Innovation Scoring Methodology

The PlainPatent innovation score is a composite metric from 0 to 100 that measures the overall strength of a company's patent portfolio. Rather than relying solely on patent count — which favors large incumbents — the score combines four complementary dimensions that together capture both the quantity and quality of innovation output.

The Four Dimensions

Portfolio Volume (40% weight): Total number of US utility patents granted 2015-2025. Scored on a logarithmic scale so companies with hundreds of patents can be meaningfully compared to those with tens of thousands. This is the foundation metric — sustained R&D investment expressed in granted patents.

Filing Velocity (20% weight): Year-over-year growth rate comparing 2020-2025 filings to the 2015-2019 baseline. Companies accelerating their patent programs score higher. This dimension captures momentum — is the company investing more or less in innovation over time?

Technology Breadth (25% weight): The number of distinct CPC subclasses in which a company holds patents. Broader technology coverage indicates diversified R&D investment across multiple domains, which correlates with platform innovation strategies and cross-disciplinary problem-solving.

Claim Depth (15% weight): Average number of claims per patent. More claims typically mean broader legal protection and more thorough invention disclosure. This rewards companies that invest in comprehensive patent drafting rather than filing many thin patents.

Score Interpretation

Scores above 70 indicate strong, diversified patent programs with active growth. Companies in this range typically have large or rapidly growing portfolios with broad technology coverage. Scores between 50 and 70 represent solid portfolios, often focused in specific technology areas. Scores below 50 indicate either limited patent activity, declining filing programs, or narrow technology focus.

The score is most meaningful when compared within the same industry. Semiconductor companies and pharmaceutical companies operate on different patenting norms — absolute scores should be benchmarked against sector peers. View the full innovation rankings to compare companies.

Data Source and Transparency

All inputs to the innovation score are derived from publicly available USPTO PatentsView data. The weighting and normalization methodology are fully disclosed. We designed the score to be reproducible — any researcher with access to the same PatentsView dataset can verify our calculations. For a more detailed discussion of how to interpret these metrics, see our Innovation Metrics Guide.