THE 'BIG 5' PATENTS REPORT
Patent activity and trends across Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google,
and Microsoft
The technology market
intelligence platform.
CB Insights software lets you predict, discuss and
communicate emerging technology trends using data
in ways that are beyond human cognition.
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Executive summary
Overall trends
Aggregate themes
Individual company analysis
Amazon
Apple
Facebook
Google
Microsoft
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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OVERALL PATENT ACTIVITY FROM BIG 5 COHORT ON
THE RISE
Applications trend upwards: Collectively, these IP powerhouses
have applied for more than 52,000 patents since 2009. Total
applications have steadily risen as each company diversifies its
research activities, with annual combined applications nearing
10,000 in 2013.
Microsoft leads, Facebook lags: Microsoft has filed for the most
patents, applying for over 16,800 since 2009, with second-place
Google applying for more than 14,500. Apple was in 3rd and
Amazon 4th, with Facebook lagging significantly behind.
Grants also rising: Although somewhat dependent on the USPTO
approval process, annual grant publications for this cohort have
also consistently grown. Google is now surpassing Microsoft for
the top spot here in part thanks to the reversal of its anti-patent
stance early in the decade.
INDIVIDUAL PATENTS REVEAL BROAD INTERESTS IN AI,
AR/VR, AND VEHICLES
AI activity skyrockets: 2014 applications with AI-related keywords
have already set an annual record, with more applications likely to
be published. Microsoft leads with Google quickly rising in second,
while Apple lags all of its peers thus far.
Facebook picking up: Although behind the other four in overall
filings, its activity is on the rise and recently published applications
reveal its efforts to automate the removal of objectionable content
using machine learning.
Apple targets vehicles, wearables: Apple came in second behind
Google in our keyword analysis of vehicle-related tech. Individual
filings point to research in autonomous vehicles and AR/VR.
Amazon broadens activities: The e-commerce company has
moved from consumer devices like e-book readers and tablets to
drones, cybersecurity, and potentially tech to support its Go stores.
Overall Trends
PATENT APPLICATIONS & GRANTS
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Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, and
Microsoft have applied for over
52,000+ PATENTS
since 2009
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7
356551027031945798049230614022212009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Total applications (AAPL, AMZN, FB, GOOG, MSFT)
to date
PATENT APPLICATIONS
MARCH UPWARD
Collective patent
applications from these
technology giants has
consistently risen on an
annual basis, as each
company broadens the
scope of its research
activities.
Combined applications
neared 10,000 in 2013;
more recent years may
exceed that threshold as
more patents are
published.
www.cbinsights.com
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OVERALL PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITY
By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
245
535
659
954
1073
988
517
215
994
1378
1497
2391
2097
2468
1917
678
40
100
211
461
432
660
420
184
556
792
2165
3355
3371
2403
1365
589
1730
2297
2499
2296
2831
2711
1921
555
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Amazon
Apple
Facebook
Google
Microsoft
to date
MSFT, GOOG, AAPL
AMONG MOST ACTIVE
Microsoft began the
decade with the most
patent applications by a
wide margin, but patent
applications from Google
and Apple have
skyrocketed since.
Google's activity
dramatically increased
from 2011-2013 as the
company reversed its
early anti-patent bias.
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PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITY BY COMPANY
By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
16,840
14,596
13,420
5,186
2,508
By date of application, 2009 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
CUMULATIVE APPLICATIONS BY COMPANY
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3769444837685500751990139679105492009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016 YTD
Total grants published (AAPL, AMZN, FB, GOOG, MSFT)
GRANT COUNT RISE
REFLECTS APPLICATION
UPTICK
The growing number of
patents applications from
this cohort is beginning to
surface in publication of
granted patents figures
as well.
Total grants published for
the group has topped
10,000 for the first time in
2016 to date.
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OVERALL PATENT GRANT ACTIVITY
By date of grant publication, 2010 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
65
139
193
306
550
757
1153
1635
399
721
805
1290
1951
2184
2130
2414
7
8
50
130
291
387
432
146
277
415
1060
1852
2638
3307
3248
3159
3304
2347
2794
3036
3143
2702
2820
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016 YTD
Amazon
Apple
Facebook
Google
Microsoft
GOOGLE TAKES THE
LEAD IN GRANTS
PUBLISHED
Google's flurry of early-to
mid-decade application
activity has led it to top
Microsoft in grants
published from 2015 on.
