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] 6543 2880 44.0% 1972—2025 53 123 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] 3858 3220 83.5% 2006—2025 18.9 204 5.6  USA Qualcomm
Kangguo Cheng [4] 2781 1530 55.0% 2004—2025 20.4 136 3.9  USA IBM
Frederick E. Shelton IV [5] 2519 1167 46.3% 2005—2025 19.8 127 4.5  USA Ethicon
Junyi Li [6] 2431 2054 84.5% 2002—2025 22.4 109 5.2  USA Qualcomm
Peter Gaal [7] 2341 1803 77.0% 2002—2025 22.6 104 5.9  USA Qualcomm
Wanshi Chen [8] 2174 1678 77.2% 2009—2025 16 136 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] 1856 1584 85.3% 2009—2025 16.2 115 5.5  USA Qualcomm
Chen-Hua Yu [12] 1827 964 52.8% 1996—2025 28.9 63 4.9  Taiwan TSMC
Hanbyul Seo [13] 1744 1293 74.1% 2012—2025 13 134 3.8  South Korea LG
Esmael H. Dinan [14] 1738 705 40.6% 2006—2025 18.8 92 3.6  USA Ofinno
Jing Sun [15] 1535 1286 83.8% 2012—2025 12.3 125 5.9  USA Qualcomm
Jun Koyama [16] 1504 618 41.1% 1991—2022 30.8 49 3.1  Japan Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
Gurtej Singh Sandhu [17] 1430 585 40.9% 1991—2025 33.7 42 2.5  USA Micron
Sarbajit K. Rakshit [18] 1389 1165 83.9% 2013—2025 12.3 113 3.4  India IBM
Shan Liu [19] 1352 876 64.8% 2013—2025 11.6 117 3.4  USA Tencent
Yunjung Yi [20] 1312 903 68.8% 2011—2025 14.3 92 3.3  USA LG
Shou-Shan Fan [21] 1309 1094 83.6% 2006—2025 18.7 70 4.2  China Hon Hai
Paul Lapstun [22] 1305 246 18.9% 2000—2022 21.4 61 2.5  Australia Silverbrook Research
Alexander Reznicek [23] 1265 760 60.1% 2006—2025 18.9 67 3.9  USA IBM
Clarence T. Tegreene [24] 1250 903 72.2% 2000—2024 23.5 53 10.1  USA Intellectual Ventures
Suckchel Yang [25] 1223 790 64.6% 2013—2025 11.8 104 4.7  South Korea LG
Satoshi Seo [26] 1213 572 47.2% 2002—2025 22.3 54 4.1  Japan Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
Kijun Kim [27] 1163 808 69.5% 2013—2025 11.2 104 4.6  South Korea LG
Juan Montojo [28] 1157 939 81.2% 2004—2025 21.1 55 6.9  USA Qualcomm
Joonkui Ahn [29] 1148 748 65.2% 2013—2025 11.8 97 4.7  South Korea LG
Edward K. Y. Jung [30] 1111 794 71.5% 1996—2022 26.1 43 8.0  USA Intellectual Ventures
Leonard Forbes [31] 1109 411 37.1% 1975—2019 43.3 26 2.6  USA Micron
Jason L. Harris [32] 1107 632 57.1% 2011—2025 14.3 77 6.0  USA Ethicon
Takahiro Nishi [33] 1097 377 34.4% 2001—2025 23.6 46 6.3  Japan Panasonic
Marta Karczewicz [34] 1088 896 82.4% 2000—2025 24.3 45 4.0  USA Qualcomm
Thomas Edison [35] 1084 NA NA 1869—1933 63.9 17 1.0  USA Thomas Edison
Ruilong Xie [36] 1064 801 75.3% 2013—2025 12.2 87 4.2  USA IBM
Rick Allen Hamilton II [37] 1063 714 67.2% 1999—2024 25 43 4.2  USA IBM
Tingfang Ji [38] 1052 780 74.1% 2006—2025 18.7 56 6.9  USA Qualcomm
Jason K. Resch [39] 1034 511 49.4% 2009—2025 15.6 66 4.2  USA IBM
Seungmin Lee [40] 1017 756 74.3% 2014—2025 10.5 97 3.5  South Korea LG
Donald E. Weder [41] 1000 395 39.5% 1978—2015 37.1 27 1.1  USA Weder Family Trust
