Gaining insights from patent data

Patent insight reports and technology platforms 

Patent Knowledge is continuing its successful production of exciting new patent insight reports and comprehensive Espacenet-based technology platforms in 2024 and beyond.  

Patent insight reports 

Our patent insight reports focus on future and emerging technologies – in other words, technical fields that have yet to reach a critical mass of patent applications. They are designed to provide valuable insights into these potentially disruptive technologies. 

The methodology underlying these reports is free to use, meaning that anyone can apply our analytical approach to reveal trends and prospects in other future and emerging technologies. 

For each report, we develop a search strategy using unique attributes of EPO data such as classification (CPC), citations and patent families. The search strategy is then applied, optimising both recall and precision, to create a technology-specific dataset based on EPO data. The resulting reports act as "snapshots" of emerging technologies, taken in the light of patent data. 

Frequently, the selection and fine-tuning of the topics and search strategies used for producing patent insight reports and for the technology platforms (see below) is done jointly through discussions and close coordination with internal and external stakeholders.  

Patent insight reports began being produced and published starting in 2019. Since then, a total of ten patent insight reports have been released, with four in 2023 alone. Here is an overview of the past reports.  

Table: List of topics covered by patent insight reports since 2019 

All reports and accompanying data sets and support materials can be found on the dedicated EPO patent insight reports webpage. The support materials can always be found together with the full report in the corresponding section. 

Since they began, the patent insight reports have attracted the attention of tens of thousands of visitors, as can be seen from the 2019-2023 download statistics: 

Figure 1: Overview of downloads of the patent insight reports for the period 2019 to 2023 

Espacenet technology platforms 

Besides the patent insight reports, the EPO has developed and released so-called technology platforms. This provides interested users with easy access and a smooth start in using prepared search strategies developed by experts in the field. This is nicely summarised by the latest addition to the collection of technology platforms, the new Espacenet platform on technologies combatting cancer, which was published on 1 February 2024: 

"Global success depends on access to the right know-how as well as to the technical information contained in patents, which describe the most recent advances and can support scientists and researchers in finding inventive solutions. These innovators have the most to gain from patent information but are often unfamiliar with how to use EPO patent databases. This is why the EPO's examiners, who are highly skilled in running complex search strategies, have put their expert knowledge at your service, writing precise search statements that can be run in Espacenet with little or no prior experience." 

This is just the latest platform released, but many more are planned or already being prepared. The first released was the Fighting corona platform and was the result of the global COVID-19 pandemic which  

" … has led to an urgent search for vaccines, treatments and technologies that can counter the spread of disease and save lives. The technical information published in patents advances human knowledge, helping researchers everywhere to understand the latest inventions. 

EPO patent examiners and data analysts have compiled until now about 300 datasets to support the important work of clinicians, scientists and engineers. Arranged into four broad themes and updated regularly, our charts show which countries have the most patent filings and which applicants and inventors are most prolific in the relevant fields." 

Other technology platforms released so far include the Clean energy technologies and Firefighting technologies platforms. The latter is the result of a close collaboration between expert patent examiners and analysts from the European Patent Office (EPO), OEPM (Spain), INPI (Portugal), INPI (France), OBI (Greece) and UIBM (Italy) who have joined forces to support scientists and innovators in their endeavours. 

Outlook on patent insight reports and technology platforms 

Here is the good news: we will continue our efforts, and this year will once more bring a number of exciting new patent insight reports and technology platforms. It might also be interesting for you too, so stay tuned! 


Keywords: Patent insight reports, technology platforms, Espacenet