Patent analytics

Patent analytics is the process of analyzing the texts of patent disclosures and other information (such as priority dates, filing and issuance countries, patent maintenance payments, patent citations, patent infringement actions etc.) from the patent lifecycle. Patent analytics is used to obtain deeper insights into different technologies and innovation. Other terms are sometimes used as synonyms for patent analytics, such as patent analysis, patent landscape, or patent mapping. Patent analytics encompasses the analysis of patent data, analysis of the scientific literature, data cleaning, text mining, machine learning, geographic mapping, and data visualisation.^[1]

Patent analytics is a specialized domain within intellectual property analytics. It is used in industry and explored by the public sector to take informed decisions related to prioritization and investments in R&D, IP portfolio management, and policymaking among others.^[2][3]

Patent analysis methodology

Further information: Intellectual property analytics § IP analytics methodology

The analytical process in IP analytics typically follows a structured methodology, as described in WIPO's guidelines for patent analytics.^[4]

In general, patent analytics and patent landscape report creation involves the following stages:^[5]

1. Defining the topic and project scope,
2. The patent search that leads to obtaining patent data,
3. Data cleaning and normalization,
4. Data analysis and visualization,
5. Narrative and storytelling when drafting the report, and
6. Dissemination and distribution of the analysis.

Patent analytics is an iterative process which often requires rescoping of the project and adaptation based on the findings during the process. There are different tools which can be used for analytics, some embedded in patent databases, others more general data manipulation, visualization and analytics tools, including commercial and open source tools.^[5]

Typically patent analytics teams work with R&D departments, patent attorneys, with related information feeding into IP, corporate and business strategy decisions.^[5]

Types of patent analytics and reports

Further information: Intellectual property analytics

Different types of patent analyses can be performed based on the need and the questions to be answered and each type of analysis leads to different associated reports.^[6]

A patentability or prior art search report provides information on whether a new invention is eligible for patent protection, along with information on what are the closest prior arts. This analysis helps patent attorneys draft broad and appropriate claims for the new invention. The patentability search may include both patent and non-patent literature. A freedom-to-operate search report helps organizations decide if they have the clearance to launch a new product without infringing on anyone else's patent rights. This is specific to only one jurisdiction, and multiple searches for each jurisdiction may have to be performed if an organization is interested in obtaining clearance for product launch in different countries.

Patent landscape reports (PLRs) are another example of a report produced by performing patent analysis.

In the public sector, the providers of patent landscape reports are the national patent offices or research institutes that prepare reports on subjects of general interest, for a specific need, or to provide landscaping services to the public. Patent landscape reports are used by the public sector to raise awareness, with public institutions increasingly finding ways to facilitate and validate their policy decisions in ways that are similar to private sector decisions.^[5][7]

For users in industry, they are used as a decision-making mechanism (patent portfolio management, R&D investment and prioritisation, technology transfer, etc.). Such reports are typically confidential and not publicly available. They are costly and commissioned or developed to support specific decision-making processes and are considered business intelligence.

Patent landscape reports are sometimes confused with different products serving different purposes, such as a freedom-to-operate (FTO) analysis which has a different scope and is based on an FTO search; technology bulletins, technology watches/technology alerts, or even specific type of visualizations.^[8]

Further reading

• Breitzman, Anthony F.; Mogee, Mary Ellen (June 1, 2002). "The many applications of patent analysis". Journal of Information Science. 28 (3): 187–205. doi:10.1177/016555150202800302. S2CID 36356971.
• Abbas, Assad; Zhang, Limin; Khan, Samee U. (2014). "A literature review on the state-of-the-art in patent analysis". World Patent Information. 37: 3–13. Bibcode:2014WPatI..37....3A. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.407.7448. doi:10.1016/j.wpi.2013.12.006. S2CID 17887406.
• Gazni, Ali (2020). "The growing number of patent citations to scientific papers: Changes in the world, nations, and fields". Technology in Society. 62 101276. doi:10.1016/j.techsoc.2020.101276. S2CID 219520163.