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]	6432	2843	44.2%	1972—2024	52.6	122	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]	3544	2976	84.0%	2006—2024	18.5	192	5.6	USA	Qualcomm
Kangguo Cheng	[4]	2757	1515	55.0%	2004—2024	20	138	3.9	USA	IBM
Frederick E. Shelton IV	[5]	2426	1139	46.9%	2005—2024	19.4	125	4.5	USA	Ethicon
Junyi Li	[6]	2274	1927	84.7%	2002—2024	22	103	5.2	USA	Qualcomm
Peter Gaal	[7]	2225	1711	76.9%	2002—2024	22.2	100	5.9	USA	Qualcomm
Wanshi Chen	[8]	2079	1607	77.3%	2009—2024	15.5	134	5.7	USA	Qualcomm
Lowell L. Wood, Jr.	[9]	1996	1325	66.4%	1971—2024	52.5	38	8.8	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Roderick A. Hyde	[10]	1891	1252	66.2%	2001—2023	22.4	84	8.7	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Chen-Hua Yu	[11]	1762	946	53.7%	1996—2024	28.4	62	4.9	Taiwan	TSMC
Xiaoxia Zhang	[12]	1697	1466	86.4%	2009—2024	15.8	107	5.5	USA	Qualcomm
Hanbyul Seo	[13]	1675	1233	73.6%	2012—2024	12.5	134	3.8	South Korea	LG
Esmael H. Dinan	[14]	1619	680	42.0%	2006—2024	18.4	88	3.6	USA	Ofinno
Jun Koyama	[15]	1493	618	41.4%	1991—2022	30.8	48	3.1	Japan	Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
Gurtej Singh Sandhu	[16]	1427	584	40.9%	1991—2024	32.5	44	2.5	USA	Micron
Jing Sun	[17]	1421	1201	84.5%	2012—2024	11.9	119	5.9	USA	Qualcomm
Sarbajit K. Rakshit	[18]	1327	1108	83.5%	2013—2024	11.8	112	3.4	India	IBM
Shou-Shan Fan	[19]	1307	1093	83.6%	2006—2024	18.5	71	4.2	China	Hon Hai
Paul Lapstun	[20]	1305	246	18.9%	2000—2022	21.4	61	2.5	Australia	Silverbrook Research
Alexander Reznicek	[21]	1249	747	59.8%	2006—2024	18.6	67	3.9	USA	IBM
Clarence T. Tegreene	[22]	1248	903	72.4%	2000—2024	23.5	53	10.1	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Shan Liu	[23]	1228	811	66.0%	2013—2024	11.2	110	3.4	USA	Tencent
Satoshi Seo	[24]	1191	564	47.4%	2002—2024	21.9	54	4.1	Japan	Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
Suckchel Yang	[25]	1184	763	64.4%	2013—2024	11.4	104	4.7	South Korea	LG
Kijun Kim	[26]	1149	798	69.5%	2013—2024	10.8	106	4.6	South Korea	LG
Joonkui Ahn	[27]	1122	728	64.9%	2013—2024	11.3	99	4.7	South Korea	LG
Edward K. Y. Jung	[28]	1111	794	71.5%	1996—2022	26.1	43	8.0	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Leonard Forbes	[29]	1109	411	37.1%	1975—2019	43.3	26	2.6	USA	Micron
Juan Montojo	[30]	1108	906	81.8%	2004—2024	20.7	54	6.9	USA	Qualcomm
Thomas Edison	[31]	1084	NA	NA	1869—1933	63.9	17	1.0	USA	Thomas Edison
Marta Karczewicz	[32]	1067	879	82.4%	2000—2024	23.9	45	4.0	USA	Qualcomm
Rick Allen Hamilton II	[33]	1062	714	67.2%	1999—2024	25	42	4.2	USA	IBM
