Jump to content

List of prolific inventors

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 100 known most prolific inventors based on worldwide utility patents are shown in the following table. While in many cases this is the number of utility patents granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, it may include utility patents granted by other countries, as noted by the source references for an inventor.

Prolific Inventors

[edit]
Inventor Pats Fams Fam % Pat Yrs Yrs Pat /Yr Inv /Pat Pat Residence Majority Assignment
Shunpei Yamazaki [1] 6520 2871 44.0% 1972—2025 52.9 123 3.6  Japan Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
Kia Silverbrook [2] 4747 1311 27.6% 1994—2014 20 237 1.6  Australia Silverbrook Research
Tao Luo [3] 3785 3160 83.5% 2006—2025 18.8 201 5.6  USA Qualcomm
Kangguo Cheng [4] 2774 1524 54.9% 2004—2025 20.3 137 3.9  USA IBM
Frederick E. Shelton IV [5] 2499 1159 46.4% 2005—2025 19.7 127 4.5  USA Ethicon
Junyi Li [6] 2389 2019 84.5% 2002—2025 22.3 107 5.2  USA Qualcomm
Peter Gaal [7] 2313 1778 76.9% 2002—2025 22.5 103 5.9  USA Qualcomm
Wanshi Chen [8] 2143 1650 77.0% 2009—2025 15.8 136 5.7  USA Qualcomm
Lowell L. Wood, Jr. [9] 1998 1326 66.4% 1971—2025 53.4 37 8.8  USA Intellectual Ventures
Roderick A. Hyde [10] 1892 1252 66.2% 2001—2023 22.4 84 8.7  USA Intellectual Ventures
Xiaoxia Zhang [11] 1822 1557 85.5% 2009—2025 16.1 113 5.5  USA Qualcomm
Chen-Hua Yu [12] 1810 961 53.1% 1996—2025 28.8 63 4.9  Taiwan TSMC
Hanbyul Seo [13] 1726 1277 74.0% 2012—2025 12.9 134 3.8  South Korea LG
Esmael H. Dinan [14] 1709 698 40.8% 2006—2025 18.7 91 3.6  USA Ofinno
Jing Sun [15] 1511 1267 83.9% 2012—2025 12.2 124 5.9  USA Qualcomm
Jun Koyama [16] 1502 618 41.1% 1991—2022 30.8 49 3.1  Japan Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
Gurtej Singh Sandhu [17] 1428 584 40.9% 1991—2024 32.5 44 2.5  USA Micron
Sarbajit K. Rakshit [18] 1371 1147 83.7% 2013—2025 12.1 113 3.4  India IBM
Shan Liu [19] 1326 859 64.8% 2013—2025 11.5 115 3.4  USA Tencent
Shou-Shan Fan [20] 1308 1094 83.6% 2006—2025 18.7 70 4.2  China Hon Hai
Paul Lapstun [21] 1305 246 18.9% 2000—2022 21.4 61 2.5  Australia Silverbrook Research
Alexander Reznicek [22] 1262 757 60.0% 2006—2025 18.9 67 3.9  USA IBM
Clarence T. Tegreene [23] 1249 903 72.3% 2000—2024 23.5 53 10.1  USA Intellectual Ventures
Suckchel Yang [24] 1215 784 64.5% 2013—2025 11.7 104 4.7  South Korea LG
Satoshi Seo [25] 1210 571 47.2% 2002—2025 22.2 55 4.1  Japan Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
Kijun Kim [26] 1163 808 69.5% 2013—2025 11.2 104 4.6  South Korea LG
Juan Montojo [27] 1147 933 81.3% 2004—2025 21 55 6.9  USA Qualcomm
Joonkui Ahn [28] 1142 744 65.1% 2013—2025 11.7 98 4.7  South Korea LG
Edward K. Y. Jung [29] 1111 794 71.5% 1996—2022 26.1 43 8.0  USA Intellectual Ventures
Leonard Forbes [30] 1109 411 37.1% 1975—2019 43.3 26 2.6  USA Micron
Jason L. Harris [31] 1093 625 57.2% 2011—2025 14.1 78 6.0  USA Ethicon
Thomas Edison [32] 1084 NA NA 1869—1933 63.9 17 1.0  USA Thomas Edison
Marta Karczewicz [33] 1081 890 82.3% 2000—2025 24.2 45 4.0  USA Qualcomm
Takahiro Nishi [34] 1080 371 34.4% 2001—2025 23.5 46 6.3  Japan Panasonic
Rick Allen Hamilton II [35] 1063 714 67.2% 1999—2024 25 43 4.2  USA IBM
Ruilong Xie [36] 1050 787 75.0% 2013—2025 12.1 87 4.2  USA IBM
Tingfang Ji [37] 1041 771 74.1% 2006—2025 18.6 56 6.9  USA Qualcomm
Jason K. Resch [38] 1029 509 49.5% 2009—2025 15.5 66 4.2  USA IBM
Seungmin Lee [39] 1002 743 74.2% 2014—2025 10.4 96 3.5  South Korea LG
Donald E. Weder [40] 1000 395 39.5% 1978—2015 37.1 27 1.1  USA Weder Family Trust
Michael J. Sullivan [41] 997 534 53.6% 1989—2024 34.5 29 3.8  USA Acushnet Holdings
George Albert Lyon [42] 993 NA NA 1901—1965 64.5 15 1.0  Canada Lyon George Albert
Jordin T. Kare [43] 990 640 64.6% 1992—2023 30.5 32 9.1  USA Intellectual Ventures
Yunjung Yi [44] 987 695 70.4% 2015—2024 8.9 111 3.3  South Korea LG
Jay S. Walker [45] 979 422 43.1% 1998—2024 26.3 37 5.2  USA Walker Digital
