Patent Applications, The Flow of Global Information, and Graph Theory
Intellectual property is broadly the study of ownership rights as it comes to new innovations and proprietary technologies. A large part of new IP depends on information flow: the existence of certain ideas inspires new ideas, which can be cataloged through references in patent filings. Understanding the flow of these references can be valuable, as it can reveal relationships between patent filers, technology companies, and global networks. These relationships are most easily described through graph theory, explored in a 2021 study by Bekkers and Martinelli.
One approach that Bekkers and Martinelli mention is to consider how different patents relate to each other by tracking references in patent filings. It is important to mention that patents, in this sense, are primarily held by large corporations due to patent laws (generally, anything you invent while working for a company is that company’s IP). In their study, organizations can be split into two groups: net producers and consumers of information. Firms that receive citations more often than they cite other patents are seen as net producers, while firms that cite other patents more often than they receive citations are net consumers. In their network graph, bolder edges represent stronger ties (more citations, in both directions) while the size of nodes represents how much a firm iterates on its own IP.
(Bekkers and Martineli, 2021)
The most apparent trend is a strong internal network: firms that iterate more (larger dots) tend to also iterate more off of each other (they have more bold lines among each other). Additionally, IBM appears to not iterate off existing patents or themselves, but outside information would show that they own the most patents out of all organizations. In IBM’s case, they also only appear to iterate off Interdigital’s IP. Further research is needed to better understand this relationship. Another interesting observation is that American and Asian companies are generally divided within the network. This does relate to Bekkers and Martinelli’s future recommendations: they also acknowledge that understanding a geographic perspective for IP networks is important.
The topic covered in this study relates to class, as they cover the flow of information through a legal perspective, focused on IP. Further, the study shows how you can communicate similar ideas as we learned in class through different notations depending on context.
Bekkers and Martinelli, 2021: https://academic.oup.com/book/41122/chapter/350442943
Biggest Patent Holders: https://harrityllp.com/patent300/
General Information on IP: Personal knowledge (I run the IP club on campus)