Today's corporations continue to deliver new patented technologies at an ever-increasing pace, and IEEE is by far the most-cited publisher in new patents, according to a recent study by 1790 Analytics LLC.

IEEE leads patent citations

The 2023 report by 1790 Analytics LLC examined patents filed with the U.S. Patent Office between 2003–2022 by the year's 50 top-patenting organizations. The report revealed that IEEE journals, standards, and conference proceedings received over 690,000 patent citations—nearly three times more than the number of citations of any other publisher.

Top 20 Publishers Referenced Most Frequently by the Top 50 Patenting Organizations
patent citations chart

Source: 1790 Analytics LLC, Copyright 2023.

2023 citation study highlights

The current 1790 Analytics LLC study shows: 

  • IEEE journals, standards, and conference proceedings received nearly three times more than the number of citations of any other publisher.
  • Referencing of IEEE papers in patents has increased 842% since 1997.
  • Patents that reference IEEE are cited more often than patents that do not.
  • In the overall patent database patented technologies are increasingly referencing scientific articles and IEEE provides an increasing portion of that science base.
  • Not only do IEEE publications frequently provide the science base for new inventions, but inventions that build upon IEEE publications are more likely to be valuable in the future than inventions that do not.
  • When analyzing patents by discipline, IEEE is the #1 most referenced publisher in AI, Blockchain, Computer Hardware, Computer Software, Cybersecurity, IoT, Power Systems, Semiconductors, Renewable Energy (Wind & Solar), Telecom, and more.

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In its annual study of patent references, 1790 Analytics LLC reveals a wealth of data that places IEEE as the number-one most-cited publisher by technical researchers, as well as a leading source of information and research that is used by industries not central to the IEEE mission.

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Download Additional Free White Papers

"The Influence of IEEE on Key Patents"
A study of IEEE's impact on 15 breakthrough innovations
(PDF, 3 MB), 1790 Analytics LLC, 15 August 2020

"Analysis of Patent Referencing to IEEE Papers, Conferences, and Standards"

2002–2021 (PDF, 7 MB)
2001–2020 (PDF, 7 MB)
1999–2019 (PDF, 6 MB)

"Analysis of WIPO Patent Referencing to IEEE Papers, Conferences, and Standards"
2002–2017 (PDF, 2 MB)

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