USA: Patent applications by residents

The latest value from 2021 is 262244 patent applications, a decline from 269586 patent applications in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 20444 patent applications, based on data from 112 countries. Historically, the average for the USA from 1980 to 2021 is 169515 patent applications. The minimum value, 59391 patent applications, was reached in 1983 while the maximum of 295327 patent applications was recorded in 2016. See the global rankings for that indicator or use the country comparator to compare trends over time.

Definition: Patent applications are worldwide patent applications filed through the Patent Cooperation Treaty procedure or with a national patent office for exclusive rights for an invention--a product or process that provides a new way of doing something or offers a new technical solution to a problem. A patent provides protection for the invention to the owner of the patent for a limited period, generally 20 years.