List of prolific inventors

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The 100 known most prolific inventors based on worldwide utility patents are shown in the following table. While in many cases this is the number of utility patents granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, it may include utility patents granted by other countries, as noted by the source references for an inventor.

Prolific Inventors

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Inventor Pats Fams Fam % Pat Yrs Yrs Pat /Yr Inv /Pat Pat Residence Majority Assignment
Shunpei Yamazaki [1] 6615 2902 43.9% 1972—2025 53.5 124 3.6 Japan Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
Kia Silverbrook [2] 4747 1311 27.6% 1994—2014 20 237 1.6 Australia Silverbrook Research
Tao Luo [3] 4233 3527 83.3% 2006—2025 19.3 219 5.6 USA Qualcomm
Kangguo Cheng [4] 2821 1561 55.3% 2004—2025 20.9 135 3.9 USA IBM
Junyi Li [5] 2630 2216 84.3% 2002—2025 22.9 115 5.2 USA Qualcomm
Frederick E. Shelton IV [6] 2612 1200 45.9% 2005—2025 20.2 129 4.5 USA Ethicon
Peter Gaal [7] 2482 1911 77.0% 2002—2025 23.1 107 5.9 USA Qualcomm
Wanshi Chen [8] 2290 1760 76.9% 2009—2025 16.4 140 5.7 USA Qualcomm
Xiaoxia Zhang [9] 2056 1739 84.6% 2009—2025 16.7 123 5.5 USA Qualcomm
Lowell L. Wood, Jr. [10] 1998 1326 66.4% 1971—2025 53.4 37 8.8 USA Intellectual Ventures
Esmael H. Dinan [11] 1903 754 39.6% 2006—2025 19.2 99 3.6 USA Ofinno
Roderick A. Hyde [12] 1892 1252 66.2% 2001—2023 22.4 84 8.7 USA Intellectual Ventures
Chen-Hua Yu [13] 1886 981 52.0% 1996—2025 29.3 64 4.9 Taiwan TSMC
Hanbyul Seo [14] 1777 1320 74.3% 2012—2025 13.4 133 3.8 South Korea LG
Jing Sun [15] 1705 1421 83.3% 2012—2025 12.8 133 5.9 USA Qualcomm
Shan Liu [16] 1550 984 63.5% 2013—2025 12 129 3.4 USA Tencent
Jun Koyama [17] 1512 618 40.9% 1991—2022 30.8 49 3.1 Japan Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
Sarbajit K. Rakshit [18] 1467 1240 84.5% 2013—2025 12.7 116 3.4 India IBM
Gurtej Singh Sandhu [19] 1432 584 40.8% 1991—2024 32.5 44 2.5 USA Micron
Yunjung Yi [20] 1377 931 67.6% 2011—2025 14.7 94 3.3 USA LG
Shou-Shan Fan [21] 1312 1097 83.6% 2006—2025 19.1 69 4.2 China Hon Hai
Paul Lapstun [22] 1305 246 18.9% 2000—2022 21.4 61 2.5 Australia Silverbrook Research
Alexander Reznicek [23] 1278 772 60.4% 2006—2025 19.4 66 3.9 USA IBM
Suckchel Yang [24] 1260 812 64.4% 2013—2025 12.2 103 4.7 South Korea LG
Clarence T. Tegreene [25] 1251 904 72.3% 2000—2025 24.8 50 10.1 USA Intellectual Ventures
Satoshi Seo [26] 1244 591 47.5% 2002—2025 22.8 55 4.1 Japan Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
Juan Montojo [27] 1228 993 80.9% 2004—2025 21.6 57 6.9 USA Qualcomm
Kijun Kim [28] 1175 816 69.4% 2013—2025 11.8 100 4.6 South Korea LG
Joonkui Ahn [29] 1165 757 65.0% 2013—2025 12.1 96 4.7 South Korea LG
Takahiro Nishi [30] 1164 382 32.8% 2001—2025 24.1 48 6.3 Japan Panasonic
Jason L. Harris [31] 1154 646 56.0% 2011—2025 14.7 79 6.0 USA Ethicon
Ruilong Xie [32] 1139 869 76.3% 2013—2025 12.7 90 4.2 USA IBM
Marta Karczewicz [33] 1134 931 82.1% 2000—2025 24.7 46 4.0 USA Qualcomm
Edward K. Y. Jung [34] 1111 794 71.5% 1996—2022 26.1 43 8.0 USA Intellectual Ventures
Leonard Forbes [35] 1109 411 37.1% 1975—2019 43.3 26 2.6 USA Micron
Tingfang Ji [36] 1085 800 73.7% 2006—2025 19.1 57 6.9 USA Qualcomm
Thomas Edison [37] 1084 NA NA 1869—1933 63.9 17 1.0 USA Thomas Edison
Rick Allen Hamilton II [38] 1064 715 67.2% 1999—2025 26.5 40 4.2 USA IBM
Seungmin Lee [39] 1054 788 74.8% 2014—2025 10.9 97 3.5 South Korea LG
Jason K. Resch [40] 1050 513 48.9% 2009—2025 15.7 67 4.2 USA IBM
Yan Zhou [41] 1023 901 88.1% 2012—2025 13.1 78 4.4 USA Qualcomm
Donald E. Weder [42] 1000 395 39.5% 1978—2015 37.1 27 1.1 USA Weder Family Trust
Michael J. Sullivan [43] 997 534 53.6% 1989—2024 34.5 29 3.8 USA Acushnet Holdings
George Albert Lyon [44] 993 NA NA 1901—1965 64.5 15 1.0 Canada Lyon George Albert
Jordin T. Kare [45] 993 640 64.5% 1992—2023 30.5 33 9.1 USA Intellectual Ventures
