April 01, 1995
PAT 95-17

IBM LEADS LIST OF TOP PATENT RECIPIENTS FOR 1994

IBM LEADS LIST OF TOP PATENT RECIPIENTS FOR 1994

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

    In 1994, for the second consecutive year, International
Business Machines Corp., (IBM), an American corporation, made
first place in the top 10 list of companies receiving patents in
the United States, the Patent and Trademark Office announced
today.

     In 1993, IBM jumped to first place up from sixth in 1992,
marking the first time in almost a decade that a Japanese firm
had been dislodged by an American corporation from the top in the
top-10 list of companies receiving U.S. patents.

     U.S. corporations continued to be strong in patenting in
1994, with four out of the top ten spots --  the same as in 1993.
However, only two of the top five organizations were American,
compared with three in 1993.

     IBM's 1,298 patents in 1994 surpassed the Federal
government's 1,251 patents, making it the first time in five
years that a non-federal organization topped the list of those
receiving patents. 

   Canon Kabushiki Kaisha ranked third with 1,096 patents,
followed by Hitachi, Ltd.; General Electric; Mitsubishi Denki
Kabushiki Kaisha and Toshiba Corporation, each with slight less
than 1,000 patents.  NEC Corporation moved into eighth place in
1994 from its 12th place ranking in 1993.  Eastman Kodak Company
and Motorola, Inc., completed the top ten.

The following is a list of the top ten organizations receiving
utility patents during 1994:

Organization              No. of          Rank   Rank 
                         patents          1994   1993 
International Business
  Machines Corporation    1,298             1      2
U.S. Government           1,251             2      1
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha    1,096             3      4
Hitachi, Ltd.               976             4      8
General Electric Company    970             5      6
Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki
  Kaisha                    970             6      7
Toshiba Corporation         968             7      3
NEC Corporation             897             8     12
Eastman Kodak Company       888             9      5
Motorola, Inc.              837            10      9