Technology Intelligence Platform

Unleash the full power of patent data: analysing emerging technologies 

In this series, we explore the Technology Intelligence Platform (TIP) and show you how to gain valuable insights on patent data by using the platform’s data processing features combined with other EPO patent data sources. Each article introduces a TIP notebook featuring real-life examples of patent data analysis. 

Our last Patent Knowledge News article explored technology fields and their evolution in Europe over time. Using an external Python library, the analysis concluded with a video showcasing the results. In this article, we focus on emerging technologies and use TIP to analyse the technical fields that have emerged in Europe over recent decades.  

Analysing emerging technologies

Amid rising global competition, emerging technologies have become a cornerstone for innovation and economic stability. These sectors, characterised by their novelty, rapid progress and transformative potential, are critical for addressing challenges such as climate change, digital transformation and healthcare advancements.   

A key aspect of the analysis is the use of international patent families (IPFs)—high-value inventions for which patents have been filed in multiple jurisdictions. This approach ensures consistency and limits the analysis to commercially significant innovations. Focusing on IPFs also reduces distortions that could arise from patenting practices in individual jurisdictions. IPFs are a reliable proxy for inventive activity, offering a clearer understanding of global innovation dynamics. 

We classified inventions into various fields according to the IPC classification, using the WIPO IPC Technology Concordance Table. The table provides a valuable framework for macro-level analysis of technological trends by linking IPC subclasses to broader technological fields. This grouping enables a clearer understanding of global innovation patterns and highlights the major trends shaping the future of technology. 
 

Fig. 1: Evolution of patent families in Basic materials chemistry over the last decade for the IP5 countries

We also examined the top applicants in several emerging fields, considering both their contributions and the dynamic changes in their patenting activity over time. 

The notebook used for this analysis is available in the dedicated GitHub repository linked below. This allows users to replicate the analysis or adapt it for their own needs. 

Keywords: data processing, visualisation, patent data analysis