MODULE 1 · LESSON 3 / 4

Global patent data sources and their limits

7 min read · Patent Fundamentals

The patent data ecosystem

Not all patent data is created equal. The source you use directly impacts the quality of your analysis — and the Intelligence Grade™ that Stratensight calculates.

Understanding the strengths and limitations of each source is essential for interpreting any patent intelligence output correctly.

SOURCES — BY PRIORITY ORDER

1Derwent InnovationTier 1 ProGrade 80-95% HIGH

2PatSnapTier 1 ProGrade 80-95% HIGH

3Questel OrbitTier 1 ProGrade 80-90% HIGH

4PatentSightTier 1 ProGrade 80-90% HIGH

5EspacenetTier 2 Semi-proGrade 65-80%

6Google PatentsTier 2 Semi-proGrade 65-80%

Open sources vs premium sources

Open sources (EPO Open Patent Services, Google Patents Public Data) provide solid directional signals at no cost. Premium sources (Derwent Innovation, PatSnap, Questel) offer deeper coverage and higher-quality metadata.

OPEN SOURCES

›Free access to EP/US/PCT filings
›Good for directional signals
›Limited domestic CN/IN/TR coverage
›EPO cap: 2,000 patents per query
›Intelligence Grade™: typically MED

PREMIUM SOURCES

›Full global coverage including domestic filings
›Normalized assignee names
›Extended metadata (citations, legal status)
›No query caps
›Intelligence Grade™: typically HIGH

Geographic coverage reality

Not all countries are equally covered by patent databases. Understanding these gaps is critical for interpreting any analysis accurately.

ComprehensiveEP, US, PCT (WO)

Full coverage — most reliable data for international analysis

International filings onlyCN, JP, KR

International filings captured via PCT/EP routes. Domestic-only filings may be missing from open sources.

LimitedIN, TR, BR

Only international filings visible. Domestic patent activity largely uncovered by open sources.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

&check;Derwent Innovation is the #1 recommended source (Tier 1 Pro, Intelligence Grade™ HIGH).
&check;Open sources provide directional signals; premium sources enable strategic decisions.
&check;Geographic coverage varies: EP/US/PCT = comprehensive, CN/JP/KR = international only, IN/TR/BR = limited.

QUIZ DE VALIDATION

1. Which patent data source is ranked as the #1 priority by Stratensight?

2. What is the main limitation of open patent data sources like EPO Open Patent Services?

3. An Intelligence Grade™ of 85 means the signal is:

4. When should you switch from open-source Explorer analysis to a premium data upload?

5. What determines the Intelligence Grade™ of an analysis?

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