Michael J. Sullivan [42] 997 534 53.6% 1989—2024 34.5 29 3.8  USA Acushnet Holdings
George Albert Lyon [43] 993 NA NA 1901—1965 64.5 15 1.0  Canada Lyon George Albert
Jordin T. Kare [44] 990 640 64.6% 1992—2023 30.5 32 9.1  USA Intellectual Ventures
Jay S. Walker [45] 979 422 43.1% 1998—2024 26.3 37 5.2  USA Walker Digital
Ahmadreza Rofougaran [46] 976 472 48.4% 2002—2025 22.8 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] 943 679 72.0% 2005—2025 20 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
William H. Eby [51] 918 914 99.6% 1994—2025 30.9 30 1.2  USA Monsanto
Hajime Kimura [52] 914 290 31.7% 2002—2025 22.4 41 2.6  Japan Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
Nathan Myhrvold [53] 907 613 67.6% 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] 891 483 54.2% 2009—2025 15.8 56 3.9  USA Marvell
Yan Zhou [56] 891 786 88.2% 2012—2025 12.6 71 4.4  USA Qualcomm
Mark Malamud [57] 886 690 77.9% 1997—2022 25.1 35 7.5  USA Intellectual Ventures
Robert W. Lord [58] 868 682 78.6% 2003—2024 20.4 43 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] 846 530 62.6% 2003—2025 21.3 40 3.4  USA IBM
Justin T. Mason [61] 846 842 99.5% 2008—2025 16.4 52 1.0  USA MS Technologies
Lee D. Whetsel [62] 843 128 15.2% 1991—2017 26.4 32 1.1  USA Texas Instruments
Muriel Y. Ishikawa [63] 840 560 66.7% 2002—2023 21.2 40 11.1  USA Intellectual Ventures
Stuart C. Salter [64] 839 787 93.8% 2009—2025 15.3 55 4.8  USA Ford
Michael K. Gschwind [65] 836 442 52.9% 2001—2021 20.6 41 2.6  USA IBM
Clifford A. Pickover [66] 836 548 65.6% 1992—2024 32.2 26 3.9  USA IBM
Satoshi Nagata [67] 829 792 95.5% 2011—2025 13.5 61 4.0  Japan NTT
Devendra K. Sadana [68] 820 463 56.5% 1983—2025 42.1 19 4.3  USA IBM
Youngdae Lee [69] 818 644 78.7% 2014—2025 11 74 3.1  South Korea LG
Hsien-Wei Chen [70] 816 386 47.3% 2005—2025 20.1 41 3.5  Taiwan TSMC
Kyungmin Park [71] 809 399 49.3% 2014—2025 11 74 5.2  USA Ofinno
SungDuck Chun [72] 804 494 61.4% 2007—2025 17.4 46 3.8  South Korea LG
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
Xue Dong [75] 773 749 96.9% 2010—2025 14.3 54 7.4  China BOE
James A. Jorasch [76] 771 309 40.1% 1994—2023 29 27 3.9  USA Walker Digital
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
Hua Zhou [81] 753 406 53.9% 2012—2025 13.2 57 5.5  USA Ofinno
Frederick A. Ware [82] 752 229 30.5% 1981—2025 43.4 17 2.8  USA Rambus
Shougo Sato [83] 745 286 38.4% 1992—2025 32.4 23 1.8  Japan Brother
John M. Santosuosso [84] 738 466 63.1% 2001—2022 20.7 36 3.9  USA IBM
Jean-Philippe M. Vasseur [85] 734 595 81.1% 2006—2025 18.9 39 2.6  France Cisco Systems
Hideo Ando [86] 733 123 16.8% 1983—2020 36.7 20 3.1  Japan Toshiba
George Spector [87] 723 723 100% 1974—1998 24.6 29 2.1  USA George Spector
Chung-Shi Liu [88] 719 386 53.7% 2000—2025 25.2 29 6.1  Taiwan TSMC
Austin L. Gurney [89] 718 182 25.3% 1999—2021 21.6 33 2.9  USA Genentech
