Patenting Trends, Calendar Year 1996

In calendar year 1996, the number of patent documents granted by
the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reached a record total of
121,806, including 109,646 utility, 11,410 design, 362 plant, and
279 reissue patents and 109 statutory invention registrations. 
Grants for all patent documents increased by seven percent over the
total for calendar year 1995 (113,955).  Total utility patent
grants (patents for invention) increased by eight percent over the
total for 1995 (101,419).

During 1996, the share of all patent documents which were issued to
U.S.-resident inventors increased to 57.0 percent from 56.6 percent
for 1995.  Foreign-resident inventors claimed a 43.0 percent share
in 1996.

The share of all U.S. patent documents claimed by Japan-resident
inventors was 19.8 percent, down from the 20.1 percent share in
1995.  The share of all U.S. patent documents claimed by Germany-
resident inventors also declined, to 5.8 percent for 1996 as
compared to a 6.0 percent share in 1995.

There were 17,415 patent documents granted to U.S. independent
inventors during 1996, an increase of nearly four percent over the
1995 count of U.S. independent inventor patents (16,813). The U.S.
independent inventor share of all patent documents granted in 1996
declined slightly to 14.3 percent from the 14.5 percent share in 1995. 

The ten foreign countries which received the most patent documents
during calendar year 1996 are displayed below.  South Korea moved
ahead of Italy from eighth position to seventh position.  No other
changes in rankings occurred among the top ten patenting countries. 
In general, only slight changes in ranking and percentage share
will occur from one year to the next. 

South Korea, Taiwan, Italy, Canada, and the United States increased
their patent receipts at a greater than average rate of growth. 
South Korea and Taiwan continue their exceptional rates of growth
in annual patent receipts.
                                                             (1995 to 1996)
1996 1996 #  1996 Share of                        (1995 # )  (Change in   )
Rank Patents  All Patents     Country             (Patents)  (# of Patents)
---- ------- -------------    -------------------- --------  --------------
 1  24,058       19.8%        Japan                (22,871)      ( + 5.2% )
 2   7,124        5.8%        Germany               (6,875)      ( + 3.6% )
 3   3,016        2.5%        France                (3,011)      ( + 0.2% )
 4   2,674        2.2%        United Kingdom        (2,677)      ( - 0.1% )
 5   2,639        2.2%        Canada                (2,447)      ( + 7.8% )
 6   2,419        2.0%        Taiwan                (2,087)      ( +15.9% )
 7   1,567        1.3%        South Korea           (1,240)      ( +26.4% )
 8   1,384        1.1%        Italy                 (1,242)      ( +11.4% )
 9   1,191        1.0%        Switzerland           (1,185)      ( + 0.5% )
10     971        0.8%        Sweden                  (914)      ( + 6.2% )

    69,424       57.0%        United States        (64,510)      ( + 7.6% )
   121,806      100.0%        All Countries       (113,955)      ( + 6.9% )


------------------
Questions regarding this report should be directed to:
(address as of 2/97)
             U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
             Office of Electronic Information Products
             Technology Assessment and Forecast Program
             PK3-Suite 441
             Washington, DC  20231

             tel (703) 306-2600
             FAX (703) 306-2737

_______________________________________________________________________________________
SOURCE:   U.S. PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
          Technology Assessment and Forecast data base    (1-27-97)