Abstract

Using modern information technology tools, we study the dynamics of intellectual property by analyzing patent citation networks.

Issue

Patents represent much of the technology developments in our society. A better understanding of the patent structure and the evolution of patents will lead us to a better understanding of the role of intellectual property and technology in our economy and our society at large.

Response

We developed an initial 'proof of concept' (Lesser and Gomes, 2005) for applying the network analysis to the study of patents, using data obtained from the National Bureau of Economics Research (NBER) (available at www.nber.org/patents/)

Impact

We are in the early phase of this project. Our preliminary results are quite promising. We have written up our first results (Lesser and Gomes 2005) and we applied for a seed grant from the Cornell Institute of Social Sciences.

Funding Sources

• Other Federal non-USDA (e.g., NSF, NIH, DOA, DOD)

Topic Description

• Intellectual property

Collaborators

• Bill Lesser (P.I.), AEM, Cornell University.

Key Personnel

• N/A