U.S.-Based Global Intellectual Property Creation : An Analysis

The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), concluded in 1970, offered a means for inventors to safeguard their intellectual property in multiple countries with a single application. This global effort to streamline the process of achieving international intellectual property protection evidences the importance of this protection in today's economy. International intellectual property rights ensure that creators can reap the rewards of their endeavors, encouraging future innovation and, ultimately, economic growth. The PCT patent applications filed in the United States arguably represent some of the most sophisticated inventions developed in this country. Not only does the perceived need for international intellectual property protection indicate that the inventions are characterized by a higher level of sophistication than those submitted only to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), but also the costly and time-intensive application process for PCT patents suggests that inventions described in these applications largely have market potential in multiple countries, global visibility, or diverse applications. This report summarizes results of an analysis of this database focusing on its geographic characteristics. It offers an opportunity to understand where this measure indicates that innovation is happening in the United States, which organizations are driving change, and the technical areas that are the focus of U.S. filing