With the exception of
Microsoft, patent
publications are trending
upward across our big 5
cohort.
www.cbinsights.com
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GRANT PUBLICATION ACTIVITY BY COMPANY
By date of grant publication, 2010 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
Aggregate themes
EXPLORING TRENDING TECH AREAS
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13
16
21
18
25
21
70
27
6
2
2
14
17
41
25
39
16
4
3
11
18
4
1
4
3
1
15
7
6
5
6
3
1
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Microsoft
Google
Amazon
Facebook
Apple
MICROSOFT, GOOGLE
DOMINATE AI PATENTS
Activity has sharply
increased in the key
battleground of AI and
machine learning
technologies.
Microsoft leads the pack
with over 200 related
patent applications since
2009, while Google
comes in second with
over 150. Apple, criticized
for being slow to the draw
in this field, comes in last.
www.cbinsights.com
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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITY
By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
Analysis filters patent titles and abstracts for select relevant keywords, e.g. machine learning, deep learning, neural network, etc.
Does not include pre-acquisition patent activity of purchased companies (e.g. DeepMind with Google)
to date
1
9
22
87
81
101
36
28
4
1
3
12
15
9
13
8
7
4
10
12
5
12
7
6
2
2
1
4
12
8
3
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Google
Apple
Microsoft
Amazon
GOOGLE APPLYING FOR
HUNDREDS OF VEHICLE
PATENTS
With the Google Self-
Driving Car Project
(recently launched as
Waymo) long in gestation,
it's not surprising that
Google holds the crown.
Apple comes in second,
while Amazon has also
applied for a handful of
patents related to
automated delivery
drones and warehouse
vehicles.
www.cbinsights.com
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VEHICLE TECH PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITY
By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
Analysis filters patent titles and abstracts for select relevant keywords, e.g. autonomous driving, self-driving vehicle, etc.
Does not include pre-acquisition patent activity of purchased companies
to date
6
8
17
33
23
22
19
13
4
7
9
6
4
9
6
4
5
7
4
5
2
2
2
1
4
1
2
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Microsoft
Google
Amazon
Apple
MICROSOFT ALSO
TOPS AR/VR ACTIVITY
Thus far, patent
submission activity for
AR/VR and related tech
peaked in 2012.
Microsoft again leads the
way, driven by the
development of the mixed
reality HoloLens.
Microsoft also has
number of patents related
to its Kinect motion
sensing and gaming
devices, which HoloLens
traces its lineage to.
www.cbinsights.com
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AR/VR PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITY
By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
Analysis filters patent titles and abstracts for select relevant keywords, e.g. augmented reality, virtual reality, eye tracking, etc.
Does not include pre-acquisition patent activity of purchased companies (e.g. Oculus with Facebook)
to date
Individual company analysis
AREAS OF INTEREST & PATENTS OF NOTE
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Amazon
24553565995410739885172152009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Total applications
to date
AMAZON RISING
CONSISTENTLY FROM
2009 ON
The Seattle giant's patent
activity has rocketed as it
pushes beyond core e-
commerce into cloud
services, hardware, B&M
retail, and so on.
Amazon's annual patent
applications more than
quadrupled from 2009 to
2013.
www.cbinsights.com
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AMAZON PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITY
By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
AMAZON'S INTERESTS
BROADEN BEYOND
Amazon's top keywords
represent a shift in focus
from core e-commerce
competencies like product
recommendation to
developing its Kindle line
and other consumer
devices (red) as well as
delivery drones (orange).
As AWS has risen in
prominence, the frequency
of cybersecurity keywords
has also spiked (light
blue).
