How far can patent records be used for making international comparisons of technological achievement?

Abstract

This thesis explores the question of how far the data on patents may be used for an international comparison of innovation, measured by technological achievement. The literature supports the use of raw patent data as a useful tool for measuring innovative output. In addition two further refinements supported by the literature have been applied: the use of citations of patents and the use of patent maintenance data. These measures have been applied to a unique dataset, assembled for the purpose from the main database of Utility patents of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. This Office represents a level playing field for international patent applicants with inventions deemed worthy of global patent protection. The unique feature of this dataset is that it includes only those patents for which patent applicants claimed ‘Small Entity’ status. This status entitles the applicant to a remission of 50 per cent of certain fees, and is available only to a) not-for-profit entities like universities, b) finns with under 500 employees and c) independent (or individual) inventors. These data have been available in full since 1994 and, with a lag due to data collection issues, a full ten year span has been available only from April 2004.