Showcasing Innovation by Analyzing the Characteristics of Patents Granted to Researchers at a Research University

Abstract

ABSTRACT An overview of the characteristics of current state of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville patenting activities for the period 2010–2019 are identified and discussed. The analysis showed an average of 17.3 patents per year were granted to the university over the last ten years. Most patents are concentrated in the areas of science and technology. In almost all the departments, a few inventors in every departments contributed to many of the patents. The inventors collaborated on 24.9 percent of the patents with co-assignees mainly from corporate institutions, educational and medically related institutions, and a government institution within the United States. Of significance is that 20.9 percent of the co-assignees are from Arkansas, indicating the university’s contribution to the economic development of the state. Journal articles and patents were the predominant types of material cited in the patents. Sixteen percent of the journals cited 10 or more times account for 63.6 percent of all the citations in the patents. On average, one or less books were cited in the patents. The age of the books was more than 15 years. The majority of the other types of publications cited were less than 20 years old.