Ahmadreza Rofougaran [46] 969 468 48.3% 2002—2025 22.7 43 6.4  USA Broadcom
John F. O'Connor [47] 949 NA NA 1901—1935 33.9 28 NA  USA William H. Miner
Hao Xu [48] 936 672 71.8% 2005—2025 19.9 47 4.7  China Qualcomm
Melvin De Groote [49] 925 NA NA 1924—1966 41.8 22 NA  USA Petrolite
David R. Hall [50] 920 761 82.7% 1985—2025 39.6 23 3.8  USA Hall Labs
Hajime Kimura [51] 909 288 31.7% 2002—2025 22.3 41 2.6  Japan Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
William H. Eby [52] 908 904 99.6% 1994—2025 30.8 29 1.2  USA Monsanto
Nathan Myhrvold [53] 906 613 67.7% 1994—2024 29.7 31 11.1  USA Intellectual Ventures
Francis H. Richards [54] 894 NA NA 1899—1930 30.8 29 NA  USA Francis H. Richards
Hongyuan Zhang [55] 891 484 54.3% 2009—2025 15.8 56 3.9  USA Marvell
Mark Malamud [56] 886 690 77.9% 1997—2022 25.1 35 7.5  USA Intellectual Ventures
Yan Zhou [57] 871 771 88.5% 2012—2025 12.5 70 4.4  USA Qualcomm
Robert W. Lord [58] 867 682 78.7% 2003—2024 20.4 42 7.6  USA Intellectual Ventures
Royce A. Levien [59] 855 666 77.9% 1997—2020 23.4 37 6.8  USA Intellectual Ventures
Chih-Chao Yang [60] 845 529 62.6% 2003—2025 21.2 40 3.4  USA IBM
Lee D. Whetsel [61] 843 128 15.2% 1991—2017 26.4 32 1.1  USA Texas Instruments
Muriel Y. Ishikawa [62] 840 560 66.7% 2002—2023 21.2 40 11.1  USA Intellectual Ventures
Michael K. Gschwind [63] 836 442 52.9% 2001—2021 20.6 41 2.6  USA IBM
Clifford A. Pickover [64] 836 548 65.6% 1992—2024 32.2 26 3.9  USA IBM
Stuart C. Salter [65] 829 777 93.7% 2009—2025 15.2 55 4.8  USA Ford
Justin T. Mason [66] 822 818 99.5% 2008—2025 16.3 50 1.0  USA MS Technologies
Devendra K. Sadana [67] 820 463 56.5% 1983—2025 42.1 19 4.3  USA IBM
Satoshi Nagata [68] 817 780 95.5% 2011—2025 13.4 61 4.0  Japan NTT
Youngdae Lee [69] 812 639 78.7% 2014—2025 10.9 74 3.1  South Korea LG
Hsien-Wei Chen [70] 810 384 47.4% 2005—2025 20 40 3.5  Taiwan TSMC
SungDuck Chun [71] 801 491 61.3% 2007—2025 17.2 47 3.8  South Korea LG
Kyungmin Park [72] 794 397 50.0% 2014—2025 10.9 73 5.2  USA Ofinno
Salman Akram [73] 785 291 37.1% 1995—2024 29.4 27 2.9  USA Micron
Warren M. Farnworth [74] 774 289 37.3% 1990—2014 24.4 32 2.8  USA Micron
James A. Jorasch [75] 771 309 40.1% 1994—2023 29 27 3.9  USA Walker Digital
Xue Dong [76] 766 743 97.0% 2010—2025 14.2 54 7.4  China BOE
Bruce B. Doris [77] 764 434 56.8% 1995—2025 30.1 25 4.2  USA IBM
Jeyhan Karaoguz [78] 757 371 49.0% 1996—2020 23.8 32 4.6  USA Broadcom
Ali Khakifirooz [79] 754 410 54.4% 2011—2025 13.5 56 4.2  USA IBM
Carleton Ellis [80] 753 NA NA 1902—1946 43.1 17 NA  USA Ellis Foster Co
Frederick A. Ware [81] 749 227 30.3% 1981—2024 42.8 18 2.8  USA Rambus
Shougo Sato [82] 742 285 38.4% 1992—2025 32.3 23 1.8  Japan Brother
John M. Santosuosso [83] 738 466 63.1% 2001—2022 20.7 36 3.9  USA IBM
Hua Zhou [84] 734 403 54.9% 2012—2025 13 56 5.5  USA Ofinno
Hideo Ando [85] 733 123 16.8% 1983—2020 36.7 20 3.1  Japan Toshiba
Jean-Philippe M. Vasseur [86] 732 593 81.0% 2006—2025 18.8 39 2.6  France Cisco Systems
George Spector [87] 723 723 100% 1974—1998 24.6 29 2.1  USA George Spector
Austin L. Gurney [88] 718 182 25.3% 1999—2021 21.6 33 2.9  USA Genentech
Chung-Shi Liu [89] 715 385 53.8% 2000—2025 25.1 28 6.1  Taiwan TSMC
Lisa Seacat DeLuca [90] 715 519 72.6% 2009—2025 16.1 44 2.7  USA IBM
Gregory J. Boss [91] 711 488 68.6% 2008—2024 16.8 42 4.2  USA IBM
Tetsujiro Kondo [92] 700 528 75.4% 1987—2021 34 21 3.8  Japan Sony
Elihu Thomson [93] 696 NA NA 1899—1935 35.9 19 NA  USA GE
Woosuk Ko [94] 693 290 41.8% 2015—2025 9.9 70 3.4  South Korea LG
Toshiyasu Sugio [95] 690 255 37.0% 2009—2025 15.5 45 4.9  Japan Panasonic
Irwin Gerszberg [96] 682 312 45.7% 1994—2023 29.2 23 6.8  USA AT&T
Eric C. Leuthardt [97] 681 459 67.4% 2006—2024 17.8 38 9.1  USA Intellectual Ventures
Xiaochuan Chen [98] 673 654 97.2% 2014—2025 10.6 63 7.0  China BOE
Aleksandar Damnjanovic [99] 662 486 73.4% 2003—2025 21.6 31 4.4  USA Qualcomm
Hui-Ling Lou [100] 661 345 52.2% 1997—2024 27.2 24 3.9  USA Marvell

