Abstract
The emergence of pattent bibliometrics as a new branch of scientometrics necessitates a deeper understanding of the relationship between patents and papers. As this connection is established through the linkage between patents and research papers, one must have a clear idea of similarities and differences between patent and paper citations. This paper will investigate to what extent one can not only apply bibliometric methods to patents but also extend the existing interpretative framework for citations in research papers to the field of patent citations. After pointing out some parallels in the debates about the nature of citations in patents and scientific articles, the paper outlines those parts of bibliometric theory covering scientific citations that could be relevant to patent citations too. Then it highlights the specialties and peculiarities of patent citations. One major conclusion is that the general nature of a common framework for both scientific and patent citations would severely limit its usefulness, but research on academic citations might still be a great source of inspiration to the study of patent citations.
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Notes and References
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See, for instance, P. Collins and S. Wyatt, Citations in patents to the basic research literature. Research Policy, 17 (1988), 65-74, or more recently, M. Meyer, Patents citing scientific literature: is the relationship causal or casual? IPTS Report, issue October 1998. See also M. MEYER, Does science push technology? Patents citing scientific literature, Research Policy, forthcoming.
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Walker gives a detailed overview of what is contained on the front page in a standard format: bibliographic information, examination-process information, an abstract of the invention, and a drawing (when applicable), the title, the name of the inventor or inventors, the date of application, the application number, a record of previous applications from which the application stemmed (where appropriate), the classification number with any applicable cross-reference classification numbers. See R. D. Walker, Patents as Scientific and Technical Literature. The Scarecrow Press: Metuchen, NJ, and London, 1995, 135.
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However, this is in the same order of relative magnitude as the results of a study by Narin, Rosen and Olivastro, which indicates that only 20–50% of all references in the full text are also listed on the front page. For details, see F. Narin, M. Rosen and D. Olivastro, Patent citation analysis: new validation studies and linkage statistics. In: A. Van Raan et al. (Eds), Science and Technology Indicators: Their Use in Science Policy and Their Role in Science Studies. Leiden: DSWO Press, 1989.
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Table based on text in Walker, op.cit., 142.
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However, Schmoch can present some evidence for a more general relationship. He cites an intellectual evaluation study of patent references that has shown for the field of space technology that a large number of references are linked to the citing patents in a very broad sense. See U. Schmoch, N. Kirsch, W. Lay, E. Plescher, K.-O. Jung, Analysis of technical spin-off effects of space-related R & D by means of patent indicators. Acta Astronautica, 24 (1991) 353-362.
Rip distinguishes three different kinds of readers: (1) the officials of the Patent Office, who have to grant the patent; (2) the competitors in the field, who are eager for information about new products and processes; and (3) potential licensees, who must be interested in what the patent offers. See A. Rip, Mobilising resources through texts. In: M. Callon, J. Law, A. Rip (Eds), Mapping the Dynamics of Science and Technology. Macmillan: London, 1986, 91f.
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B. Campbell, B. Wynne (Eds), Expert Evidence: Interpreting Science in the Law. Routledge: London, 1989 op.cit., 212.
This statement is well underlined by the difficulties Campbell experienced when he tried to get cooperation from corporations involved in patent actions. In particular, their objections included the concern in jeopardizing their legal position in relation to the patent in question. See B. Campbell, B. Wynne (Eds), Expert Evidence: Interpreting Science in the Law. Routledge: London, 1989 op.cit., 234.
A. Rip, J. LAW, A. RIP (Eds), Mapping the Dynamics of Science and Technology. Macmillan, London, 1986 op.cit., p. 97.
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Meyer, M. What is Special about Patent Citations? Differences between Scientific and Patent Citations. Scientometrics 49, 93–123 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005613325648
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005613325648