40pc of IBM patents is in SMAC and security

BANGALORE, INDIA: IBM has been named U.S.' top patent recipient for 22^nd consecutive year, with a record 7,534 patents in 2014. The company has also become the first to surpass more than 7,000 patents in a single year, with IBM inventors earning an average of more than 20 patents per day in 2014.

During IBM’s 22 years atop the patent list (1993-2014), the company’s inventors have received more than 81,500 U.S. patents.

The company’s record-setting 2014 patent output was led by more than 3,000 patents – 40% of its annual total – covering a range of cloud computing, analytics, mobile, social and security inventions. Over the past five years, IBM has more than doubled its output of patents within these strategic growth areas and was the leading recipient of cloud, analytics, mobile, social and security patents during this period.

“IBM's continued investment in research and development is key to driving the transformation of our company, as we look to capture the emerging opportunities represented by cloud, big data and analytics, security, social and mobile," said Ginni Rometty, IBM's chairman, president and CEO.

IBM inventors also received more than 500 patents for inventions that will usher in the era of cognitive systems, including new Watson related cognitive technologies.

More than 8,500 IBMers residing in 46 states and territories and 43 countries are responsible for IBM's record breaking 2014 patent tally. IBM inventors who reside outside the U.S. contributed to more than 34% of the company's 2014 patents.

The Top Ten list of 2014 U.S. patent recipients include :

1. IBM-7,534
2. Samsung-4,952
3. Canon-4,055
4. Sony-3,224
5. Microsoft-2,829
6. Toshiba-2,608
7. Qualcomm-2,590
8. Google-2,566
9. LG Electronics-2,122
10. Panasonic-2,095

(Data provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services)