About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

1 1 (November 30, 2022)

handle is hein.crs/govejoe0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congr &sonal Research SerVce Informing the legislative debate since 1914 November 30, 2022 Equity in Innovation: Trends in U.S. Patenting and Inventor Diversity Scholars, policymakers, and administrators have expressed interest in who participates in America's innovation ecosystem-the constellation of people, institutions, and enterprises engaged in research and the development of new products and services. They argue that barriers for different groups to participate in the innovation ecosystem negatively impact U.S. technological competitiveness. Recent academic scholarship has shown that factors such as limited access to a quality STEM education, mentorship, exposure to inventive activity, and limited financial resources can negatively impact a person's likelihood of participating in the innovation process. Since patents are widely recognized as an important measure of innovation, trends in U.S. patenting activity may assist policymakers in assessing current sources of innovation and identifying potential inequities that may limit future U.S. technological and economic leadership. (For more information on patents and innovation policy, see CRS Report R47267, Patents and Innovation Policy, by Emily G. Blevins.) This In Focus covers recent trends in U.S. patenting data, highlighting potential geographic, socioeconomic, racial, and gender-based disparities in patenting activity; summarizes possible economic implications stemming from such disparities; and presents selected policy options and related considerations for Congress. The Geography of U.S. Patenting As measured by utility patents, the largest component of patenting, innovative activity is not currently distributed evenly throughout the country. Analyzing the geography of U.S. patenting, the 2022 Science and Engineering Indicators report, published by the National Science Board, found that areas of high patenting intensity in the United States (measured by the patent owner's location per 1,000 residents) are primarily concentrated along the coasts, in Texas, and in parts of the Great Lakes and Rocky Mountains (Figure 1). The report also found that, in 2020, 41.6% of U.S. counties had zero patents granted to people residing in that county, and the top three counties for patenting intensity were Santa Clara in California, followed by Schenectady and Westchester in New York. The Diversty of US. inventors In addition to regional differences, studies have demonstrated that patenting activity in the United States varies according to an individual's gender and race, as well as socioeconomic background. Gender Patenting activity in the United States is currently distributed unevenly among men and women. Recent analysis by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) found that men are much more likely to be named as an inventor on a patent than women. According to 2019 data, the share of patents issued to women was 12.8%, and the share of patents issued to teams with at least one woman named as an inventor was 22%. Figure I. USPTO Utility Patents Granted to U.S. Owners Per 1,000 Residents, by U.S. County: 2020 ~j U4~IQuat~IeO~hO2~Ue~34 3n5 -utIt 0.08 0271 UST = : * . Trt; srk 4tie Source: National Science Board, National Science Foundation, Invention, Knowledge Transfer, and Innovation. Science and Engineering Indicators 2022, NSB-2022-4, 2022, at https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/ nsb20224/. Race Discrepancies in patenting activity exist along racial divides within the United States as well. By comparing 2018 patenting data with other public records to determine inventor characteristics, one study concluded that White Americans were around three times more likely than Black Americans to become inventors. A 2010 study found that during the period from 1970 to 2006, Black inventors in the United States were granted 6 patents per million people, compared to the overall rate of 235 patents per million people. Income Income levels have also been shown to impact patenting rates. Linking de-identified data on 1.2 million inventors based on information contained in patent records with income tax records, a 2017 study found that individuals from high-income families were around nine times more likely to eventually file a patent than individuals from low- OSP7QTOAfiypa~ts qa,1to U.S, own SWIDOOss-AonWby U.S outyr2020

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most