Jason L. Harris	[34]	1053	616	58.5%	2011—2024	13.8	76	6.0	USA	Ethicon
Ruilong Xie	[35]	1035	773	74.7%	2013—2024	11.8	88	4.2	USA	IBM
Takahiro Nishi	[36]	1022	363	35.5%	2001—2024	23.2	44	6.3	Japan	Panasonic
Jason K. Resch	[37]	1013	507	50.0%	2009—2024	15.2	67	4.2	USA	IBM
Tingfang Ji	[38]	1011	750	74.2%	2006—2024	18.3	55	6.9	USA	Qualcomm
Donald E. Weder	[39]	1000	395	39.5%	1978—2015	37.1	27	1.1	USA	Weder Family Trust
Michael J. Sullivan	[40]	994	534	53.7%	1989—2024	34.5	29	3.8	USA	Acushnet Holdings
George Albert Lyon	[41]	993	NA	NA	1901—1965	64.5	15	1.0	Canada	Lyon George Albert
Jordin T. Kare	[42]	989	640	64.7%	1992—2023	30.5	32	9.1	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Yunjung Yi	[43]	985	695	70.6%	2015—2024	8.9	111	3.3	South Korea	LG
Jay S. Walker	[44]	979	422	43.1%	1998—2024	26.3	37	5.2	USA	Walker Digital
Ahmadreza Rofougaran	[45]	959	466	48.6%	2002—2024	22.4	43	6.4	USA	Broadcom
Seungmin Lee	[46]	956	705	73.7%	2014—2024	10.1	95	3.5	South Korea	LG
John F. O'Connor	[47]	949	NA	NA	1901—1935	33.9	28	NA	USA	William H. Miner
Melvin De Groote	[48]	925	NA	NA	1924—1966	41.8	22	NA	USA	Petrolite
David R. Hall	[49]	917	759	82.8%	1985—2024	39.4	23	3.8	USA	Hall Labs
Hao Xu	[50]	914	654	71.6%	2005—2024	19.6	47	4.7	China	Qualcomm
Nathan Myhrvold	[51]	905	613	67.7%	1994—2024	29.7	30	11.1	USA	Intellectual Ventures
William H. Eby	[52]	899	895	99.6%	1994—2024	30.2	30	1.2	USA	Monsanto
Francis H. Richards	[53]	894	NA	NA	1899—1930	30.8	29	NA	USA	Francis H. Richards
Hajime Kimura	[54]	890	280	31.5%	2002—2024	21.9	41	2.6	Japan	Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
Mark Malamud	[55]	886	690	77.9%	1997—2022	25.1	35	7.5	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Hongyuan Zhang	[56]	871	476	54.6%	2009—2024	15.5	56	3.9	USA	Marvell
Robert W. Lord	[57]	867	682	78.7%	2003—2024	20.4	42	7.6	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Royce A. Levien	[58]	855	666	77.9%	1997—2020	23.5	36	6.8	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Chih-Chao Yang	[59]	840	524	62.4%	2003—2024	20.9	40	3.4	USA	IBM
Muriel Y. Ishikawa	[60]	839	560	66.7%	2002—2023	21.2	40	11.1	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Michael K. Gschwind	[61]	836	442	52.9%	2001—2021	20.6	41	2.6	USA	IBM
Lee D. Whetsel	[62]	836	129	15.4%	1991—2017	26.4	32	1.1	USA	Texas Instruments
Clifford A. Pickover	[63]	835	548	65.6%	1992—2024	32.2	26	3.9	USA	IBM
Devendra K. Sadana	[64]	814	459	56.4%	1983—2024	41.8	19	4.3	USA	IBM
Yan Zhou	[65]	803	716	89.2%	2012—2024	12.2	66	4.4	USA	Qualcomm
