Click here to read a press release on the report.
Excerpts:
The WIPO Patent Report 2006 shows that companies are increasingly using the intellectual property (IP) system to protect their investments in new markets. The report reveals that a total of 5.4 million patents were in force worldwide in 2004, the last year for which complete statistics are available.....
the report shows an increase in the use of WIPO’s Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). The PCT, which provides a simplified system for international patent filing, has become a major tool for companies seeking broad-based patent protection. The number of PCT applications grew at an average annual rate of 16.8% between 1990 and 2005 and topped 134,000 international applications in 2005. The PCT is now used in 47% of all international patent filings......
The number of patent applications filed worldwide almost doubled between 1985 to 2004, rising from 884,400 to 1,599,000 with an average annual rate of increase of 4.75% since 1995. This is in line with the average annual growth in world gross domestic product (GDP) of some 5.6%......
Large increases in foreign patents filings in countries like Brazil, China, India, Korea, and Mexico reflect the internationalization of markets and production. Companies seeking new export markets or investing overseas are keen on protecting their inventions in these key emerging economies.
The report notes a boom in patent filings in northeast Asia over the past 20 years, most notably with the emergence of China and the Republic of Korea as major industrial economies. For several decades Japan has been the largest patent office in the world with more than 400,000 patent applications filed by residents and non-residents in 2004. In only 20 years, China has become the 5th largest patent office in the world (by number of patent applications filed) and patent filings by Chinese residents grew more than five-fold between 1995 and 2004 to reach 65,786. Today, the Republic of Korea is the 4th largest patent office in the world and is also experiencing very high growth rates with a three-fold increase in patent filings by residents between 1994 and 2004.
Although an increasing number of applicants are seeking protection for their inventions outside their country of residence, and emerging and fast-developing economies have been using the patent system more extensively, its use is still very concentrated. Five patent offices account for 75% of all patents filed and 74% of patents granted worldwide. These are the United States of America (USA), Japan, the European Patent Office (EPO), Republic of Korea and China.
1 comment:
The statistics are really mind blowing.
The way the numbers are increasing, errors by examiners might also be increasing which is common in patent office. That mean there could be lot of infringements happening. That mean apart from product selling the companies can make big bucks either by law suits against potential infringer's or by forcing them for license. That means win-win situation for those who can track. But, some one need to track all this with robust process and radar system in the specific domain and constantly watch what competitors are upto.
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