Patent Assignment Dataset

The USPTO allows parties to record assignments of patents and patent applications to, as much as possible, maintain a complete history of claimed interests in a patent. The USPTO also permits recording of other documents that affect title (such as certificates of name change and mergers of businesses) or are relevant to patent ownership (such as licensing agreements, security interests, mortgages, and liens). The latest update contains detailed information on 9.6 million patent assignments and other transactions recorded at the USPTO since 1970 and involving roughly 16.5 million patents and patent applications. It is derived from the recording of patent transfers by parties with the USPTO.

A working paper describing these data is available at SSRN and as a published version in the Journal of Economics and Management Strategy. Users are requested to cite this documentation when using these data: Graham, SJH, Marco, AC, Myers, AF. Patent transactions in the marketplace: Lessons from the USPTO Patent Assignment Dataset. J Econ Manage Strat. 2018; 27: 343– 371. https://doi.org/10.1111/jems.12262

For questions, please email EconomicsData@uspto.gov