List of prolific inventors

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.

Inventor		Pats	Fams	Fam %	Pat Yrs	Yrs	Pat /Yr	Inv /Pat	Pat Residence	Majority Assignment
Shunpei Yamazaki	[1]	6680	2942	44.0%	1972—2026	54	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]	4518	3775	83.6%	2006—2026	19.8	228	5.6	USA	Qualcomm
Kangguo Cheng	[4]	2854	1587	55.6%	2004—2026	21.4	133	3.9	USA	IBM
Junyi Li	[5]	2766	2339	84.6%	2002—2026	23.4	118	5.2	USA	Qualcomm
Frederick E. Shelton IV	[6]	2709	1238	45.7%	2005—2026	20.7	131	4.5	USA	Ethicon
Peter Gaal	[7]	2595	2002	77.1%	2002—2026	23.6	110	5.9	USA	Qualcomm
Wanshi Chen	[8]	2384	1831	76.8%	2009—2026	16.9	141	5.7	USA	Qualcomm
Xiaoxia Zhang	[9]	2232	1897	85.0%	2009—2026	17.2	130	5.5	USA	Qualcomm
Esmael H. Dinan	[10]	2031	839	41.3%	2006—2026	19.8	103	3.6	USA	Ofinno
Lowell L. Wood, Jr.	[11]	2001	1328	66.4%	1971—2026	54.3	37	8.8	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Chen-Hua Yu	[12]	1932	1002	51.9%	1996—2026	29.8	65	4.9	Taiwan	TSMC
Roderick A. Hyde	[13]	1892	1252	66.2%	2001—2023	22.4	84	8.7	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Jing Sun	[14]	1851	1553	83.9%	2012—2026	13.3	139	5.9	USA	Qualcomm
Hanbyul Seo	[15]	1812	1353	74.7%	2012—2026	13.9	130	3.8	South Korea	LG
Shan Liu	[16]	1698	1090	64.2%	2013—2026	12.5	136	3.4	USA	Tencent
Sarbajit K. Rakshit	[17]	1556	1329	85.4%	2013—2026	13.2	118	3.4	India	IBM
Jun Koyama	[18]	1513	618	40.8%	1991—2022	30.8	49	3.1	Japan	Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
Gurtej Singh Sandhu	[19]	1434	584	40.7%	1991—2024	32.5	44	2.5	USA	Micron
Yunjung Yi	[20]	1427	962	67.4%	2011—2026	15.2	94	3.3	USA	LG
Shou-Shan Fan	[21]	1317	1102	83.7%	2006—2026	19.9	66	4.2	China	Hon Hai
Paul Lapstun	[22]	1306	247	18.9%	2000—2026	25.2	52	2.5	Australia	Silverbrook Research
Alexander Reznicek	[23]	1302	795	61.1%	2006—2026	19.9	65	3.9	USA	IBM
Suckchel Yang	[24]	1297	845	65.2%	2013—2026	12.7	102	4.7	South Korea	LG
Satoshi Seo	[25]	1273	602	47.3%	2002—2026	23.3	55	4.1	Japan	Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
Juan Montojo	[26]	1273	1035	81.3%	2004—2026	22.1	58	6.9	USA	Qualcomm
Ruilong Xie	[27]	1260	987	78.3%	2013—2026	13.2	95	4.2	USA	IBM
Clarence T. Tegreene	[28]	1252	904	72.2%	2000—2025	24.8	50	10.1	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Takahiro Nishi	[29]	1213	401	33.1%	2001—2026	24.6	49	6.3	Japan	Panasonic
Jason L. Harris	[30]	1202	667	55.5%	2011—2026	15.2	79	6.0	USA	Ethicon
Kijun Kim	[31]	1184	823	69.5%	2013—2026	12.2	97	4.6	South Korea	LG
Joonkui Ahn	[32]	1179	766	65.0%	2013—2026	12.7	93	4.7	South Korea	LG
Marta Karczewicz	[33]	1173	966	82.4%	2000—2026	25.2	47	4.0	USA	Qualcomm
Yan Zhou	[34]	1162	1025	88.2%	2012—2026	13.6	85	4.4	USA	Qualcomm