Ahmadreza Rofougaran [46] 989 476 48.1% 2002—2025 23.2 43 6.4 USA Broadcom
Hao Xu [47] 989 720 72.8% 2005—2025 20.4 48 4.7 China Qualcomm
Jay S. Walker [48] 980 422 43.1% 1998—2024 26.3 37 5.2 USA Walker Digital
John F. O'Connor [49] 949 NA NA 1901—1935 33.9 28 NA USA William H. Miner
Hajime Kimura [50] 935 297 31.8% 2002—2025 22.8 41 2.6 Japan Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
William H. Eby [51] 931 927 99.6% 1994—2025 31.4 30 1.2 USA Monsanto
Melvin De Groote [52] 925 NA NA 1924—1966 41.8 22 NA USA Petrolite
David R. Hall [53] 923 764 82.8% 1985—2025 40.2 23 3.8 USA Hall Labs
Nathan Myhrvold [54] 908 614 67.6% 1994—2025 31 29 11.1 USA Intellectual Ventures
Hongyuan Zhang [55] 901 486 53.9% 2009—2025 16.2 56 3.9 USA Marvell
Kyungmin Park [56] 901 420 46.6% 2014—2025 11.4 79 5.2 USA Ofinno
Francis H. Richards [57] 894 NA NA 1899—1930 30.8 29 NA USA Francis H. Richards
Mark Malamud [58] 886 690 77.9% 1997—2022 25.1 35 7.5 USA Intellectual Ventures
Justin T. Mason [59] 884 880 99.5% 2008—2025 16.8 53 1.0 USA MS Technologies
Satoshi Nagata [60] 880 843 95.8% 2011—2025 14 63 4.0 Japan NTT
Robert W. Lord [61] 869 683 78.6% 2003—2025 21.6 40 7.6 USA Intellectual Ventures
Chih-Chao Yang [62] 869 552 63.5% 2003—2025 21.8 40 3.4 USA IBM
Stuart C. Salter [63] 863 810 93.9% 2009—2025 15.8 55 4.8 USA Ford
Royce A. Levien [64] 855 666 77.9% 1997—2020 23.4 37 6.8 USA Intellectual Ventures
Hua Zhou [65] 850 438 51.5% 2012—2025 13.6 62 5.5 USA Ofinno
Lee D. Whetsel [66] 847 128 15.1% 1991—2017 26.4 32 1.1 USA Texas Instruments
Hsien-Wei Chen [67] 845 390 46.2% 2005—2025 20.4 41 3.5 Taiwan TSMC
Muriel Y. Ishikawa [68] 840 560 66.7% 2002—2023 21.2 40 11.1 USA Intellectual Ventures
Michael K. Gschwind [69] 836 442 52.9% 2001—2021 20.6 41 2.6 USA IBM
Clifford A. Pickover [70] 836 548 65.6% 1992—2024 32.2 26 3.9 USA IBM
Youngdae Lee [71] 832 655 78.7% 2014—2025 11.5 72 3.1 South Korea LG
Devendra K. Sadana [72] 827 470 56.8% 1983—2025 42.6 19 4.3 USA IBM
SungDuck Chun [73] 821 508 61.9% 2007—2025 17.8 46 3.8 South Korea LG
Xue Dong [74] 788 762 96.7% 2010—2025 14.7 54 7.4 China BOE
Salman Akram [75] 787 292 37.1% 1995—2025 30.2 26 2.9 USA Micron
Warren M. Farnworth [76] 774 289 37.3% 1990—2014 24.4 32 2.8 USA Micron
James A. Jorasch [77] 773 309 40.0% 1994—2023 29 27 3.9 USA Walker Digital
Frederick A. Ware [78] 771 230 29.8% 1981—2025 43.6 18 2.8 USA Rambus
Bruce B. Doris [79] 767 435 56.7% 1995—2025 30.3 25 4.2 USA IBM
Jeyhan Karaoguz [80] 757 371 49.0% 1996—2020 23.8 32 4.6 USA Broadcom
Ali Khakifirooz [81] 757 413 54.6% 2011—2025 13.9 54 4.2 USA IBM
Shougo Sato [82] 757 290 38.3% 1992—2025 32.8 23 1.8 Japan Brother
Carleton Ellis [83] 753 NA NA 1902—1946 43.1 17 NA USA Ellis Foster Co
Jean-Philippe M. Vasseur [84] 748 605 80.9% 2006—2025 19.4 39 2.6 France Cisco Systems
Chung-Shi Liu [85] 741 393 53.0% 2000—2025 25.7 29 6.1 Taiwan TSMC
Toshiyasu Sugio [86] 739 271 36.7% 2009—2025 16 46 4.9 Japan Panasonic
John M. Santosuosso [87] 738 466 63.1% 2001—2022 20.7 36 3.9 USA IBM
Hideo Ando [88] 733 123 16.8% 1983—2020 36.7 20 3.1 Japan Toshiba
Jonghyun Park [89] 725 518 71.4% 2013—2025 12.7 57 3.8 USA LG
George Spector [90] 723 723 100% 1974—1998 24.6 29 2.1 USA George Spector
Lisa Seacat DeLuca [91] 720 524 72.8% 2009—2025 16.4 44 2.7 USA IBM
Austin L. Gurney [92] 718 182 25.3% 1999—2021 21.6 33 2.9 USA Genentech
Gregory J. Boss [93] 718 495 68.9% 2008—2025 17.6 41 4.2 USA IBM
Woosuk Ko [94] 706 303 42.9% 2015—2025 10.4 68 3.4 South Korea LG
Tetsujiro Kondo [95] 700 528 75.4% 1987—2021 34 21 3.8 Japan Sony
Elihu Thomson [96] 696 NA NA 1899—1935 35.9 19 NA USA GE
Xiaochuan Chen [97] 688 666 96.8% 2014—2025 11.2 61 7.0 China BOE
Hyoungsuk Jeon [98] 688 311 45.2% 2009—2025 15.8 44 USA Ofinno
Eric C. Leuthardt [99] 685 462 67.4% 2006—2025 18.8 36 9.1 USA Intellectual Ventures
Irwin Gerszberg [100] 682 312 45.7% 1994—2023 29.2 23 6.8 USA AT&T

