Thomson Reuters Publishes 'World IP Today' Report, Analyzing Global Patent Activity and Technology Innovations in 2007

LONDON, May 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Thomson Reuters, the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals, today published two issues of World IP Today, analyzing global patent activity and technology innovations for the year 2007. Both reports draw on data mined from Thomson Innovation(SM), the new standard in IP research and analysis, and give a highly detailed view of recent IP developments across the globe.

"Thomson Reuters extensive data covering patenting activity across the world allows us to track new trends and technology developments as they emerge," said Ben Lansbury, Patent Analyst, Thomson Reuters. "As countries become important players on the world stage, we can see spikes and increases in their patenting activities. Our reports reveal the dynamic nature of the IP sector and its vital importance to both global and national economies."

World IP Today: A Thomson Reuters Report On Global Patent Activity in 2007 highlights patent output from the G8 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States) plus China and South Korea. Findings indicate:

-- Global patent activity has grown by 21% between 2003 and 2006, with
2007 proving to be yet another year of growth for patents.
-- Japan is still the world's leading filer of patents, but continues to
decline slowly. Its lead over the U.S. and China is eroding as their
patenting activity increases. China's output has almost doubled in the
last 5 years.
-- Academic innovations are at their highest ratio in China and Russia
where they represent nearly 25% of total patenting activity.
-- South Korea safeguards more inventions worldwide than ever before,
while the U.S. has greatly decreased the number of patents it files
across the key patent regions.

World IP Today: A Thomson Reuters Report On Global Technology Innovations in 2007 reviews technology innovations developing globally in 2007, highlighting tri-lateral inventions or inventions that have been filed in the U.S., Europe and Japan. Among the key findings:

-- Four areas of technology are truly exemplary in protecting high volumes
of inventions: consumer electronics, computing, telecommunications and
entertainment and business services technology.
-- Protection for computing inventions in the three largest markets,
Japan, the U.S. and Europe, has been more prevalent than in other
technology sectors.
-- Innovation within the computing industry is far more evenly distributed
between countries than with other technologies.
-- Of the top ten patent assignees based on innovations filed in the
United States, Europe and Japan during 2007, most are from Japan.
-- There has been a significant drop in innovation within the industrial,
audio/visual and data recording sectors between 2001 and 2007, as well
as a dramatic fall in the semiconductors field which decreased by 26%
during the same period.

For complete copies of the Thomson Reuters World IP Today reports, including the methodology behind the findings, please visit: http://scientific.thomsonreuters.com/press/insight/

The Scientific business of Thomson Reuters provides information and knowledge to accelerate research, discovery and innovation. Our authoritative, accurate and timely information is essential for drug companies to discover new drugs and get them to market faster; researchers to find relevant papers and know what's newly published in their subject; and businesses to optimize their intellectual property and find competitive intelligence. We create the research platforms and services of the future that will power our customers toward business and personal success.

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Source: Scientific business of Thomson Reuters

CONTACT: Eoin Bedford, PR Manager, Scientific, +44 207 433 4691,
eoin.bedford@thomsonreuters.com

Web site: http://www.scientific.thomson.com/
http://scientific.thomsonreuters.com/press/insight

2008-05-05 20:57:16 0353211 PRNEWSWIRE