Tingfang Ji	[35]	1122	830	74.0%	2006—2026	19.6	57	6.9	USA	Qualcomm
Edward K. Y. Jung	[36]	1111	794	71.5%	1996—2022	26.1	43	8.0	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Leonard Forbes	[37]	1109	411	37.1%	1975—2019	43.3	26	2.6	USA	Micron
Seungmin Lee	[38]	1099	830	75.5%	2014—2026	11.4	96	3.5	South Korea	LG
Thomas Edison	[39]	1084	NA	NA	1869—1933	63.9	17	1.0	USA	Thomas Edison
Jason K. Resch	[40]	1066	514	48.2%	2009—2026	16.6	64	4.2	USA	IBM
Rick Allen Hamilton II	[41]	1064	715	67.2%	1999—2025	26.5	40	4.2	USA	IBM
Hao Xu	[42]	1063	789	74.2%	2005—2026	20.9	51	4.7	China	Qualcomm
Ahmadreza Rofougaran	[43]	1005	484	48.2%	2002—2026	23.7	42	6.4	USA	Broadcom
Justin T. Mason	[44]	1001	997	99.6%	2008—2026	17.4	58	1.0	USA	MS Technologies
Donald E. Weder	[45]	1000	395	39.5%	1978—2015	37.1	27	1.1	USA	Weder Family Trust
Michael J. Sullivan	[46]	997	534	53.6%	1989—2024	34.5	29	3.8	USA	Acushnet Holdings
George Albert Lyon	[47]	993	NA	NA	1901—1965	64.5	15	1.0	Canada	Lyon George Albert
Jordin T. Kare	[48]	993	640	64.5%	1992—2023	30.5	33	9.1	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Jay S. Walker	[49]	980	422	43.1%	1998—2024	26.3	37	5.2	USA	Walker Digital
Satoshi Nagata	[50]	958	921	96.1%	2011—2026	14.5	66	4.0	Japan	NTT
Hajime Kimura	[51]	950	303	31.9%	2002—2026	23.2	41	2.6	Japan	Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
Kyungmin Park	[52]	950	447	47.1%	2014—2026	11.9	80	5.2	USA	Ofinno
John F. O'Connor	[53]	949	NA	NA	1901—1935	33.9	28	NA	USA	William H. Miner
William H. Eby	[54]	937	933	99.6%	1994—2026	31.9	29	1.2	USA	Monsanto
David R. Hall	[55]	927	766	82.6%	1985—2026	40.7	23	3.8	USA	Hall Labs
Melvin De Groote	[56]	925	NA	NA	1924—1966	41.8	22	NA	USA	Petrolite
Hua Zhou	[57]	915	476	52.0%	2012—2026	14.1	65	5.5	USA	Ofinno
Hongyuan Zhang	[58]	914	495	54.2%	2009—2026	16.9	54	3.9	USA	Marvell
Nathan Myhrvold	[59]	909	614	67.5%	1994—2025	31	29	11.1	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Francis H. Richards	[60]	894	NA	NA	1899—1930	30.8	29	NA	USA	Francis H. Richards
Stuart C. Salter	[61]	892	838	93.9%	2009—2026	16.2	55	4.8	USA	Ford
Chih-Chao Yang	[62]	891	573	64.3%	2003—2026	22.3	40	3.4	USA	IBM
Mark Malamud	[63]	886	690	77.9%	1997—2022	25.1	35	7.5	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Robert W. Lord	[64]	870	683	78.5%	2003—2025	21.6	40	7.6	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Hsien-Wei Chen	[65]	864	397	45.9%	2005—2026	20.9	41	3.5	Taiwan	TSMC
Royce A. Levien	[66]	855	666	77.9%	1997—2020	23.4	37	6.8	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Lee D. Whetsel	[67]	851	128	15.0%	1991—2017	26.4	32	1.1	USA	Texas Instruments
Youngdae Lee	[68]	851	673	79.1%	2014—2026	12	71	3.1	South Korea	LG
