” “Insulating layer,” “Memory devices,” “Semiconductor substrate,” “Therapeutic agents”
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Measurement- and method-related topics, such as “Atomic force microscope,” “Chemical vapor deposition,” “Electromagnetic radiation,” and “Fabrication method.”
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“Average particle size”
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“Aqueous solutions”
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“Metal oxides”
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“Manufacturing method”
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“Thin films”
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“Functional groups”
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Nanomaterial-related topics, such as “Carbon nanotube,” “Composite materials,” “Organic polymer,” “Quantum dot,” and “Such films”
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Properties of nanomaterials, such as “Average pore diameter,” “Average size,” “High densities,” “Molecular weights,” “Surface roughness,” “Weight ratio,” etc.
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Nano-device related topics, such as “Electric fields,” “Electron beams,” “Laser beams,” “Light source,” “Magnetic cores,” “Semiconductor substrates,” and “Transition metals”
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Measurement- and method-related topics, such as “Atomic force microscope,” “Electromagnetic radiation,” and “Ultraviolet radiation”
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Nanomaterial-related topics, such as “Composite materials,” “Metal nanoparticles,” and “Quantum dots”
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Properties of nanomaterials, such as “pH values,” “High purities,” and “Particle diameters”
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Nano-device related topics, such as “Organic solvents,” “Semiconductor Devices,” “Deionized water,” and “Gate electrodes”
Patent family analysis
Patent family analysis within each patent office
No. | Patent office (repository) | No. of patent applications published in total | No. of patent applications published in a single patent office | No. of patent applications published in ≥2 patent offices | No. of patent applications published in ≥3 patent offices |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | USA | 19,665 | 16,726 | 2,939 | 741 |
2 | PRC | 18,438 | 17,079 | 1,359 | 490 |
3 | Japan | 10,763 | 9,084 | 1,679 | 614 |
4 | South Korea | 5,963 | 4,731 | 1,232 | 491 |
5 | Canada | 1,539 | 988 | 551 | 160 |
6 | Taiwan | 1,363 | 900 | 463 | 123 |
7 | Australia | 1,312 | 926 | 386 | 91 |
8 | Germany | 1,296 | 1,229 | 67 | 21 |
9 | Russian Federation | 859 | 785 | 74 | 31 |
10 | Mexico | 471 | 228 | 243 | 96 |
11 | UK | 412 | 291 | 121 | 32 |
12 | France | 390 | 339 | 51 | 17 |
13 | Brazil | 315 | 167 | 148 | 70 |
14 | Ukraine | 243 | 231 | 12 | 6 |
15 | New Zealand | 140 | 68 | 72 | 38 |
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The top five patent offices sharing nanotechnology patent applications with the USPTO were Japan (1,258), PRC (725); South Korea (636), Taiwan (353), and Canada (350). Our analysis shows that all other patent offices (except for Brazil’s patent offices) shared the largest numbers of nanotechnology patent applications with the USPTO.
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The top five patent offices sharing nanotechnology patent applications with the PRC repository were those of the USA (725), South Korea (624), Japan (416), Taiwan (68), and Canada (40).
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The top five patent offices sharing nanotechnology patent applications with the JPO were those of the USA (1258), South Korea (450), PRC (416), Taiwan (107), and Canada (106).
Patent family analysis across patent offices
Conclusions
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The worldwide growth rate of the number of nanotechnology patent applications between 2000 and 2008 is about 34.5% (Fig. 1). This rate is larger than the corresponding rate of increase for International Citation Index articles of about 25%. The baseline growth rates of the number of patent applications for continuing topics are 16.14 and 12.57 times in the interval from 1991 to 2008 for the USPTO and the top 15 nanotechnology patent repositories, respectively. The new nanotechnology topics in 2008 as compared with 2000 represent 92% in the USA (Fig. 5) and 68% for top 15 repositories (Fig. 7). The baseline growth rate is significant in the PRC patent office, but the data available in 2000 are too limited to generate a content map in that year for comparison with 2008. The largest number of nanotechnology patent applications, as well as of the patent application families, are at the patent offices of the USA, PRC, Japan, and South Korea.
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A higher number of nanotechnology patent applications are published by applicants from their own countries/regions, indicating significant “home advantage” effects. The USA, Japan, Germany, South Korea, and France were the largest contributors in patent offices other than its repository. The top 15 patent offices except for Brazil’s patent office shared the largest numbers of nanotechnology patent applications with the USPTO. Japan is the USPTO’s largest partner co-sharing 1,258 nanotechnology patent applications.
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Applicant institutions with large international activity are illustrated by IBM (from the USA), the University of California (from the USA), Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (from South Korea), Hon Hai Prec Ind Co. Ltd. (from Taiwan), and Industrial Technology Research Institute (Ind Tech Res Inst; from Taiwan), Hyperion Catalysis International Inc. (from the USA), and General Electric (Gen Electric, from the USA).
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The ranking of the most productive institutions and the categories of the lead technology fields in patent repositories have had relatively small changes over time, and few institutions or categories of technology fields were able to break into the top ranks. However, specific topics within various technology field categories changed rapidly after 2000. Topics that increased in 2008 in most of the 15 patent offices included: “Composite materials,” “Deionized water,” “Gate electrodes,” “High purities,” “Metal nanoparticles,” “Organic solvents,” “Particle diameters,” “PH values,” “Quantum dots,” and “Semiconductor Devices.”
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Several top technology fields (represented by IPC class) were shared by multiple repositories. “Semiconductor devices; electric solid state devices not otherwise provided for” (H01L) was among the top five technology fields in 11 out of the 15 patent offices. The following fields ranked among the top five in multiple repositories: “Preparations for medical, dental, or toilet purposes” (A61K), “Non-metallic elements; compounds thereof” (C01B), “Chemical or physical processes, e.g., catalysis, colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus” (B01J), “Investigating or analyzing materials by determining their chemical or physical properties” (G01N), and “Nano-structures manufacture or treatment thereof” (B82B).