This table is usually updated every Tuesday, and is current as of September 30, 2025.

The columns are defined as follows:

  • Inventor: The name of the inventor.
  • Pats: The number of utility patents that have been issued. Only utility patents (or the international equivalent) are listed, as a utility patent is a patent for an invention. Not all patents are for inventions. Other patent types include: design patents for the ornamental design of an object; plant patents for plant varieties; and reissue patents, where a correction is made to an already granted patent. This list does not include patent applications (patents pending) as there is no guarantee that a patent application actually describes a novel invention until the patent is granted.
  • Fams: The number of patent families, which in USPTO data includes an original or continuation-in-part patent by itself or with one or more continuation or divisional patents based on the original or continuation-in-part patent. This is different than global patent families that represent a patent filed in more than one jurisdiction. "NA" signifies the inventor was active prior to digital records.
  • Fam %: The percentage of original and continuation-in-part patents that are in the inventor's patent portfolio [Fams column divided by Pats column, rounded to first decimal as a percentage]. "NA" signifies the inventor was active prior to digital records.
  • Pat Yrs: The first and last year in which an inventor received a patent issuance.
  • Yrs: The number of years from first issuance to most recent issuance, rounded to first decimal based on dates.
  • Pats /Yr: The average number of patents received per year [Pats column divided by Yrs column, rounded].
  • Inv / Pat: The average number of inventors listed on the inventor's most recent 50 patents as of September 7, 2021 or on the date the inventor was added to the table if later. "NA" signifies the inventor was active prior to digital records.
  • Pat Residence: The country of inventor's residence listed in their most recent patent issuance.
  • Majority Assignment: The entity that has the most patents assigned from an inventor's portfolio. This is current and not original assignment. It is usually, but not always an indication of which company the inventor worked at for the majority of their patent activity.

Significance of inventions

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This table is a sortable list of the most prolific inventors as measured by utility patents granted. It does not include other types of invention, such as inventions that were never applied for nor granted, for which there is no known source. Nor does the table attempt to measure the significance of an inventor and their inventions. The significance of inventions is often not apparent until many decades after the invention has been made. For recent inventors, it is not yet possible to determine their place in history.