Muriel Y. Ishikawa	[69]	840	560	66.7%	2002—2023	21.2	40	11.1	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Michael K. Gschwind	[70]	836	442	52.9%	2001—2021	20.6	41	2.6	USA	IBM
Clifford A. Pickover	[71]	836	548	65.6%	1992—2024	32.2	26	3.9	USA	IBM
SungDuck Chun	[72]	834	520	62.4%	2007—2026	18.3	46	3.8	South Korea	LG
Devendra K. Sadana	[73]	828	470	56.8%	1983—2025	42.6	19	4.3	USA	IBM
Xue Dong	[74]	807	780	96.7%	2010—2026	15.2	53	7.4	China	BOE
Salman A. Akram	[75]	789	294	37.3%	1995—2026	30.7	26	2.9	USA	Micron
Frederick A. Ware	[76]	785	232	29.6%	1981—2025	43.9	18	2.8	USA	Rambus
Warren M. Farnworth	[77]	774	289	37.3%	1990—2014	24.4	32	2.8	USA	Micron
James A. Jorasch	[78]	774	309	39.9%	1994—2023	29	27	3.9	USA	Walker Digital
Jean-Philippe M. Vasseur	[79]	768	625	81.4%	2006—2026	19.9	39	2.6	France	Cisco Systems
Bruce B. Doris	[80]	767	435	56.7%	1995—2025	30.3	25	4.2	USA	IBM
Toshiyasu Sugio	[81]	767	284	37.0%	2009—2026	16.5	46	4.9	Japan	Panasonic
Shougo Sato	[82]	765	292	38.2%	1992—2025	33	23	1.8	Japan	Brother
Ali Khakifirooz	[83]	759	415	54.7%	2011—2026	14.4	53	4.2	USA	IBM
Jeyhan Karaoguz	[84]	757	371	49.0%	1996—2020	23.8	32	4.6	USA	Broadcom
Carleton Ellis	[85]	753	NA	NA	1902—1946	43.1	17	NA	USA	Ellis Foster Co
Chung-Shi Liu	[86]	751	396	52.7%	2000—2026	26.2	29	6.1	Taiwan	TSMC
Hyoungsuk Jeon	[87]	749	354	47.3%	2009—2026	16.3	46	5.6	USA	Ofinno
Jonghyun Park	[88]	742	529	71.3%	2013—2026	13.1	57	3.8	USA	LG
John M. Santosuosso	[89]	738	466	63.1%	2001—2022	20.7	36	3.9	USA	IBM
Hideo Ando	[90]	733	123	16.8%	1983—2020	36.7	20	3.1	Japan	Toshiba
Lisa Seacat DeLuca	[91]	725	529	73.0%	2009—2026	17.1	42	2.7	USA	IBM
George Spector	[92]	723	723	100%	1974—1998	24.6	29	2.1	USA	George Spector
Gregory J. Boss	[93]	720	496	68.9%	2008—2026	17.9	40	4.2	USA	IBM
Woosuk Ko	[94]	720	317	44.0%	2015—2026	10.9	66	3.4	South Korea	LG
Austin L. Gurney	[95]	718	182	25.3%	1999—2021	21.6	33	2.9	USA	Genentech
Xiaochuan Chen	[96]	707	684	96.7%	2014—2026	11.6	61	7.0	China	BOE
Tetsujiro Kondo	[97]	700	528	75.4%	1987—2021	34	21	3.8	Japan	Sony
Aleksandar Damnjanovic	[98]	699	512	73.2%	2003—2026	22.6	31	4.4	USA	Qualcomm
Moon-il Lee	[99]	698	380	54.4%	2010—2026	15.3	46	5.3	USA	LG
Elihu Thomson	[100]	696	NA	NA	1899—1935	35.9	19	NA	USA	GE
Eric C. Leuthardt	[101]	695	468	67.3%	2006—2026	19.4	36	9.1	USA	Intellectual Ventures

This table is usually updated every Tuesday, and is current as of March 31, 2026^[update].

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^[update] 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.

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.

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.

• Timeline of historic inventions
• List of inventors

Template:Inventions

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