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Are patent offices substitutes?

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  • Petit, Elise
  • van Pottelsberghe de la Potterie, Bruno
  • Gimeno-Fabra, Lluis

Abstract

This paper evaluates whether and to what extent search and examination processes at patent offices are substitutes. Based on an original dataset comprising 4.884 patents filed simultaneously in Japan, the USA and Europe, the empirical analysis confirms that the degree of substitution is significant within the PCT framework. When patent offices have access to the search for prior art of other offices, they search into less technology classes, send fewer communications, or rely more on international citations. They also cite 12 % to 32 % less prior art. Further substitution could still be achieved, as 8 % to 27 % of remaining backward citations are duplicates -voluntarily or not - of prior work. Taken together, work reductions and overlaps witness a degree of substitution of about 37 % between the three patent offices.

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  • Petit, Elise & van Pottelsberghe de la Potterie, Bruno & Gimeno-Fabra, Lluis, 2023. "Are patent offices substitutes?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(8).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:respol:v:52:y:2023:i:8:s0048733323001075
    DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2023.104823
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    1. Lluís Gimeno-Fabra & Bruno van Pottelsberghe de la Potterie, 2021. "Decoding patent examination services," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(7), pages 707-730, October.
    2. de Saint-Georges, Matthis & van Pottelsberghe de la Potterie, Bruno, 2013. "A quality index for patent systems," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 704-719.
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    8. Elise Petit & Bruno van Pottelsberghe de la Potterie & Lluis Gimeno-Fabra, 2022. "Global patent systems: Revisiting the national bias hypothesis," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(1), pages 56-67, March.
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    1. Elise Petit & Bruno van Pottelsberghe de la Potterie & Lluis Gimeno-Fabra, 2022. "Global patent systems: Revisiting the national bias hypothesis," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(1), pages 56-67, March.
    2. Zhao, Long, 2022. "On the grant rate of Patent Cooperation Treaty applications: Theory and evidence," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    3. Higham, Kyle & Contisciani, Martina & De Bacco, Caterina, 2022. "Multilayer patent citation networks: A comprehensive analytical framework for studying explicit technological relationships," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).

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