Various published lists

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Rankings of prolific inventors have been published at various times. However, until the patent records were digitized, these lists were very tedious to prepare, as many thousands of patent records had to be checked manually. Even after digitization, it is still not a simple process. While the USPTO keeps statistics for annual rankings of inventions assigned to companies, it no longer publishes rankings of individual inventors. The last such list was published by the USPTO in 1998.[Info 1] Also, patents predating 1976 have not yet been digitized in the USPTO records. This means that patents before 1976 will not be included in a USPTO search by inventor name, and the number of patents granted before 1976 must be added to current searches.

A more extensive list of prolific inventors with additional information and ability to filter on country, gender, time period, patent type, and Nobel laureate title can be found at idiyas.com/top/inventors. There are some discrepancies with this article due to different inventor queries that attempt to account for data issues such as typos and multiple inventors with the same name.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "USPTO publication: Prolific Inventors Receiving Utility Patents 1988–1997" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-05-02. Retrieved 2011-07-12.

References of Inventors' Patents

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  1. ^ Shunpei Yamazaki
  2. ^ Kia Silverbrook
  3. ^ Tao Luo
  4. ^ Kangguo Cheng
  5. ^ Junyi Li
  6. ^ Frederick E. Shelton IV
  7. ^ Peter Gaal
  8. ^ Wanshi Chen
  9. ^ Xiaoxia Zhang
  10. ^ Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  11. ^ Esmael H. Dinan
  12. ^ Roderick A. Hyde
  13. ^ Chen-Hua Yu
  14. ^ Hanbyul Seo
  15. ^ Jing Sun
  16. ^ Shan Liu
  17. ^ Jun Koyama
  18. ^ Sarbajit K. Rakshit
  19. ^ Gurtej Singh Sandhu
  20. ^ Yunjung Yi
  21. ^ Shou-Shan Fan
  22. ^ Paul Lapstun
  23. ^ Alexander Reznicek
  24. ^ Suckchel Yang
  25. ^ Clarence T. Tegreene
  26. ^ Satoshi Seo
  27. ^ Juan Montojo
  28. ^ Kijun Kim
  29. ^ Joonkui Ahn
  30. ^ Takahiro Nishi
  31. ^ Jason L. Harris
  32. ^ Ruilong Xie
  33. ^ Marta Karczewicz
  34. ^ Edward K. Y. Jung
  35. ^ Leonard Forbes
  36. ^ Tingfang Ji
  37. ^ Thomas Edison
  38. ^ Rick Allen Hamilton II
  39. ^ Seungmin Lee
  40. ^ Jason K. Resch
  41. ^ Yan Zhou
  42. ^ Donald E. Weder
  43. ^ Michael J. Sullivan
  44. ^ George Albert Lyon
  45. ^ Jordin T. Kare
  46. ^ Ahmadreza Rofougaran
  47. ^ Hao Xu
  48. ^ Jay S. Walker
  49. ^ John F. O'Connor
  50. ^ Hajime Kimura
  51. ^ William H. Eby
  52. ^ Melvin De Groote
  53. ^ David R. Hall
  54. ^ Nathan Myhrvold
  55. ^ Hongyuan Zhang
  56. ^ Kyungmin Park
  57. ^ Francis H. Richards
  58. ^ Mark Malamud
  59. ^ Justin T. Mason
  60. ^ Satoshi Nagata
  61. ^ Robert W. Lord
  62. ^ Chih-Chao Yang
  63. ^ Stuart C. Salter
  64. ^ Royce A. Levien
  65. ^ Hua Zhou
  66. ^ Lee D. Whetsel
  67. ^ Hsien-Wei Chen
  68. ^ Muriel Y. Ishikawa
  69. ^ Michael K. Gschwind
  70. ^ Clifford A. Pickover
  71. ^ Youngdae Lee
  72. ^ Devendra K. Sadana
  73. ^ SungDuck Chun
  74. ^ Xue Dong
  75. ^ Salman Akram
  76. ^ Warren M. Farnworth
  77. ^ James A. Jorasch
  78. ^ Frederick A. Ware
  79. ^ Bruce B. Doris
  80. ^ Jeyhan Karaoguz
  81. ^ Ali Khakifirooz
  82. ^ Shougo Sato
  83. ^ Carleton Ellis
  84. ^ Jean-Philippe M. Vasseur
  85. ^ Chung-Shi Liu
  86. ^ Toshiyasu Sugio
  87. ^ John M. Santosuosso
  88. ^ Hideo Ando
  89. ^ Jonghyun Park
  90. ^ George Spector
  91. ^ Lisa Seacat DeLuca
  92. ^ Austin L. Gurney
  93. ^ Gregory J. Boss
  94. ^ Woosuk Ko
  95. ^ Tetsujiro Kondo
  96. ^ Elihu Thomson
  97. ^ Xiaochuan Chen
  98. ^ Hyoungsuk Jeon
  99. ^ Eric C. Leuthardt
  100. ^ Irwin Gerszberg