Companies with the most U.S. patents granted 2023
The South Korean technology giant Samsung Electronics was awarded a total of 6,165 United States patents in 2023, the most of any company. Qualcomm ranked second among companies, with 3,854 U.S. patents granted, followed by the likes of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and IBM.
Patents explained
Patents grant exclusionary rights to an invention - a product or process that is a solution to a specific technological problem. They can be seen as an indicator of innovation, to track rates of technological change or progress, or monitor the health of research and development. Where specific patents are linked to businesses, they can occasionally be used as a barometer for judging the current or future direction of a business's interests. Globally, the number of patent grants has continued to grow year-on-year.
US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is the federal agency for granting U.S. patents and registering trademarks. At the cutting edge of technological progress and achievement in the U.S., the USPTO serves to protect new ideas and investments in innovation and creativity. Of the national patent offices globally, the U.S. was second only to China in terms of the number of patents in force. This has been supported by policy implementation and a framework developed by the U.S. to protect intellectual property (IP), regarded as being one of the best intellectual property environments worldwide.
