Skip menu navigation Home > Listing of Viewable PTMT Reports


U.S. PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
Patent Technology Monitoring Team (PTMT)


PATENTING TRENDS
CALENDAR YEAR 2015

(document dated 09-FEB-2016)

In calendar year 2015, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted 298,407 utility, 25,986 design, 1,074 plant, and 512 reissue patents, for a total of 325,979 patents for the year. There were no statutory invention registrations for 2015. Annual grants of all patent documents remained about the same when compared to the total for calendar year 2014 (326,038 grants in 2014). Calendar year 2015 grants of utility patents ('patents for inventions') numbered 298,407, a slight decrease of .8 percent from the total for 2014 (300,677).

In 2015, the share of all patents that were issued to U.S.-resident inventors was 47.9 percent, a decrease from the U.S. share for 2014 (48.7%). California-resident inventors claimed a 28.0 percent share (43,609 patents) of these U.S.-resident inventor patents, followed by resident inventors from Texas (6.8 percent, 10,561 patents), New York (6.0 percent, 9,391 patents), Massachusetts (4.6 percent, 7,234 patents), Washington (4.5 percent, 7,038 patents), Michigan (4.0 percent, 6,184 patents), Illinois (3.8 percent, 5,862 patents), New Jersey (3.2 percent, 5,026 patents), Florida (3.1 percent, 4,913 patents), and Minnesota (3.1 percent, 4,852 patents). U.S.-resident inventors of the following states had the largest percentage increases in patent receipts from 2014 to 2015: Montana, Arkansas, Michigan, South Carolina, North Dakota, Utah, Hawaii, Arizona, New Mexico, Massachusetts, and Iowa.

There were 17,843 patents granted to U.S. independent inventors in 2015, up from the 2014 count of U.S. independent inventor patents (17,824). The independent inventor share of all patents issued to U.S.-resident inventors increased to 11.4 percent in 2015 from an 11.2 percent share in 2014.

Foreign-resident inventors claimed a 52.1 percent share of all U.S. patents issued in 2015. The share of all U.S. patents that were issued to Japan-resident inventors in calendar year 2015 was 16.7 percent, down from 17.2 in 2014. The 2015 share of U.S. patents that were issued to South Korean-resident inventors was 6.2 percent, up from 5.6 percent in 2014. For Germany-resident inventors, the 2015 share was 5.4 percent, the same as in 2014 and the share for Taiwan-resident inventors was 3.9 percent for 2015, up from 3.8 in 2014. Countries with notable increases in patent receipts for 2015 include Portugal, Colombia, Ukraine, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Chile, Estonia, Poland, and Iceland.

The foreign countries whose residents received the most U.S. patents during calendar year 2015 are displayed in the table below. Following the table is a detail table that lists states and countries and the percentage change in patenting by their residents from 2014 to 2015.

 

This table displays the fourteen foreign countries of origin receiving the most U.S. patents during calendar year 2015. Figures for the United States and for all countries overall are listed at the end of the table. Counts include utility, design, plant, and reissue patents, and statutory invention registrations. Patent origin is based on the residence of the first-named inventor.
Rank
in 2015
Number
of Patents
in 2015
Share of
All Patents
in 2015
Country (Rank
in 2014)
(Number
of patents
in 2014)
(2014 to 2015)
(Change in Number
of patents)
1 54422 16.7% Japan (1) ( 56005 ) ( -2.8% )
2 20201 6.2% Korea, South (2) ( 18161 ) ( 11.2% )
3 17752 5.4% Germany (3) ( 17595 ) ( 0.9% )
4 12575 3.9% Taiwan (4) ( 12255 ) ( 2.6% )
5 9004 2.8% China, People's Repub (5) ( 7921 ) ( 13.7% )
6 7492 2.3% Canada (6) ( 7692 ) ( -2.6% )
7 7167 2.2% United Kingdom (7) ( 7158 ) ( 0.1% )
8 7026 2.2% France (8) ( 7103 ) ( -1.1% )
9 3804 1.2% Israel (9) ( 3618 ) ( 5.1% )
10 3415 1.0% India (10) ( 3044 ) ( 12.2% )
11 3090 0.9% Italy (11) ( 3033 ) ( 1.9% )
12 2862 0.9% Sweden (12) ( 2946 ) ( -2.9% )
13 2841 0.9% Switzerland (14) ( 2601 ) ( 9.2% )
14 2788 0.9% Netherlands (13) ( 2842 ) ( -1.9% )
             
