IFI CLAIMS® Patent Services, the leading producer of global
patent databases, analytic solutions and innovative web services, has compiled
the following facts from its analysis of calendar year 2013 U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office (USPTO) data.
* The USPTO issued a
record 277,835 utility patents in 2013, an increase of approximately 10 percent
over 2012 and the most issued in a single year
* The total number of
assignees also increased this year by more than 4,000
* 18 U.S. firms made
the Top 50, up from 17 in 2012 and 2011
* 37 companies in the
Top 50 saw an increase in patent production over last year as compared to 41 in
2012. Half of those saw double-digit or better growth.
* Of the nearly
60,000 assignees, 640 grew by more than 50 and only 62 grew by more than 500
patents, which together represents 40 percent of all new patents. The remaining
60 percent came from the smaller portfolios.
* IBM is at the top
of the list again with a record-setting 6,809 patents, up 5%, continuing a
dominance that has lasted 21 straight years
* Qualcomm, up 62%
over 2012, debuts in the Top 10 at #9
* Microsoft moves up
to #5 from #6 in 2012
Notable Trends