Lisa Seacat DeLuca [90] 717 521 72.7% 2009—2025 16.1 45 2.7  USA IBM
Gregory J. Boss [91] 713 490 68.7% 2008—2025 17.2 41 4.2  USA IBM
Jonghyun Park [92] 703 506 72.0% 2013—2025 12.2 58 3.8  USA LG
Tetsujiro Kondo [93] 700 528 75.4% 1987—2021 34 21 3.8  Japan Sony
Woosuk Ko [94] 698 295 42.3% 2015—2025 9.9 71 3.4  South Korea LG
Elihu Thomson [95] 696 NA NA 1899—1935 35.9 19 NA  USA GE
Toshiyasu Sugio [96] 695 255 36.7% 2009—2025 15.6 45 4.9  Japan Panasonic
Irwin Gerszberg [97] 682 312 45.7% 1994—2023 29.2 23 6.8  USA AT&T
Eric C. Leuthardt [98] 682 459 67.3% 2006—2024 17.8 38 9.1  USA Intellectual Ventures
Xiaochuan Chen [99] 677 656 96.9% 2014—2025 10.7 63 7.0  China BOE
Aleksandar Damnjanovic [100] 665 487 73.2% 2003—2025 21.6 31 4.4  USA Qualcomm

This table is usually updated every Tuesday, and is current as of April 22, 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. ^ Yunjung Yi
  21. ^ Shou-Shan Fan
  22. ^ Paul Lapstun
  23. ^ Alexander Reznicek
  24. ^ Clarence T. Tegreene
  25. ^ Suckchel Yang
  26. ^ Satoshi Seo
  27. ^ Kijun Kim
  28. ^ Juan Montojo
  29. ^ Joonkui Ahn
  30. ^ Edward K. Y. Jung
  31. ^ Leonard Forbes
  32. ^ Jason L. Harris
  33. ^ Takahiro Nishi
  34. ^ Marta Karczewicz
  35. ^ Thomas Edison
  36. ^ Ruilong Xie
  37. ^ Rick Allen Hamilton II
  38. ^ Tingfang Ji
  39. ^ Jason K. Resch
  40. ^ Seungmin Lee
  41. ^ Donald E. Weder
  42. ^ Michael J. Sullivan
  43. ^ George Albert Lyon
  44. ^ Jordin T. Kare
  45. ^ Jay S. Walker
  46. ^ Ahmadreza Rofougaran
  47. ^ John F. O'Connor
  48. ^ Hao Xu
  49. ^ Melvin De Groote
  50. ^ David R. Hall
  51. ^ William H. Eby
  52. ^ Hajime Kimura
  53. ^ Nathan Myhrvold
  54. ^ Francis H. Richards
  55. ^ Hongyuan Zhang
  56. ^ Yan Zhou
  57. ^ Mark Malamud
  58. ^ Robert W. Lord
  59. ^ Royce A. Levien
  60. ^ Chih-Chao Yang
  61. ^ Justin T. Mason
  62. ^ Lee D. Whetsel
  63. ^ Muriel Y. Ishikawa
  64. ^ Stuart C. Salter
  65. ^ Michael K. Gschwind
  66. ^ Clifford A. Pickover
  67. ^ Satoshi Nagata
  68. ^ Devendra K. Sadana
  69. ^ Youngdae Lee
  70. ^ Hsien-Wei Chen
  71. ^ Kyungmin Park
  72. ^ SungDuck Chun
  73. ^ Salman Akram
  74. ^ Warren M. Farnworth
  75. ^ Xue Dong
  76. ^ James A. Jorasch
  77. ^ Bruce B. Doris
  78. ^ Jeyhan Karaoguz
  79. ^ Ali Khakifirooz
  80. ^ Carleton Ellis
  81. ^ Hua Zhou
  82. ^ Frederick A. Ware
  83. ^ Shougo Sato
  84. ^ John M. Santosuosso
  85. ^ Jean-Philippe M. Vasseur
  86. ^ Hideo Ando
  87. ^ George Spector
  88. ^ Chung-Shi Liu
  89. ^ Austin L. Gurney
  90. ^ Lisa Seacat DeLuca
  91. ^ Gregory J. Boss
  92. ^ Jonghyun Park
  93. ^ Tetsujiro Kondo
  94. ^ Woosuk Ko
  95. ^ Elihu Thomson
  96. ^ Toshiyasu Sugio
  97. ^ Irwin Gerszberg
  98. ^ Eric C. Leuthardt
  99. ^ Xiaochuan Chen
  100. ^ Aleksandar Damnjanovic
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_prolific_inventors&oldid=1286927871"