IBM ‘breaks record’ for granted US patents

Technology and consulting company IBM has topped the list of recipients of US patents for the 22nd year in a row, according to figures released this week.

The New York headquartered company was granted 7,534 patents in 2014, compared with 6,809 in 2013.

According to patent data company IFI Claims Patent Services, which collated the figures, it is the first time a company has broken the 7,000 barrier.

The figures show that the company’s inventors earned an average of more than 20 patents per day, said IBM chief executive Ginni Rometty.

She added: “IBM's patent leadership over more than two decades demonstrates our enduring commitment to the kind of fundamental research and development that can solve the most daunting challenges facing our clients and the world.”

The top five companies are in the same order as last year. Technology company Samsung came in second place with 4,952 patents granted, while Japan-based Canon and Sony, and US software company Microsoft, made up the rest of the top five.

"It was a very good year for US patents in terms of growth,” said Mike Baycroft, chief executive of IFI. “It was a particularly good year for US firms, which saw major gains from many of the top patent generators," he added.

During its 22 years on top of the list, IBM, which stands for International Business Machines, has received more than 81,500 US patents.