Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry
Economic Analysis & Statistics Division
sti.microdatalab@oecd.org
Last update: October 2022
The OECD’s Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry has developed patent data and indicators that are suitable for statistical analysis and that can help addressing S&T policy issues.
To date, the OECD Patent Database fully covers:
EPO and PCT patent counts are based on data from the EPO's PATSTAT EP Register database, Spring 2022. Series on USPTO patents are mainly derived from EPO’s Worldwide Statistical Patent Database (PATSTAT, Spring 2022).
Indicators based on patent families improve the international comparability and the quality of patent’s indicators (overcoming the drawbacks of traditional patent-based indicators, such as the "home advantage").
2 sets of indicators are provided in OECD.Stat:
Patent counts by technology (including total patents, estimated total patents for latest years):
Indicators of international co-operation (EPO, USPTO & PCT):
Additional patent related indicators available on OECD.Stat :
Patent data are presented according to various dates (all based on calendar years). OECD patent indicators are aimed to provide a measure of the S&T output, therefore, there are usually published according to the priority date, which is the closest to the date of invention. However, there is a time lag between the priority date and the availability of patent information.
In addition to the priority date, patent counts are also presented according to the date of application of the patents as well as the date of grant.
Patents are a key measure of innovation output, as patent indicators reflect the inventive performance of countries, regions, technologies, firms, etc. They are also used to track the level of diffusion of knowledge across technology areas, countries, sectors, firms, etc., and the level of internationalisation of innovative activities. Patent indicators can serve to measure the output of R&D, its productivity, structure and the development of a specific technology/industry. Among the few available indicators of technology output, patent indicators are probably the most frequently used. The relationship between patents as an intermediate output resulting from R&D inputs has been investigated extensively. Patents are often interpreted as an output indicator; however, they could also be viewed as an input indicator, as patents are used as a source of information by subsequent inventors
Like any other indicator, patent indicators have many advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of patent indicators are:
However, patents are subject to certain drawbacks:
For further details on the methodology applied to patent indicators, please consult the following documentation:
Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry
Economic Analysis & Statistics Division
sti.microdatalab@oecd.org
Last update: October 2022
The OECD’s Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry has developed patent data and indicators that are suitable for statistical analysis and that can help addressing S&T policy issues.
To date, the OECD Patent Database fully covers:
EPO and PCT patent counts are based on data from the EPO's PATSTAT EP Register database, Spring 2022. Series on USPTO patents are mainly derived from EPO’s Worldwide Statistical Patent Database (PATSTAT, Spring 2022).
Indicators based on patent families improve the international comparability and the quality of patent’s indicators (overcoming the drawbacks of traditional patent-based indicators, such as the "home advantage").
2 sets of indicators are provided in OECD.Stat:
Patent counts by technology (including total patents, estimated total patents for latest years):
Indicators of international co-operation (EPO, USPTO & PCT):
Additional patent related indicators available on OECD.Stat :
Patent data are presented according to various dates (all based on calendar years). OECD patent indicators are aimed to provide a measure of the S&T output, therefore, there are usually published according to the priority date, which is the closest to the date of invention. However, there is a time lag between the priority date and the availability of patent information.
In addition to the priority date, patent counts are also presented according to the date of application of the patents as well as the date of grant.
Patents are a key measure of innovation output, as patent indicators reflect the inventive performance of countries, regions, technologies, firms, etc. They are also used to track the level of diffusion of knowledge across technology areas, countries, sectors, firms, etc., and the level of internationalisation of innovative activities. Patent indicators can serve to measure the output of R&D, its productivity, structure and the development of a specific technology/industry. Among the few available indicators of technology output, patent indicators are probably the most frequently used. The relationship between patents as an intermediate output resulting from R&D inputs has been investigated extensively. Patents are often interpreted as an output indicator; however, they could also be viewed as an input indicator, as patents are used as a source of information by subsequent inventors
Like any other indicator, patent indicators have many advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of patent indicators are:
However, patents are subject to certain drawbacks:
For further details on the methodology applied to patent indicators, please consult the following documentation: