List of top United States patent recipients


The United States Patent and Trademark Office issues an annual "Patenting by Organizations" report on the agency's web site. This report contains a ranked list of all US and international organizations which received 40 or more US patents in the year the report was issued.
The following is a list of the top ten recipients of patents issued by the USPTO in the year indicated.

2015

  1. IBM, headquartered in Armonk, New York
  2. Samsung Electronics Co., headquartered in Suwon, Korea
  3. Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
  4. QUALCOMM INC.
  5. GOOGLE, INC.
  6. Toshiba Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
  7. Sony Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
  8. LG ELECTRONICS INC., headquartered in Seoul, Korea
  9. Intel Corporation, headquartered in Santa Clara, California
  10. Microsoft Corporation, headquartered in Redmond, Washington

    2014

  11. 6969 patents to IBM, headquartered in Armonk, New York
  12. 4936 patents to Samsung Electronics Co., headquartered in Suwon, Korea
  13. 4048 patents to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
  14. 3214 patents to Sony Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
  15. 2829 patents to Microsoft Corporation, headquartered in Redmond, Washington
  16. 2586 patents to QUALCOMM INC.
  17. 2566 patents to GOOGLE, INC.
  18. 2537 patents to Toshiba Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
  19. 2119 patents to LG ELECTRONICS INC., headquartered in Seoul, Korea
  20. 2079 patents to Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., headquartered in Kadoma, Osaka, Japan

    2012

  21. 6478 patents to IBM, headquartered in Armonk, New York
  22. 5043 patents to Samsung Electronics Co., headquartered in Suwon, Korea
  23. 3173 patents to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
  24. 3017 patents to Sony Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
  25. 2748 patents to Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., headquartered in Kadoma, Osaka, Japan
  26. 2610 patents to Microsoft Corporation, headquartered in Redmond, Washington,
  27. 2415 patents to Toshiba Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
  28. 1650 patents to General Electric Company, headquartered in Schenectady, New York
  29. 1617 patents to LG ELECTRONICS INC., headquartered in Seoul, Korea
  30. 1527 patents to Fujitsu Limited, headquartered in Tokyo

    2011

  31. 6148 patents to IBM, headquartered in Armonk, New York
  32. 4968 patents to Samsung Electronics Co., headquartered in Suwon, Korea
  33. 2818 patents to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
  34. 2533 patents to Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., headquartered in Kadoma, Osaka, Japan
  35. 2451 patents to Toshiba Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
  36. 2309 patents to Microsoft Corporation, headquartered in Redmond, Washington,
  37. 2265 patents to Sony Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
  38. 1525 patents to SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
  39. 1455 patents to Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo
  40. 1444 patents to General Electric Company, headquartered in Schenectady, New York

    2010

  41. 5866 patents to IBM, headquartered in Armonk, New York
  42. 4518 patents to Samsung Electronics Co., headquartered in Suwon, Korea
  43. 3086 patents to Microsoft Corporation, headquartered in Redmond, Washington,
  44. 2551 patents to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
  45. 2443 patents to Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., headquartered in Kadoma, Osaka, Japan
  46. 2212 patents to Toshiba Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
  47. 2130 patents to Sony Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
  48. 1652 patents to Intel Corporation, headquartered in Santa Clara, California
  49. 1488 patents to LG ELECTRONICS INC., headquartered in Seoul, Korea
  50. 1480 patents to Hewlett-Packard, headquartered in Palo Alto, California

    2009

  51. 4887 patents to IBM, headquartered in Armonk, New York
  52. 3592 patents to Samsung Electronics Co., headquartered in Daegu, Korea
  53. 2901 patents to Microsoft Corporation, headquartered in Redmond, Washington,
  54. 2200 patents to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
  55. 1759 patents to Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., headquartered in Kadoma, Osaka, Japan
  56. 1669 patents to Toshiba Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
  57. 1656 patents to Sony Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
  58. 1534 patents to Intel Corporation, headquartered in Santa Clara, California
  59. 1328 patents to SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
  60. 1269 patents to Hewlett-Packard, headquartered in Palo Alto, California

    2008

  61. 4169 patents to IBM, headquartered in Armonk, New York
  62. 3502 patents to Samsung Electronics Co., headquartered in Daegu, Korea
  63. 2107 patents to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
  64. 2026 patents to Microsoft Corporation
  65. 1772 patents to Intel Corporation, headquartered in Santa Clara, California
  66. 1575 patents to Toshiba Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo
  67. 1475 patents to Fujitsu Limited, headquartered in Tokyo
  68. 1469 patents to Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., headquartered in Kadoma, Osaka, Japan
  69. 1461 patents to Sony Corporation
  70. 1422 patents to Hewlett-Packard, headquartered in Palo Alto, California

    2007

  71. 3125 patents to IBM, headquartered in Armonk, New York, USA
  72. 2723 patents to Samsung Electronics Co., headquartered in Daegu, Korea
  73. 1983 patents to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
  74. 1910 patents to Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., headquartered in Kadoma, Osaka, Japan
  75. 1864 patents to Intel Corporation, headquartered in Santa Clara, California
  76. 1637 patents to Microsoft Corporation
  77. 1519 patents to Toshiba Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo
  78. 1476 patents to Micron Technology, headquartered in Boise, Idaho
  79. 1466 patents to Hewlett-Packard, headquartered in Palo Alto, California
  80. 1455 patents to Sony Corporation