This table is usually updated every Tuesday, and is current as of March 11, 2025.

The columns are defined as follows:

  • Inventor: The name of the inventor.
  • Pats: The number of utility patents that have been issued. Only utility patents (or the international equivalent) are listed, as a utility patent is a patent for an invention. Not all patents are for inventions. Other patent types include: design patents for the ornamental design of an object; plant patents for plant varieties; and reissue patents, where a correction is made to an already granted patent. This list does not include patent applications (patents pending) as there is no guarantee that a patent application actually describes a novel invention until the patent is granted.
  • Fams: The number of patent families, which in USPTO data includes an original or continuation-in-part patent by itself or with one or more continuation or divisional patents based on the original or continuation-in-part patent. This is different than global patent families that represent a patent filed in more than one jurisdiction. "NA" signifies the inventor was active prior to digital records.
  • Fam %: The percentage of original and continuation-in-part patents that are in the inventor's patent portfolio [Fams column divided by Pats column, rounded to first decimal as a percentage]. "NA" signifies the inventor was active prior to digital records.
  • Pat Yrs: The first and last year in which an inventor received a patent issuance.
  • Yrs: The number of years from first issuance to most recent issuance, rounded to first decimal based on dates.
  • Pats /Yr: The average number of patents received per year [Pats column divided by Yrs column, rounded].
  • Inv / Pat: The average number of inventors listed on the inventor's most recent 50 patents as of September 7, 2021 or on the date the inventor was added to the table if later. "NA" signifies the inventor was active prior to digital records.
  • Pat Residence: The country of inventor's residence listed in their most recent patent issuance.
  • Majority Assignment: The entity that has the most patents assigned from an inventor's portfolio. This is current and not original assignment. It is usually, but not always an indication of which company the inventor worked at for the majority of their patent activity.

Significance of inventions

[edit]

This table is a sortable list of the most prolific inventors as measured by utility patents granted. It does not include other types of invention, such as inventions that were never applied for nor granted, for which there is no known source. Nor does the table attempt to measure the significance of an inventor and their inventions. The significance of inventions is often not apparent until many decades after the invention has been made. For recent inventors, it is not yet possible to determine their place in history.

