Patenting In Technology Classes
Breakout By Geographic Origin (State and Country)

Explanation of Data

This report, prepared from the Technology Assessment and Forecast (TAF) database, profiles utility patents (i.e., patents for inventions) granted during the indicated time period. Each displayed annual count corresponds to patents granted during the calendar year time period extending from January 1 to December 31 of that year.

Classes of Technology

The class breakouts available in these drill down reports are major divisions of technology in the U.S. Patent Classification System (USPCS). It should be noted that each class is further divided into smaller divisions of technology called subclasses. The USPCS currently contains approximately 470 total classes and 163,000 total subclasses. Technology classes available in these reports are classes of technology as defined by the U.S. Patent Classification System as it existed on 31 December, 2009.

Copies of each patent are placed (classified) in those subclasses that have been identified as pertinent to the information disclosed in the patent. One, and only one, of these subclasses is designated as the PRIMARY classification, and the remainder (if any) are designated as CROSS-REFERENCE classifications. Counting patents by PRIMARY classification will ensure that each patent is counted only once. However, if a patent teaches more than one concept, e.g., table and chair, only one concept, e.g., table, will be counted . Please note that a patent's PRIMARY classification is also referred to as its ORIGINAL classification in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office specific terminology.

For these reports, some classes have been combined together under a single class identifier. In such cases, combined classes are noted in the accompanying class titles. In addition, selected class titles have been modified to clarify technological content. Patent classification is based on each patent's PRIMARY classification as of 31 December, 2009.

If the record for a patent is incomplete and contains no PRIMARY classification, then the patent is counted in class 001, titled CLASSIFICATION UNDETERMINED. For a more detailed description of the technologies encompassed by a U.S. Patent Classification System class of technology, the Manual of U.S. Patent Classification and the U.S. Patent Classification System Classification Definitions should be consulted.

Listing of States and Countries

Each class report presents a listing of regions from which 1 or more utility patents originated during the period. Country names that appear in this table do not imply any expression of opinion by USPTO about the preferred name or the legal status of any country or territory, or of its authorities. Patent origin is determined by the residence of the first-named inventor listed on the patent grant.

Subtotals are provided for patents of U.S. origin and for patents of foreign (non-U.S.) origin. In addition, a total is provided for all patents, regardless of origin.

In each of these class reports, U.S. states/territories are listed together in order of decreasing patent counts. Foreign countries and regions are listed in a separate section in order of decreasing patent counts.

Analyzing the Data

Use of spreadsheet software may facilitate analysis of the data contained in these reports. Users should note that many spreadsheet software programs (e.g., Microsoft Excel) can import these report files directly. Check the spreadsheet software documentation for details.

PTMT Contacts

Questions regarding these reports should be directed to:

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Electronic Information Products Division - PTMT
P.O Box 1450
Alexandria VA 22313
tel: (571) 272-5600
fax: (571) 273-0110
email: oeip@uspto.gov
address of PTMT pages at the USPTO Web Site: http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/oeip/taf/tafp.html
selected PTMT files available for download at : http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/oeip/taf/data/

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