    2006

  81. 3621 patents to IBM, headquartered in Armonk, New York
  82. 2451 patents to Samsung Electronics Co., headquartered in Daegu, Korea
  83. 2366 patents to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
  84. 2229 patents to Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., headquartered in Kadoma, Osaka, Japan
  85. 2099 patents to Hewlett-Packard, headquartered in Palo Alto, California
  86. 1959 patents to Intel Corporation, headquartered in Santa Clara, California
  87. 1771 patents to Sony Corporation
  88. 1732 patents to Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo
  89. 1672 patents to Toshiba Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo
  90. 1610 patents to Micron Technology, headquartered in Boise, Idaho, USA

    2005

  91. 2941 patents to IBM, headquartered in Armonk, New York, USA
  92. 1828 patents to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
  93. 1797 patents to Hewlett-Packard, headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA
  94. 1688 patents to Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., headquartered in Kadoma, Osaka, Japan
  95. 1641 patents to Samsung Electronics Co., headquartered in Daegu, Korea
  96. 1561 patents to Micron Technology, headquartered in Boise, Idaho
  97. 1549 patents to Intel Corporation, headquartered in Santa Clara, California
  98. 1271 patents to Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo
  99. 1258 patents to Toshiba Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo
  100. 1154 patents to Fujitsu Limited, headquartered in Tokyo

    2004

  101. 3248 patents to IBM
  102. 1934 patents to Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
  103. 1805 patents to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
  104. 1775 patents to Hewlett-Packard
  105. 1760 patents to Micron Technology
  106. 1604 patents to Samsung Electronics Co.
  107. 1601 patents to Intel Corporation
  108. 1514 patents to Hitachi, Ltd.
  109. 1310 patents to Toshiba Corporation
  110. 1305 patents to Sony Corporation

    2003

  111. 3415 patents to IBM
  112. 1992 patents to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
  113. 1893 patents to Hitachi, Ltd.
  114. 1786 patents to Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.
  115. 1759 patents to Hewlett-Packard
  116. 1707 patents to Micron Technology
  117. 1592 patents to Intel Corporation
  118. 1353 patents to Royal Philips Electronics
  119. 1313 patents to Samsung Electronics Co.
  120. 1311 patents to Sony Corporation

    2002

  121. 3288 patents to IBM
  122. 1893 patents to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
  123. 1833 patents to Micron Technology
  124. 1821 patents to NEC Corporation
  125. 1601 patents to Hitachi, Ltd.
  126. 1544 patents to Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.
  127. 1434 patents to Sony Corporation
  128. 1416 patents to General Electric Company
  129. 1373 patents to Mitsubishi Denki K.K.
  130. 1328 patents to Samsung Electronics

    2001

  131. 3411 patents to IBM
  132. 1953 patents to NEC Corporation
  133. 1877 patents to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
  134. 1643 patents to Micron Technology
  135. 1450 patents to Samsung Electronics
  136. 1440 patents to Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.
  137. 1363 patents to Sony Corporation
  138. 1271 patents to Hitachi, Ltd.
  139. 1184 patents to Mitsubishi Denki K.K
  140. 1166 patents to Fujitsu, headquartered in Tokyo

    2000

  141. 2886 patents to IBM
  142. 2021 patents to NEC Corporation
  143. 1890 patents to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
  144. 1441 patents to Samsung Electronics
  145. 1411 patents to Lucent Technologies
  146. 1385 patents to Sony Corporation
  147. 1304 patents to Micron Technology
  148. 1232 patents to Toshiba
  149. 1196 patents to Motorola
  150. 1147 patents to Fujitsu

    1999

  151. 2756 patents to IBM
  152. 1842 patents to NEC Corporation
  153. 1795 patents to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
  154. 1545 patents to Samsung Electronics
  155. 1410 patents to Sony Corporation
  156. 1200 patents to Toshiba
  157. 1192 patents to Fujitsu
  158. 1192 patents to Motorola
  159. 1152 patents to Lucent Technologies
  160. 1054 patents to Mitsubishi Denki K.K.

    1998

  161. 2657 patents to IBM
  162. 1928 patents to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
  163. 1627 patents to NEC Corporation
  164. 1406 patents to Motorola
  165. 1316 patents to Sony Corporation
  166. 1304 patents to Samsung Electronics
  167. 1189 patents to Fujitsu
  168. 1170 patents to Toshiba
  169. 1124 patents to Eastman Kodak Co.
  170. 1094 patents to Hitachi, Ltd.

    1997

  171. 1724 patents to IBM
  172. 1381 patents to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
  173. 1095 patents to NEC Corporation
  174. 1058 patents to Motorola
  175. 903 patents to Fujitsu
  176. 903 patents to Hitachi, Ltd.
  177. 892 patents to Mitsubishi Denki K.K
  178. 862 patents to Toshiba
  179. 859 patents to Sony Corporation
  180. 795 patents to Eastman Kodak Co.