PCT Filings in 2009
Provisional data indicate that 155,900 international applications were filed under the PCT in 2009, representing a reduction in filings over 2008 of 4.5%. Although this was the first time since PCT operations began that a decrease in filings has been experienced, it was not as sharp as had been originally anticipated given the global economic downturn, and it was still the third highest yearly total since operations began in 1978. It is important to note that this and the following figures for 2009 are estimates as the International Bureau continues to receive, throughout the first half of 2010, PCT applications which were filed with national and regional Offices in 2009, and final figures will only be available later in the year.
The top four countries of filing remained the same as for 2008, with applicants from the United States of America filing the largest number of applications (45,790, which represents 29.4% of all applications), followed by Japan (19.1%), Germany (10.7%) and the Republic of Korea (5.2%), however in 2009 China overtook France to take fifth position with 5.1% of filings. Applicants from the member States of the European Patent Convention, when grouped together, filed 34.6% of all international applications. Although certain industrialized countries experienced a significant decline in growth rates, there was continued growth in filings from East Asian countries, in particular from Japan (with a 3.6% increase) the Republic of Korea (2.1%) and China experienced a significant increase (29.7%). A table showing the number of PCT applications filed by country of origin (that is, by country of residence of the first applicant) has been published in WIPO Press Release PR/2010/632, Annex 1, at:
http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2010/article_0003.html
A second table, in Annex 2, shows the top 15 countries of origin in ranking order, and includes information on share of filings and percentage growth rates.
The top PCT applicant in 2009 was Panasonic Corporation from Japan, with 1,891 PCT applications published. In second place was the Chinese company which had been the top applicant in 2008, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd, with 1,847, and in third place was the German company Robert Bosch GmbH with 1,586. It is interesting to note that four Japanese companies featured in the top ten filers, which are listed below, together with the number of international applications published in their names:
1. Panasonic Corporation (JP) 1,891
2. Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd (CN) 1,847
3. Robert Bosch GmbH (DE) 1,586
4. Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (NL) 1,295
5. Qualcomm Incorporated (US) 1,280
6. Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (SE) 1,240
7. LG Electronics Inc. (KR) 1,090
8. NEC Corporation (JP) 1,069
9. Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (JP) 1,068
10. Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (JP) 997
A list of the top 100 PCT applicants (with the most applications published in 2009) has been published in Annex 3 of the above-mentioned press release.
As in 2008, the fields of technology in which the highest numbers of PCT applications were published in 2009 related to computer technology (12,560 applications), pharmaceuticals (12,200) and medical technology (12,091). However, despite this, these fields of technology also showed a decline in growth: computer technology (10.6% less than in 2008), pharmaceuticals (8.0% less) and medical technology (5.9% less); there was also a decline in telecommunications (8.5% less) and organic fine chemistry (8.7% less). The largest growth rates were experienced in micro-structural and nano-technology (10.2% more than in 2008), semiconductors (10% more) and thermal processes and apparatus (7.2% more). A table showing the number of PCT applications filed by main field of technology has been published in Annex 4 of the above-mentioned press release.
The publication of the final figures for 2009 later in the year will be announced in the PCT Newsletter.
______________________________________