Various published lists

[edit]

Rankings of prolific inventors have been published at various times. However, until the patent records were digitized, these lists were very tedious to prepare, as many thousands of patent records had to be checked manually. Even after digitization, it is still not a simple process. While the USPTO keeps statistics for annual rankings of inventions assigned to companies, it no longer publishes rankings of individual inventors. The last such list was published by the USPTO in 1998.[Info 1] Also, patents predating 1976 have not yet been digitized in the USPTO records. This means that patents before 1976 will not be included in a USPTO search by inventor name, and the number of patents granted before 1976 must be added to current searches.

A more extensive list of prolific inventors with additional information and ability to filter on country, gender, time period, patent type, and Nobel laureate title can be found at idiyas.com/top/inventors. There are some discrepancies with this article due to different inventor queries that attempt to account for data issues such as typos and multiple inventors with the same name.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "USPTO publication: Prolific Inventors Receiving Utility Patents 1988–1997" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-05-02. Retrieved 2011-07-12.

References of Inventors' Patents

[edit]
  1. ^ Shunpei Yamazaki
  2. ^ Kia Silverbrook
  3. ^ Tao Luo
  4. ^ Kangguo Cheng
  5. ^ Frederick E. Shelton IV
  6. ^ Junyi Li
  7. ^ Peter Gaal
  8. ^ Wanshi Chen
  9. ^ Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  10. ^ Roderick A. Hyde
  11. ^ Xiaoxia Zhang
  12. ^ Chen-Hua Yu
  13. ^ Hanbyul Seo
  14. ^ Esmael H. Dinan
  15. ^ Jing Sun
  16. ^ Jun Koyama
  17. ^ Gurtej Singh Sandhu
  18. ^ Sarbajit K. Rakshit
  19. ^ Shan Liu
  20. ^ Shou-Shan Fan
  21. ^ Paul Lapstun
  22. ^ Alexander Reznicek
  23. ^ Clarence T. Tegreene
  24. ^ Suckchel Yang
  25. ^ Satoshi Seo
  26. ^ Kijun Kim
  27. ^ Juan Montojo
  28. ^ Joonkui Ahn
  29. ^ Edward K. Y. Jung
  30. ^ Leonard Forbes
  31. ^ Jason L. Harris
  32. ^ Thomas Edison
  33. ^ Marta Karczewicz
  34. ^ Takahiro Nishi
  35. ^ Rick Allen Hamilton II
  36. ^ Ruilong Xie
  37. ^ Tingfang Ji
  38. ^ Jason K. Resch
  39. ^ Seungmin Lee
  40. ^ Donald E. Weder
  41. ^ Michael J. Sullivan
  42. ^ George Albert Lyon
  43. ^ Jordin T. Kare
  44. ^ Yunjung Yi
  45. ^ Jay S. Walker
  46. ^ Ahmadreza Rofougaran
  47. ^ John F. O'Connor
  48. ^ Hao Xu
  49. ^ Melvin De Groote
  50. ^ David R. Hall
  51. ^ Hajime Kimura
  52. ^ William H. Eby
  53. ^ Nathan Myhrvold
  54. ^ Francis H. Richards
  55. ^ Hongyuan Zhang
  56. ^ Mark Malamud
  57. ^ Yan Zhou
  58. ^ Robert W. Lord
  59. ^ Royce A. Levien
  60. ^ Chih-Chao Yang
  61. ^ Lee D. Whetsel
  62. ^ Muriel Y. Ishikawa
  63. ^ Michael K. Gschwind
  64. ^ Clifford A. Pickover
  65. ^ Stuart C. Salter
  66. ^ Justin T. Mason
  67. ^ Devendra K. Sadana
  68. ^ Satoshi Nagata
  69. ^ Youngdae Lee
  70. ^ Hsien-Wei Chen
  71. ^ SungDuck Chun
  72. ^ Kyungmin Park
  73. ^ Salman Akram
  74. ^ Warren M. Farnworth
  75. ^ James A. Jorasch
  76. ^ Xue Dong
  77. ^ Bruce B. Doris
  78. ^ Jeyhan Karaoguz
  79. ^ Ali Khakifirooz
  80. ^ Carleton Ellis
  81. ^ Frederick A. Ware
  82. ^ Shougo Sato
  83. ^ John M. Santosuosso
  84. ^ Hua Zhou
  85. ^ Hideo Ando
  86. ^ Jean-Philippe M. Vasseur
  87. ^ George Spector
  88. ^ Austin L. Gurney
  89. ^ Chung-Shi Liu
  90. ^ Lisa Seacat DeLuca
  91. ^ Gregory J. Boss
  92. ^ Tetsujiro Kondo
  93. ^ Elihu Thomson
  94. ^ Woosuk Ko
  95. ^ Toshiyasu Sugio
  96. ^ Irwin Gerszberg
  97. ^ Eric C. Leuthardt
  98. ^ Xiaochuan Chen
  99. ^ Aleksandar Damnjanovic
  100. ^ Hui-Ling Lou
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_prolific_inventors&oldid=1280008601"