Patents R Us: Patent Information and Services for Inventors and Patent Owners
Patent Office
Data and Statistics: Patent Applications and Patents Issued
| Patent Applications Filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office: 2009 – 2010 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type | 2009 | 2010 |
| Utility Patents: | 456,106 | 490,266 |
| Design Patents: | 25,806 | 29,059 |
| Plant Patents: | 959 | 992 |
| Total Patent Applications | 482,871 | 520,317 |
| US Applications: | 224,912 | 241,977 |
| Foreign Applications: | 231,194 | 248,249 |
| Patents Issued by the US Patent and Trademark Office: 2009 – 2010 | ||
| Type | 2009 | 2010 |
| Utility Patents: | 167,349 | 219,614 |
| Design Patents: | 23,116 | 22,799 |
| Plant Patents: | 1,009 | 981 |
| Re-Issued Patents: | 453 | 947 |
| Total Patents Issued: | 191,927 | 244,341 |
| Issued to US Residents: | 82,382 | 107,792 |
| Issued to Foreigners: | 84,967 | 111,822 |
| Total Utility Patents Issued: | 167,349 | 219,614 |
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Patent Information Dash Board for the US Patent and Trademark Office
USPTO Meets or Exceeds its Goals for 2011
Patent Backlog Reaches Lowest Level in Five Years
WASHINGTON – The United States Patent and Trademark Office announced some preliminary statistics for the end of fiscal year (FY) 2011. In both Patents and Trademarks, many of the agency’s goals were achieved or exceeded.
The USPTO ended the fiscal year with its lowest patent backlog number in five years. As of the close of FY2011, the backlog of unexamined patent applications was reduced to 669,625. This represents a 10 percent reduction in the backlog since USPTO Director David Kappos took office in FY2009, even with an average annual increase of patent application filings of 5 percent. The goal of the USPTO was to clear the oldest patent applications first. The Patent Office processed 257.642 of the oldest applications in FY2011.
“I am pleased with the progress we have made in reducing the agency’s enormous backlog of unexamined applications and in shortening wait times,” said David Kappos, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. “We have really begun to make headway, and this is an important step forward in reinventing the patent system so that it can meet the needs of innovators in a timely manner, helping bring innovations to the marketplace faster and creating jobs for the American people.”
In order to help with the patent backlog the USPTO recently announced it was hiring new patent examiners. This is long overdue and if Congress takes steps to fully fund the patent office we should see the backlog of patent application decrease even more.