The UK IPO's patent data mining reports

The UK IPO has recently launched a new page called Patent Informatics: using patent data to mine, reveal, and inform, for government and for industry.

At present there are eight reports available to read, on subjects such as recycling; energy from waste; regenerative medicine; graphene; and nanotechnology.

There is also a report on patent thickets, when numerous patents are found in a fast growing technical area impeding attempts to launch products. It includes initial attempts at automated detection of such thickets. The term thickets was used in the recent Hargreaves Review.

The reports look useful for anyone wanting to analyse patterns in technology in these areas.