Printing or Measuring and Testing Ranks as the #4 Technology Area in the 2020 Patent 300®
The 2020 Patent 300® details the top 300 companies, organizations, and universities obtaining patents in the United States. Data from the report shows that nearly 56% of patents obtained in the U.S. in 2019 were by Patent 300® companies. The top 10 technology areas, which represent 47% of the 189,796 U.S. patents obtained by Patent 300® companies in 2019, are again dominated by electrical technologies.
Chart 1 shows the Printing or Measuring, and Testing technology area ranked 4th largest in 2019. There were 10,383 patents issued for Patent 300® companies in the US. 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® (2019 U.S. Patents)
| Rank | Patent 300 Technology Area | 2019 U.S. Patents | Percentage of Total 2019 U.S. Patents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Semiconductors/Memory | 15841 | 8% |
| 2 | Electrical Circuits and Systems | 14269 | 8% |
| 3 | Multiplex and VoIP | 10824 | 6% |
| 4 | Printing/Measuring and Testing | 10383 | 6% |
| 5 | Optics | 9830 | 5% |
| 6 | Selective Visual Display Systems | 7338 | 4% |
| 7 | Thermal & Combustion Technology, Motive & Fluid Power Systems | 5951 | 3% |
| 8 | Computer Networks | 5753 | 3% |
| 9 | Cryptography and Security | 5016 | 3% |
| 10 | Telecommunications | 4714 | 2% |
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), Siemens (#4), and others. Canon tops the list having obtained 1,009 US patents, up 20% from 2018. Seiko Epson had 493 US patents, a 1% decrease from last year. Brother Industries, at 462, was up 31% from 2018. 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 Printing or Measuring and Testing
| Rank | Patent 300® | 2019 Printing/Measuring and Testing Patents | % of Company's 2019 US Patents | 2018 Printing/Measuring and Testing Patents | Change from 2018 Patents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canon | 1009 | 25% | 843 | 20% |
| 2 | Seiko Epson | 493 | 37% | 496 | -1% |
| 3 | Brother Industries | 462 | 59% | 353 | 31% |
| 4 | Siemens | 346 | 21% | 266 | 30% |
| 5 | HP Inc. | 336 | 35% | 310 | 8% |
| 6 | International Business Machines | 273 | 3% | 239 | 14% |
| 7 | General Electric | 258 | 9% | 212 | 22% |
| 8 | Samsung Electronics | 244 | 3% | 187 | 30% |
| 9 | Kyocera | 241 | 22% | 273 | -12% |
| 10 | Toshiba | 236 | 16% | 263 | -10% |
| 11 | Ricoh Company | 232 | 23% | 292 | -21% |
| 12 | Halliburton | 225 | 20% | 124 | 81% |
| 13 | Konica Minolta | 205 | 31% | 174 | 18% |
| 14 | Fujifilm | 186 | 14% | 193 | -4% |
| 14 | Schlumberger | 186 | 22% | 88 | 111% |
| 16 | Robert Bosch | 138 | 11% | 165 | -16% |
| 17 | Cadence Design Systems | 135 | 69% | 55 | 145% |
| 18 | Honeywell | 130 | 10% | 70 | 86% |
| 19 | Hitachi | 123 | 8% | 114 | 8% |
| 20 | Intel | 122 | 3% | 79 | 54% |
Printing or Measuring and Testing is an important technology area in the patent world with over 10,000 US patents in 2019 alone. Printing or Measuring and Testing technology affects companies in many industries around the globe. For more detailed information about this technology area, or any other data related to the 2020 Patent 300®, please visit harrityllp.com/patent300/.