  155,982 47.9% United States   (158,713) (-1.7%)
  169,997 52.1% All Foreign   (167,325) (1.6%)
  325,979 100.0% All Countries   (326,038) (0.0%)

Annual Percentage Change in Patent Counts
By U.S. State and Country of Origin
Calendar Year 2014 to 2015

This table displays states and countries of origin along with the annual percentage change in patent counts (including utility, design, plant, and reissue patents, and statutory invention registrations) from calendar year 2014 to 2015. U.S., foreign, and overall totals are displayed at the beginning of the table. Patent origin is based on the residence of the first-named inventor.
State or Country   Number
of Patents
in 2014
Number
of Patents
in 2015
Number
of Patents
in 2014-2015
Annual Percent
Increase
Total, U.S. And Foreign Origin   326038 325979 652017 0.0%
-- Subtotal -- U.S. Origin   158713 155982 314695 -1.7%
-- Subtotal -- Foreign Origin   167325 169997 337322 1.6%
           
ALABAMA   557 519 1076 -6.8%
ALASKA   51 46 97 -9.8%
ARIZONA   2671 2741 5412 2.6%
ARKANSAS   259 307 566 18.5%
CALIFORNIA   43679 43609 87288 -0.2%
COLORADO   3555 3472 7027 -2.3%
CONNECTICUT   2502 2367 4869 -5.4%
DELAWARE   466 376 842 -19.3%
FLORIDA   5022 4913 9935 -2.2%
GEORGIA   2978 2874 5852 -3.5%
HAWAII   160 166 326 3.8%
IDAHO   1045 909 1954 -13.0%
ILLINOIS   5924 5862 11786 -1.0%
INDIANA   2265 2278 4543 0.6%
IOWA   1057 1078 2135 2.0%
KANSAS   1036 1001 2037 -3.4%
KENTUCKY   714 716 1430 0.3%
LOUISIANA   487 446 933 -8.4%
MAINE   222 226 448 1.8%
MARYLAND   2005 1964 3969 -2.0%
MASSACHUSETTS   7079 7234 14313 2.2%
MICHIGAN   5822 6184 12006 6.2%
MINNESOTA   5082 4852 9934 -4.5%
MISSISSIPPI   177 174 351 -1.7%
MISSOURI   1419 1251 2670 -11.8%
MONTANA   139 168 307 20.9%
NEBRASKA   397 337 734 -15.1%
NEVADA   969 789 1758 -18.6%
NEW HAMPSHIRE   952 924 1876 -2.9%
NEW JERSEY   5508 5026 10534 -8.8%
NEW MEXICO   445 455 900 2.2%
NEW YORK   9770 9391 19161 -3.9%
NORTH CAROLINA   3709 3651 7360 -1.6%
NORTH DAKOTA   120 127 247 5.8%
OHIO   4384 4298 8682 -2.0%
OKLAHOMA   628 597 1225 -4.9%
OREGON   2919 2796 5715 -4.2%
PENNSYLVANIA   4484 4225 8709 -5.8%
RHODE ISLAND   447 393 840 -12.1%
SOUTH CAROLINA   999 1058 2057 5.9%
SOUTH DAKOTA   128 128 256 0.0%
TENNESSEE   1181 1127 2308 -4.6%
TEXAS   10692 10561 21253 -1.2%
UTAH   1526 1595 3121 4.5%
VERMONT   610 470 1080 -23.0%
VIRGINIA   2184 2222 4406 1.7%
WASHINGTON   7148 7038 14186 -1.5%
WEST VIRGINIA   137 136 273 -0.7%