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AMAZON TOP PHRASES BY SIGNIFICANCE
By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
electronic reader
resource
resource
resource
resource
inventory
resource
resource
computer
network
node
client
client
provider
resource
client
authentication
reader device
user device
network page
image
image
image
provider
virtual machine
phrase
various
embodiment
provider
provider
client
electronic device
computer
network
provider
reader
client
various
embodiment
user device
node
tablet
various
embodiment
client
node
provider
image
component
inventory
fluid
instance
policy
network site
virtual machine electronic device
various
embodiment
instance
instance
inventory
various
embodiment
client
network page
user device
recommendation
server
provider
unmanned
vehicle
computer
network
virtual computer recommendation
instance
environment
computing
palette
node
replica
adapter
book
inventory
inventory
various
embodiment
holder
container
service provider
server
electronic book
server
server
environment
client
configuration
execution
environment
instance
digital work
power
object
container
component
computing
resource
delivery
content item
element
control
virtual machine
bin
cryptographic
key
delivery
catalog
host
object
computer
system
color palette
vehicle
instance
ISOLATING SPECIFIC
USERS
This filing relates to the
identification of a specific
user in a crowd by
comparing a physiological
conditions across
individuals (e.g. heart rate).
This patent describes a
device use case, but
similar technology could
hypothetically be
employed to track
shoppers in Amazon's
recently-announced, highly
automated Go stores.
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AMAZON PATENTS OF INTEREST
Example 1: "Detecting the primary user of a device"
Application date: 6/7/2015
Publication date: 12/8/2016
AUTOMATING
SHOPPING PROCESSES
Regarding Amazon Go, the
company also applied for a
patent describing the
identification and tracking
of user-picked items from
a "materials handling
facility."
Interpreted in the context
of Amazon Go, this
research could be used to
track each shopper's
shopping cart in an
automated store.
www.cbinsights.com
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AMAZON PATENTS OF INTEREST
Example 2: "Transitioning items from a materials handling facility "
Application date: 9/24/2014
Publication date: 1/8/2015
WAREHOUSING
AUTOMATION ALSO A
FOCUS
Amazon is known for its
drive to maximize efficiency
in its warehouses and
fulfillment centers, often
leveraging automation (e.g.
with its acquisition of Kiva
Systems).
The company has applied
for a number of robotic
packaging and inventory
management systems.
www.cbinsights.com
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AMAZON PATENTS OF INTEREST
Application date: 12/16/2014
Publication date: 6/16/2016
Example 3: "Generating robotic grasping instructions for inventory items "
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Apple
9941378149723912097246819176782009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Total applications
to date
APPLE'S
APPLICATIONS RISING
AFTER DIP IN 2013
Cupertino's annual
application count fell in
2013 but seems poised to
resume an upward trend
as the company
continues pushing into
new fields such as
wearables and vehicles.
www.cbinsights.com
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APPLE PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITY
By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
APPLE WEARABLE
PUSH EVIDENT
Many of Apple's top
phrases reflect its core
device and hardware
businesses.
However, more recent
years reveal Apple's
emphasis on wearable
development (orange),
especially as the Apple
Watch has come to
market.
www.cbinsights.com
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APPLE TOP PHRASES BY SIGNIFICANCE
By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
electronic
device
electronic
device
electronic
device
electronic
device
electronic
device
electronic
device
electronic
device
electronic
device
medium device display screen medium device display screen display screen graphical user wearable device
layer
portable
computer
screen
packaging
screen
screen
display screen display screen
adapter
image
graphical user
memory
graphical user
graphical user
screen
screen
mobile device
connector
icon
image
image
connector
wearable device
band
attachment
screen
dock insert
packaging
station
connector
housing
connector
graphical user
substrate
power
housing
keyboard
structure
layer
layer
attachment
housing
stand
cover
graphical user
cover
image
component
layer
wireless
circuit
station
connector
power
memory
housing
connector
cover
keyboard
power
circuit
circuit
thereof with
icon
power
component
component
packaging
image
screen
thereof with
icon
signal
circuit
structure
communication
dock
portable display display screen
adapter
circuit
packaging
power
circuit
APPLE'S VEHICLE
RESEARCH
Though Apple has lagged
somewhat in overall AI
research, recent reports
have detailed the
expansion of its machine
learning efforts.
