I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
Patent Analysis – the Technical Intelligence
professional’s adjustable spanner
Bob Stembridge
Customer Relationships Manager
Thomson Scientific
I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
Agenda
• Why patents are useful as technical intelligence
• Semantics & linguistic variation
• The importance of classification
• Some ground rules
• Three tips:
– Classification discontinuity
– Normalisation
– Sorting the wheat from the chaff
• Conclusions
Copyright 2004 Thomson
I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
Why patents are useful as technical intelligence
• Publicly available detailed technical information:
– Usually the first source
– In up to 80% of cases, may be the only source
– Full and practical descriptions
• Licensed industrial espionage
– Attributed
– Technical detail
• Identify and monitor competitors & key inventors
• Monitor research trends
• Identify potential infringers/partners/licensors
Copyright 2004 Thomson
I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
Semantics
• A rose by any other name would smell as sweet…Shakespeare, Romeo & Juliet
• One man’s spanner is another man’s monkey wrench
• We are divided by a common language
George Bernard Shaw
Copyright 2004 Thomson
I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
CLASS 7 COMPOUND TOOLS
138 WRENCH
139 .Adjustable, e.g., monkey wrench, pipe wrench, etc.
SECTION B – PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B 25
B 25 B
HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; HANDLES FOR HAND IMPLEMENTS; WORKSHOP EQUIPMENT; M
TOOLS OR BENCH DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, FOR FASTENING, CONNECTING, DISENGAGING, OR
13/ 00
Spanners; Wrenches (hand-driven gear-operated B25B 17/00; impact wrenches B25B 19/00; portable power-driven B25B 21/
together or separating metal parts B23P 19/00)
13/ 02
13/ 04
13/ 06
13/ 08
13/ 10
13/ 12
13/ 14
13/ 16
. with rigid jaws (B25B 13/46, B25B 13/48 take precedence)
. . of ring jaw type
. . of socket type
. . of open jaw type
. with adjustable jaws (B25B 13/46, B25B 13/48 take precedence)
. . the jaws being slidable
. . . by rack and pinion, worm or gear
. . . by screw or nut
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I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
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I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
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I N F O R M A T I O N
• Schraubenschlüssel
German
• clé réglable
French
• llave de tuercas ajustable
Spanish
• 調節可能なスパナー
Japanese
• 조정가능한 스패너
Korean
• 活絡扳子
Chinese
• регулируемый гаечный ключ
Russian
S O L U T I O N S
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I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
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I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
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I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
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I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
Some ground rules
• Documents vs inventions
• Application vs grant
• Publication vs application (dates = 18 month rule)
Copyright 2004 Thomson
I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
Analysis of patenting activity over time – publication vs.
priority date:
Vertex patent rate measures
50
45
40
35
30
Pub date total
Priority total
25
20
15
10
5
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
1989
0
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I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
Analysis of patenting activity over time – publication vs.
priority date:
18 months between priority and publication
50
45
40
35
30
Publication date
25
20
Predicted publication
date (18 months after
Priority date)
15
10
5
20
02
20
00
19
98
19
96
19
94
19
92
19
90
19
88
0
Copyright 2004 Thomson
I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
Three tips
•Tip one – Classification discontinuity
•Tip two – Normalisation
•Tip three – Sorting the wheat from the chaff
Copyright 2004 Thomson
I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
Three tips
•Tip
•Tip one
one –– Classification
Classification discontinuity
discontinuity
•Tip two – Normalisation
•Tip three – Sorting the wheat from the chaff
Copyright 2004 Thomson
I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
The curious case of the dog in the night…
Pancreatic inflammatory disease treatment
450
400
350
300
IPC
Manual code
MC, IPC and text
250
200
150
100
50
02
20
01
20
00
20
99
19
98
19
97
19
96
19
95
19
94
19
93
19
92
19
19
91
0
Copyright 2004 Thomson
I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
Three tips
•Tip one – Classification discontinuity
•Tip
•Tip two
two –– Normalisation
Normalisation
•Tip three – Sorting the wheat from the chaff
Copyright 2004 Thomson
CN
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I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
Technology portfolio analysis:
Vertex major categories - all patents
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Count non-US
Count US (deduped)
Copyright 2004 Thomson
Pa
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I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
Normalisation:
Vertex major categories - all patents normalised
2.50%
2.00%
1.50%
1.00%
0.50%
0.00%
Copyright 2004 Thomson
I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
Three tips
•Tip one – Classification discontinuity
•Tip two – Normalisation
•Tip
•Tip three
three –– Sorting
Sorting the
the wheat
wheat from
from the
the chaff
chaff
•Geographic spread
•Forward citation frequency
•Legal status
Copyright 2004 Thomson
I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
Geographic spread
Basic Patent
number
WO9405639
WO9407858
WO9817679
WO9636630
WO9633187
WO9615101
EP623606
WO9933815
WO9633184
WO9535308
WO9202617
WO9827098
WO9820891
WO9740028
WO9712855
WO9958502
Pub date
17/03/1994
14/04/1994
30/04/1998
21/11/1996
24/10/1996
23/05/1996
09/11/1994
08/07/1999
24/10/1996
28/12/1995
20/02/1992
25/06/1998
22/05/1998
30/10/1997
10/04/1997
18/11/1999
Number of
authorities
22
19
18
18
18
18
17
16
16
16
16
15
15
15
15
14
Topic
New sulphonamide derivs.
New 1-(2-oxo:acetyl)-piperidine-2-carboxylic acid d
New peptide serine protease inhibitors
New tetralin derivs.
New sulphonamide derivs.
New amino acid derivs.
New peptidic ketone(s)
New sulfonamide prodrugs
New sulphonamide derivs.
Interleukin-1 beta converting enzyme inhibitor
Use of crosslinked immobilised enzyme crystals
New substituted nitrogen containing heterocycle c
New pharmaceutical composition containing a neu
Inhibiting inosine-5'-mono:phosphate dehydrogena
Butyrate prodrugs having good bioavailability
Heterocyclic inhibitors of P38
Copyright 2004 Thomson
I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
Forward citation frequency
Vertex significant patents (by citations and geographic
spread)
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
-20
Times cited by later patents
Best fit trend
Copyright 2004 Thomson
I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
Conclusions
• Data source and search strategy is key
• Understanding of codes and classifications is important
• Useful techniques:
– Normalisation
– Averaging counts over time
• Qualification
– Geographic spread
– Citation frequency
– Legal status
• Patent analysis can be valuable for highlighting areas for further study
and corroboration
Copyright 2004 Thomson
I N F O R M A T I O N
S O L U T I O N S
. . . . Thank you
Copyright 2004 Thomson