WISCONSIN   2651 2571 5222 -3.0%
WYOMING   131 114 245 -13.0%
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA   171 167 338 -2.3%
GUAM   3 6 9 100.0%
PUERTO RICO   41 40 81 -2.4%
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS   5 7 12 40.0%
U.S. UNSPECIFIED REGION   1 0 1 -100.0%
AFGHANISTAN   1 0 1 -100.0%
ALGERIA   0 1 1 No 2014 Patents
ANDORRA   5 5 10 0.0%
ANGOLA   1 0 1 -100.0%
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA   1 0 1 -100.0%
ARGENTINA   81 72 153 -11.1%
ARMENIA   6 8 14 33.3%
AUSTRALIA   2019 1917 3936 -5.1%
AUSTRIA   1281 1262 2543 -1.5%
AZERBAIJAN   2 1 3 -50.0%
THE BAHAMAS   3 14 17 366.7%
BAHRAIN   3 1 4 -66.7%
BANGLADESH   2 2 4 0.0%
BARBADOS   3 5 8 66.7%
BELARUS   8 23 31 187.5%
BELGIUM   1305 1225 2530 -6.1%
BERMUDA   2 3 5 50.0%
BOLIVIA   1 1 2 0.0%
BRAZIL   362 381 743 5.2%
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS   2 3 5 50.0%
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM   0 1 1 No 2014 Patents
BULGARIA   50 34 84 -32.0%
CAMEROON   1 1 2 0.0%
CANADA   7692 7492 15184 -2.6%
CAYMAN ISLANDS   13 13 26 0.0%
CHILE   64 79 143 23.4%
CHINA, HONG KONG S.A.R.   818 793 1611 -3.1%
CHINA, MACAU S.A.R.   11 17 28 54.5%
CHINA, PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF   7921 9004 16925 13.7%
COLOMBIA   25 38 63 52.0%
COSTA RICA   23 22 45 -4.3%
CROATIA   30 14 44 -53.3%
CUBA   19 11 30 -42.1%
CURACAO   1 0 1 -100.0%
CYPRUS   12 10 22 -16.7%
CZECH REPUBLIC   203 206 409 1.5%
DENMARK   1263 1190 2453 -5.8%
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC   2 2 4 0.0%
ECUADOR   3 1 4 -66.7%
EGYPT   45 30 75 -33.3%
EL SALVADOR   0 2 2 No 2014 Patents
ESTONIA   35 43 78 22.9%
ETHIOPIA   1 0 1 -100.0%
FAROE ISLANDS   0 1 1 No 2014 Patents
FINLAND   1465 1485 2950 1.4%
FRANCE   7103 7026 14129 -1.1%
FRENCH POLYNESIA   0 1 1 No 2014 Patents
GABON   1 0 1 -100.0%
GEORGIA (REPUBLIC OF)   4 2 6 -50.0%
GERMANY   17595 17752 35347 0.9%
GHANA   1 1 2 0.0%
GIBRALTAR   2 2 4 0.0%
GREECE   66 77 143 16.7%
GREENLAND   1 0 1 -100.0%
GUATEMALA   2 4 6 100.0%
GUERNSEY   2 1 3 -50.0%
GUINEA   1 0 1 -100.0%
HUNGARY   170 158 328 -7.1%
ICELAND   50 59 109 18.0%
INDIA   3044 3415 6459 12.2%
INDONESIA   15 21 36 40.0%
IRAN   29 31 60 6.9%
IRAQ   0 1 1 No 2014 Patents
IRELAND   490 515 1005 5.1%
ISLE OF MAN   7 16 23 128.6%
ISRAEL   3618 3804 7422 5.1%
ITALY   3033 3090 6123 1.9%
JAMAICA   6 9 15 50.0%
JAPAN   56005 54422 110427 -2.8%
JERSEY   3 10 13 233.3%
