Overall rank by patents
#2,085
Across all tracked assignees
USPTO PatentsView assignee record — 190 granted patents across 36 technology areas, active 2015–2025. Filing-trend and competitive-moat analysis cross-referenced to USPTO Patent Public Search. Primary class: A61B (DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION).
The verdict
SMITH holds 190 US patents across 36 technology areas — rank #2,085 of 50,000 tracked assignees.
SMITH & NEPHEW ORTHOPAEDICS AG has been granted 190 US utility patents between 2015 and 2025, placing SMITH & NEPHEW ORTHOPAEDICS AG at rank #2,085 across all assignees tracked by PlainPatent. This portfolio spans 36 distinct Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) subclasses, averaging 16.3 claims per patent with primary concentration in A61B (DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION). As a Foreign Corporation, SMITH & NEPHEW ORTHOPAEDICS AG is one of the more focused assignees in the PatentsView dataset. The composite Innovation Score of 69.1/100 blends portfolio volume, filing velocity, technology breadth, and claim depth into a single comparable measure drawn directly from USPTO PatentsView records.
Filing cadence tells the strategic story. Between 2020 and 2025 the company received 179 grants, compared with 11 in the 2015–2019 window — a +1527% shift in five-year velocity. An acceleration of this magnitude signals aggressive R&D investment and expanding technical ambition. The Foreign Corporation classification further shapes interpretation, since corporate, government, and individual filers pursue patents for materially different reasons.
Claim depth and technology breadth together indicate competitive posture. SMITH & NEPHEW ORTHOPAEDICS AG's 16.3 average claims per patent sits within the typical range for solid legal coverage without excessive prosecution cost, while a multi-domain presence across 36 subclasses balances depth with breadth. Combined with portfolio volume, these signals let analysts, investors, and licensing professionals benchmark SMITH & NEPHEW ORTHOPAEDICS AG against peers pursuing similar technology classes.
Granted US patents 2015–2025 versus the largest corporate holders — this company marked ◀
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
106,890 patents
International Business Machines Corporation
72,926 patents
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
34,378 patents
LG ELECTRONICS INC.
32,607 patents
TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
31,041 patents
Apple Inc.
30,560 patents
QUALCOMM Incorporated
30,354 patents
Intel Corporation
27,498 patents
SMITH & NEPHEW ORTHOPAEDICS AG
190 patents
What this shows SMITH holds 190 patents — placing it at rank #2,085 overall, well behind the volume leaders but ahead of the tens of thousands of smaller assignees in the dataset.
SMITH's Innovation Score vs. every tracked assignee
Composite of portfolio volume, filing velocity, technology breadth, and claim depth (0–100)
69 Top 1% higher than 99% of 50,000 US assignees
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US assignees. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source USPTO PatentsView — PlainPatent Innovation Score · 2015–2025
Teal-shaded recent years (2020–present) versus the 2015–2019 baseline. Full figures in the table below.
| Year | Patents Granted | Share of Period |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 2 | 1.1% |
| 2016 | 4 | 2.1% |
| 2017 | 2 | 1.1% |
| 2018 | 1 | 0.5% |
| 2019 | 2 | 1.1% |
| 2020 | 7 | 3.7% |
| 2021 | 9 | 4.7% |
| 2022 | 32 | 16.8% |
| 2023 | 29 | 15.3% |
| 2024 | 48 | 25.3% |
| 2025 | 54 | 28.4% |
Top 15 of 36 technology areas
Overall rank by patents
#2,085
Across all tracked assignees
69.1 out of 100
SMITH & NEPHEW ORTHOPAEDICS AG's primary CPC class — all holders and yearly trends
See where SMITH & NEPHEW ORTHOPAEDICS AG ranks among the largest US patent assignees
Browse every CPC technology area by patent activity
The four dimensions behind the Innovation Score
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the USPTO PatentsView database. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.