Apple's long-rumored
automotive project has
said to have shifted focus
from developing an actual
vehicle to developing a
self-driving system
instead.
www.cbinsights.com
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APPLE PATENTS OF INTEREST
Example 1: "Collision avoidance of arbitrary polygonal obstacles"
Application date: 6/7/2015
Publication date: 12/8/2016
INDOOR NAVIGATION
FOR POTENTIAL AR/VR
USE CASES
Another recently
published Apple patent
involves precisely
mapping and navigation
indoor environments.
As the patent's
description notes, such
capabilities would be
useful not just for
smartphones, but also
"smart glasses and other
devices."
www.cbinsights.com
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APPLE PATENTS OF INTEREST
Example 2: "Visual-based inertial navigation"
Application date: 8/12/2016
Publication date: 12/1/2016
www.cbinsights.com
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Facebook
401002114614326604201842009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Total applications
to date
FACEBOOK PATENT
ACTIVITY BEGINNING
TO PICK UP
Of this cohort, Facebook
is notably less active from
an intellectual property
standpoint.
However, it has recently
begun to submit more
applications, with its 2014
applications already
marking an annual record,
even with more patents
(likely) awaiting
publication.
www.cbinsights.com
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FACEBOOK PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITY
By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
TACKLING SUSPECT
CONTENT: FAKE NEWS?
Since the 2016 US
presidential election,
Facebook has faced
increasing criticism for
"fake news" on it platform.
Recently published
patents reveal efforts to
leverage machine learning
to automate the flagging
and removal of
objectionable content
dating back to 2015.
www.cbinsights.com
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FACEBOOK PATENTS OF INTEREST
Example 1: "Systems and methods to identify objectionable content"
Application date: 6/1/2015
Publication date: 12/1/2016
OCULUS FORGING
AHEAD
Oculus' VR patents are
still filed under the
Facebook subsidiary itself
rather than the corporate
parent.
A number of recently
published documents
reveal work in hand-held
VR controllers, likely for
the development of
Oculus' just-launched
Touch controllers.
www.cbinsights.com
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FACEBOOK PATENTS OF INTEREST
Example 2: "Hand-held controllers for virtual reality system"
Application date: 6/3/2015
Publication date: 12/8/2016
www.cbinsights.com
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Google
556792216533553371240313655892009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Total applications
to date
GOOGLE BECOMES IP
POWERHOUSE
Google executives (up to
Larry Page and Sergey
Brin) were once infamous
for opposing excessive
patenting as a threat to
innovation.
However, as the threat of
smartphone litigation
intensified in the early
2010s, Google began
applying for patents at a
blistering pace.
www.cbinsights.com
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GOOGLE PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITY
By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
image
document
search
image
image
image
display device
search
document
query
document
search
search
wearable
display
image
image
search
search
query
document
query
vehicle
search
vehicle
query
image
image
query
content item
display device
query
balloon
score
server
server
server
document
search
glass
query
server
score
client
wearable
display
computing
device
content item
graphical user
content item
program
program
program
computing
device
vehicle
computer icon
content item
notification
client
client
web
content item
computing
message
vehicle
graphical user
computer
program
computer
program
mobile device
score
score
document
computing
device
computing
device
communication
message
object
vehicle
mobile device
computing
device
computing
user device
content item
resource
value
client
graphical user
query
communication communication
advertisement
advertisement
computing
computing
server
display panel
screen
hotword
TOP GOOGLE
KEYWORDS HIGHLIGHT
X PROJECTS
Advertising (light blue)
has fallen off the top
keyword list as Mountain
View seeks to diversify.
Highly visible are
keywords related to X
"moonshot" projects,
including self-driving cars
(red), Google Glass and
wearables (orange), and
Project Loon's internet
delivery balloons (blue).
www.cbinsights.com
35
GOOGLE TOP PHRASES BY SIGNIFICANCE
By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
SELF-DRIVING CAR
PROJECT MATURING
Google's Self-Driving Car
Project has "graduated"
from beta and become
the new full-fledged
Alphabet company
Waymo.