JORDAN   7 11 18 57.1%
KAZAKHSTAN   1 5 6 400.0%
KENYA   5 5 10 0.0%
KOREA, SOUTH   18161 20201 38362 11.2%
KUWAIT   101 64 165 -36.6%
LATVIA   10 5 15 -50.0%
LEBANON   8 16 24 100.0%
LIECHTENSTEIN   37 36 73 -2.7%
LITHUANIA   6 13 19 116.7%
LUXEMBOURG   57 62 119 8.8%
MACEDONIA   1 2 3 100.0%
MADAGASCAR   1 0 1 -100.0%
MALAWI   0 1 1 No 2014 Patents
MALAYSIA   271 267 538 -1.5%
MALI   0 1 1 No 2014 Patents
MALTA   18 7 25 -61.1%
MEXICO   222 203 425 -8.6%
MOLDOVA   1 0 1 -100.0%
MONACO   24 18 42 -25.0%
MONGOLIA   0 2 2 No 2014 Patents
MONTENEGRO   1 0 1 -100.0%
MOROCCO   1 4 5 300.0%
NEPAL, FED. DEM. REPUBLIC OF   2 1 3 -50.0%
NETHERLANDS   2842 2788 5630 -1.9%
NEW CALEDONIA   0 1 1 No 2014 Patents
NEW ZEALAND   320 352 672 10.0%
NICARAGUA   1 1 2 0.0%
NORWAY   601 687 1288 14.3%
OMAN   3 5 8 66.7%
PAKISTAN   10 16 26 60.0%
PANAMA   2 2 4 0.0%
PARAGUAY   0 1 1 No 2014 Patents
PERU   5 5 10 0.0%
PHILIPPINES   45 45 90 0.0%
POLAND   184 223 407 21.2%
PORTUGAL   43 67 110 55.8%
QATAR   5 8 13 60.0%
ROMANIA   67 74 141 10.4%
RUSSIAN FEDERATION   447 483 930 8.1%
SAINT BARTHELEMY   0 1 1 No 2014 Patents
SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS   1 0 1 -100.0%
SAUDI ARABIA   294 364 658 23.8%
SENEGAL   1 0 1 -100.0%
SERBIA   10 6 16 -40.0%
SEYCHELLES   5 3 8 -40.0%
SINGAPORE   1010 1048 2058 3.8%
SLOVAKIA   26 28 54 7.7%
SLOVENIA   51 42 93 -17.6%
SOUTH AFRICA   181 199 380 9.9%
SPAIN   857 912 1769 6.4%
SRI LANKA   5 7 12 40.0%
SWEDEN   2946 2862 5808 -2.9%
SWITZERLAND   2601 2841 5442 9.2%
SYRIA   1 2 3 100.0%
TAIWAN   12255 12575 24830 2.6%
THAILAND   125 116 241 -7.2%
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO   8 7 15 -12.5%
TUNISIA   5 6 11 20.0%
TURKEY   103 136 239 32.0%
TURKMENISTAN   0 1 1 No 2014 Patents
UKRAINE   48 64 112 33.3%
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES   60 56 116 -6.7%
UNITED KINGDOM   7158 7167 14325 0.1%
URUGUAY   9 5 14 -44.4%
UZBEKISTAN   0 1 1 No 2014 Patents
VENEZUELA   14 30 44 114.3%
VIET NAM   7 5 12 -28.6%
WEST BANK/GAZA   0 1 1 No 2014 Patents
ZIMBABWE   1 0 1 -100.0%

Contact Information -

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 22313-1450

tel: (571) 272-5600
FAX: (571) 273-0110
e-mail: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 reports available for download at : http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/oeip/taf/data/


Top

Skip menu navigation Home > Listing of Viewable PTMT Reports