United States patent and trademark applications, grants, and filings in 2024 increased notably, underscoring the recognition of the strategic importance of patents and trademarks by businesses and individuals looking to safeguard their inventions and identities. This upward trend highlights the vital role that patents and trademarks play as assets and in fostering technological advancement and maintaining competitive advantage.
Patents
The first United States patent was granted in 1790 for a process of making potash (an ingredient of fertilizer). Since then, the issuance of patents has grown exponentially, with more than 12 million patents granted in the United States. The milestone of 12 million number was reached in June 2024 with the grant of a patent for an innovative chemical reagent used in DNA sequencing.
In fiscal year 2024 (December 1, 2023 – November 30, 2024), the USPTO granted 365,614 patents, including 321,020 utility (inventions), 43,383 design, and 755 plant patents and reissued 456 patents in fiscal year 2024, an increase of 5.6 percent from the total number of patents granted in 2023.
U.S. resident inventors received 158,773 patents. California resident inventors continued to lead the way receiving the highest share (29.3 percent, 46,454 patents) of these patents, followed by inventors from Texas (7.3 percent, 11,552 patents), Massachusetts (4.8 percent, 7.976 patents), New York (4.8 percent, 7,605 patents), and Washington state (4.1 percent, 6,560 patents).
A notable portion of patents issued went to residents of foreign countries. Patents issued to residents of foreign countries amounted to 184,553. Japanese residents received the highest number (40,055), followed by China (33,524), South Korea (23,148), Taiwan (12,063) and Canada (7,069). International interest underscores the global importance of U.S. patents in protecting and promoting cutting-edge inventions.
Despite the high volume of patents granted, a considerable number of applications remain pending, further highlighting ongoing demand for patent protection.
New patent filings amounted to 663,591 new patent applications in 2024. This represents a 1.5 percent increase over fiscal year 2023.
The number of pending patent applications in fiscal year 2024 totaled 1,317,444, including 114,389 design patent applications and 1,203,055 utility, plant and reissue applications.
Processing times for patent applications remained steady, with applicants facing moderate waiting periods before receiving initial reviews and final decisions.
The average first action pendency of new patent applications was 20.3 months and total pendency was 26.1 months.
The top 10 organizations receiving U.S. patents in 2024 are shown in the following table.
TOP 10 U.S. PATENT RECIPIENTS FOR 2024
| Rank | 2024 Patents | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9304 | SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. |
| 2 | 5156 | LG CORPORATION |
| 3 | 4010 | TSMC |
| 4 | 3489 | QUALCOMM |
| 5 | 3285 | HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD. |
| 6 | 3155 | APPLE INC. |
| 7 | 2774 | IBM |
| 8 | 2698 | ALPHABET INC. |
| 9 | 2654 | CANON K.K. |
| 10 | 2428 | TOYOTA JIDOSHA K.K. |
Trademarks
In 2024, the number of trademark registrations and applications also increased.
The USPTO registered 338,854 trademarks in 2024, up from 316,322 in 2023.
New filings of trademark applications in fiscal year 2024 amounted to 767,138, an increase of 4.1 percent from 2023.
Due to the influx of filings, a significant number of trademark applications remain pending with applicants experiencing moderate waiting periods before receiving their first office actions and final decisions.
The average first action pendency for trademark applications was 7.5 months and the total pendency was 14.4 months.
A substantial number of trademark owners renewed their registrations, underscoring the long-term value placed on brand identity. In total, 114,992 trademark registrations were renewed in fiscal year 2024.
Appeals to the USPTO’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (ATTAB) declined slightly, suggesting fewer contested rejections. There were 3,491 appeals filed with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board in 2024, a decrease of 4.5% from 2023.
However, both oppositions and petitions for cancellation increased respectively to 6,651 (+4.1%) and 2,475 (4.1%) from fiscal year 2023.
Overall, 2024 was marked by continued growth, interest and recognition of the value of patents and brand protection provided by trademark registrations.