IBM is the patent leader in the US and worldwide.

In 2009, IBM registered nearly 5,000 patents in the United States. This is more than any other company in the world. This marks the seventeenth consecutive year that IBM has topped the list of the most innovative companies.

Compared to 2008, the number of patents registered by the company this year increased by 17%. Samsung Electronics took second place on the list of the most technologically active companies, registering 3,600 patents this year. Microsoft Corporation came in third (2,900 patents). Canon and Panasonic took fourth and fifth place.

In 2009, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued 167,000 patents, a 6.1% increase over 2008. A record number of patents—more than 173,000—was issued in 2006. Another interesting figure is that for the second year in a row, foreign companies have received more patents in the United States than American ones. And the top ten most patent-active countries are 60% foreign companies.