This just-published
application describes the
mechanisms to both
initiate a ride and trigger
an emergency stop, either
through input buttons in
an autonomous car or
other devices.
www.cbinsights.com
36
GOOGLE PATENTS OF INTEREST
Example 1: "Autonomous vehicles"
Application date: 6/8/2016
Publication date: 12/1/2016
AR/VR RESEARCH
REMAINS STRONG AS
WELL
Despite the failure of
Google Glass to generate
significant traction, the
company's patent outputs
reflect the various
augmented and virtual
reality projects that it is
still pushing forward.
www.cbinsights.com
37
GOOGLE PATENTS OF INTEREST
Example 2: "See-through eyepiece for head wearable display"
Application date: 8/17/2016
Publication date: 12/8/2016
www.cbinsights.com
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Microsoft
17302297249922962831271119215552009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Total applications
to date
MICROSOFT HOLDING
STEADY
Out of this tech cohort,
Microsoft's patent
application totals have
been the least volatile.
Despite a corporate
restructuring in 2013 and
an executive transition in
2014, the company's
overall research activity
has remained strong.
www.cbinsights.com
39
MICROSOFT PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITY
By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
NEW MICROSOFT
HARDWARE COMES
INTO FOCUS
Microsoft's patent
keywords provide an early
glimpse into the
development of the
Surface tablet lines
(orange).
The "headset" and "visor"
patents (light blue)
highlight the ramp-up of
Microsoft's efforts in the
AR/VR space seen earlier,
specifically its HoloLens
headset.
www.cbinsights.com
40
MICROSOFT TOP PHRASES BY SIGNIFICANCE
By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
display screen display screen display screen display screen display screen display screen display screen
message
screen
screen
screen
screen
screen
screen
screen
communication
icon
icon
graphical user
graphical user
graphical user
graphical user
graphical user
component
image
image
icon
screen with
icon
screen with
icon
handset
controller
document
keyboard
electronic
mouse
screen with
icon
icon
icon
image
screen with
icon
server
object
document
image
image
handset
document
icon
environment
avatar
query
object
electronic
camera
image
screen with
icon
headset
query
component
search
query
object
search
communication
visor
object
client
electronic
camera
search
electronic
mouse
type font
client
document
file
server
mouse
electronic
mouse
search
headset
icon
client
computing
file
message
server
input device
electronic
tablet
environment
communication
peer
gesture
resource
controller
document
client
computing
element
computing
device
player
component
headset
electronic
tablet
document
resource
message
resource
resource
value
resource
environment
controller
module
headset with
visor
gesture
MICROSOFT CONTINUES
NATURAL LANGUAGE
WORK
One new patent
application details
Redmond's efforts to
facilitate natural language
conversations by
personalizing virtual
assistant responses.
This would bolster
Microsoft's Cortana
assistant and potentially
chatbots for its
productivity software.
www.cbinsights.com
41
MICROSOFT PATENTS OF INTEREST
Example 1: "Crafting feedback dialogue with a virtual assistant"
Application date: 5/20/2016
Publication date: 11/24/2016
WEARABLES STILL ON
THE RADAR
Microsoft may still be
interested in wearables
and smartwatches despite
the discontinuation of its
Band fitness wearable, as
the company recently filed
a patent detailing a new
wearable device and
corresponding dock.
www.cbinsights.com
42
MICROSOFT PATENTS OF INTEREST
Example 2: "Wearable personal information system"
Application date: 7/11/2016
Publication date: 11/3/2016
A word on the nature of patents analysis
www.cbinsights.com
43
The patent filing and grant process involves several key dates
with significant time lags in between (see the graphic to the right).
After an application is submitted, there is a delay before it is
published. This lag is typically 12-18 months but can range from
several months to over two years.
The delay before the publication of granted (approved) patents is
even more variable; occasionally decades can pass before grants
are published.
Applications and grants cannot be captured for analysis until they
are published, so these time lags are important to keep in mind.
Note: Our analysis focuses on patents filed or granted directly under each company's
name, although this may still include a small number of patents from acquired
companies attributed to their parent.
Application filed
(Application date)
Application published
(App publication date)
Grant published
(Grant publication date)
typically 12-18 months
typically several years,
but can take decades
TYPICAL PATENT PROCESS
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