Stuart C. Salter	[66]	798	750	94.0%	2009—2024	14.9	54	4.8	USA	Ford
Youngdae Lee	[67]	796	627	78.8%	2014—2024	10.6	75	3.1	South Korea	LG
SungDuck Chun	[68]	794	485	61.1%	2007—2024	16.8	47	3.8	South Korea	LG
Salman Akram	[69]	784	291	37.1%	1995—2024	29.4	27	2.9	USA	Micron
Hsien-Wei Chen	[70]	780	381	48.8%	2005—2024	19.7	40	3.5	Taiwan	TSMC
Warren M. Farnworth	[71]	774	289	37.3%	1990—2020	24.4	32	2.8	USA	Micron
Justin T. Mason	[72]	773	769	99.5%	2008—2024	16	48	1.0	USA	MS Technologies
James A. Jorasch	[73]	771	310	40.2%	1994—2023	29	27	3.9	USA	Walker Digital
Satoshi Nagata	[74]	764	727	95.2%	2011—2024	13.1	58	4.0	Japan	NTT
Bruce B. Doris	[75]	763	433	56.7%	1995—2023	28.6	27	4.2	USA	IBM
Jeyhan Karaoguz	[76]	757	371	49.0%	1996—2020	23.8	32	4.6	USA	Broadcom
Kyungmin Park	[77]	754	389	51.6%	2014—2024	10.5	72	5.2	USA	Ofinno
Carleton Ellis	[78]	753	NA	NA	1902—1946	43.1	17	NA	USA	Ellis Foster Co
Ali Khakifirooz	[79]	751	407	54.2%	2011—2024	12.9	58	4.2	USA	IBM
Xue Dong	[80]	751	731	97.3%	2010—2024	13.9	54	7.4	China	BOE
John M. Santosuosso	[81]	738	466	63.1%	2001—2022	20.7	36	3.9	USA	IBM
Hideo Ando	[82]	733	123	16.8%	1983—2020	36.7	20	3.1	Japan	Toshiba
Frederick A. Ware	[83]	731	229	31.3%	1981—2024	42.9	17	2.8	USA	Rambus
Shougo Sato	[84]	730	285	39.0%	1992—2024	32.1	23	1.8	Japan	Brother
Jean-Philippe M. Vasseur	[85]	726	590	81.3%	2006—2024	18.5	39	2.6	France	Cisco Systems
George Spector	[86]	723	723	100%	1974—1998	24.6	29	2.1	USA	George Spector
Austin L. Gurney	[87]	718	182	25.3%	1999—2021	21.6	33	2.9	USA	Genentech
Lisa Seacat DeLuca	[88]	712	516	72.5%	2009—2024	15.7	45	2.7	USA	IBM
Gregory J. Boss	[89]	710	487	68.6%	2008—2024	16.6	43	4.2	USA	IBM
Chung-Shi Liu	[90]	701	378	53.9%	2000—2024	24.7	28	6.1	Taiwan	TSMC
Tetsujiro Kondo	[91]	700	528	75.4%	1987—2021	34	21	3.8	Japan	Sony
Elihu Thomson	[92]	696	NA	NA	1899—1935	35.9	19	NA	USA	GE
Irwin Gerszberg	[93]	682	312	45.7%	1994—2023	29.2	23	6.8	USA	AT&T
Hua Zhou	[94]	681	389	57.1%	2012—2024	12.7	54	5.5	USA	Ofinno
Eric C. Leuthardt	[95]	680	459	67.5%	2006—2024	17.8	38	9.1	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Woosuk Ko	[96]	670	269	40.1%	2015—2024	9.5	71	3.4	South Korea	LG
Xiaochuan Chen	[97]	661	643	97.3%	2014—2024	10.3	64	7.0	China	BOE
Aleksandar Damnjanovic	[98]	658	483	73.4%	2003—2024	21.2	31	4.4	USA	Qualcomm
Paul S. Henry	[99]	657	301	45.8%	1978—2023	44.9	15	6.3	USA	AT&T
Toshiyasu Sugio	[100]	657	240	36.5%	2009—2024	15.1	44	4.9	Japan	Panasonic

This table is usually updated every Tuesday, and is current as of November 19, 2024^[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