Patent information as a tool of trend analysis and forecasting

Abstract

Patent information and patent statistical analysis has recently been used often for surveying present technological status and for forecasting future trends. Numerous patent offices and economy research institutes worldwide offer various services in this fieid. The patent information processing methods and products of the National Office of Inventions of the Soviet NPO-POISK, of the American Battelle and of the West German Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung are described.