Printing or Measuring and Testing Ranks as the #5 Technology Area in the 2019 Patent 300™ Report

By Rocky Berndsen

The 2019 Patent 300™ Report details the top 300 companies, organizations, and universities obtaining patents in the United States. Data from the report shows that nearly 70% of the U.S. patents obtained in 2018 were for electrical, software, or computer-related technologies. The top 10 technology areas, which represent 49% of the 167,164 U.S. patents obtained by Patent 300 companies in 2018, are dominated by electrical technologies.

Chart 1 shows the Printing or Measuring, and Testing technology area ranked 5th largest in 2018. There were 8,641 patents issued for Patent 300 companies in the U.S. Printing or Measuring and Testing cover United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) technology classifications related to Printing and Measuring Technology, respectively.

Printing patents include means adapted to produce characters or designs on surfaces by the impression of types or dies. Also included is applying coating material through the openings of a covering pattern sheet, such as stenciling. Printing patents also cover impression from graphic or intaglio surfaces. These patents include organizations using a design or character dies that emboss, burn, or perforate, and that apply ink.

Measuring and Testing is the generic class for processes and apparatus for measuring of any kind or for any testing. It includes all subjects not provided for in other classes. The term “test” includes inspection, processes, and apparatus for examination or review not covered by other classes. This class is the generic class for sampling and consists of all sampling apparatus and processes not otherwise classified.

Chart 1 – Top 10 Technology Areas for Patent 300 (2018 U.S. Patents)

Rank	Patent 300 Technology Area	2018 U.S. Patents	Percentage of Total 2018 U.S. Patents
1	Semiconductors/Memory	15,153	9%
2	Electrical Circuits and Systems	13,215	8%
3	Multiplex and VoIP	9,875	6%
4	Optics	9,003	5%
5	Printing/Measuring and Testing	8,641	5%
6	Thermal & Combustion Technology, Motive & Fluid Power Systems	7,017	4%
7	Selective Visual Display Systems	4,855	3%
8	Telecommunications: Analog Radio Telephone; Satellite and Power Control; Transceivers, Measuring and Testing; Bluetooth; Receivers and Transmitters; Equipment Details	4,761	3%
9	Computer Networks	4,544	3%
10	Cryptography and Security	4,311	3%

The top 20 companies in the Printing or Measuring and Testing area, shown in Chart 2, are large global technology companies. They include Canon (#1), Seiko Epson (#2), Brother (#3), HP (#4), and others. Canon tops the list having obtained 843 U.S. patents, up 8% from 2017. Seiko Epson had 496 U.S. patents. Brother Industries, at 353, was down 1% from 2017. The top 20 companies represent a cross-section of the technology sector. Included are device makers and software producers, auto makers, and electronics companies.

Chart 2 – Top 20 Companies by U.S. Patents in Telecommunications

Patent 300 Company Name	Patent 300 Rank	Patents 2018	Percentage of 2018 Patents	Patents 2017	Change from 2017 Patents
Canon	1	843	24%	772	8%
Seiko Epson	2	496	39%	536	-8%
Brother	3	353	58%	357	-1%
HP	4	310	42%	226	27%
Ricoh	5	292	28%	325	-11%
Kyocera	6	273	26%	226	17%
Siemens	7	266	19%	248	7%
Toshiba	8	263	16%	168	36%
IBM	9	239	3%	251	-5%
GE	10	212	8%	234	-10%
Fujifilm	11	193	16%	248	-28%
Samsung	12	187	2%	177	5%
Konica Minolta	13	174	26%	135	22%
Robert Bosch	14	165	13%	176	-7%
Halliburton	15	124	14%	111	10%
Hitachi	16	114	9%	151	-32%
Toyota	17	110	4%	106	4%
Panasonic	18	109	6%	99	9%
Denso	19	105	9%	83	21%
Taiwan Semi	20	97	4%	111	-14%

For more detailed information about this technology area, or any other data related to the 2019 Patent 300™ Report, please visit harrityllp.com/patent300/ or contact Rocky Berndsen directly via email at rberndsen@harrityllp.com.