Patent Pending

While working on this patent application, Torrey Hills Technologies came across some noteworthy data published by USPTO. More than half of all 325,979 patents granted in 2015 were to foreign individuals, including both immigrants and foreign investors. A study conducted by the Partnership for a New American Economy about immigrants and patent innovation found that ?6% of patents awarded to the top ten patent-producing universities had at least one foreign-born inventor.?

You can find some of the raw data below. Or check them out from USPTO's website.

Year Utility Patent Grants, U.S. Origin Utility Patent Grants, Foreign Origin Utility Patent Grants, All Origin Total
2015 140,969 157,438 298,407
2014 144,621 156,057 300,677
2013 133,593 144,242 277,835
2012 121,026 132,129 253,155
2011 108,622 115,883 224,505
2010 107,791 111,823 219,614
2009 82,382 84,967 167,349
2008 77,502 80,270 157,772
2007 79,526 77,756 157,282
2006 89,823 83,949 173,772
2005 74,637 69,169 143,806
2004 84,270 80,020 164,290
2003 87,893 81,130 169,023
2002 86,971 80,360 167,331
2001 87,600 78,435 166,035
2000 85,068 72,426 157,494
1999 83,906 69,579 153,485
1998 80,289 67,228 147,517
1997 61,708 50,276 111,984
1996 61,104 48,541 109,645
1995 55,739 45,680 101,419
1994 56,066 45,610 101,676
1993 53,231 45,111 98,342
1992 52,253 45,191 97,444
1991 51,177 45,334 96,511
1990 47,391 42,974 90,365
1989 50,185 45,352 95,537
1988 40,497 37,427 77,924
1987 43,520 39,432 82,952
1986 38,126 32,734 70,860
1985 39,555 32,106 71,661
1984 38,367 28,833 67,200
1983 32,871 23,989 56,860
1982 33,896 23,992 57,888
1981 39,223 26,548 65,771
1980 37,355 24,464 61,819
1979 30,078 18,776 48,854
1978 41,255 24,847 66,102
1977 41,484 23,785 65,269
1976 44,280 25,946 70,226
1975 46,715 25,285 72,000
1974 50,645 25,633 76,278
1973 51,500 22,643 74,143
1972 51,518 23,292 74,810
1971 55,976 22,341 78,317
1970 47,072 17,357 64,429
1969 50,394 17,165 67,559
1968 45,781 13,323 59,104
1967 51,273 14,379 65,652
1966 54,634 13,771 68,405
1965 50,331 12,526 62,857
1964 38,410 8,965 47,375
1963 37,174 8,505 45,679

Data Source: USPTO.