List of prolific inventors

Inventor		Pats	Fams	Fam %	Pat Yrs	Yrs	Pat /Yr	Inv /Pat	Pat Residence	Majority Assignment
Shunpei Yamazaki	[1]	6119	2765	45.2%	1972—2023	51.1	120	3.6	Japan	Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
Kia Silverbrook	[2]	4747	1311	27.6%	1994—2014	20	237	1.6	Australia	Silverbrook Research
Kangguo Cheng	[3]	2656	1447	54.5%	2004—2023	18.5	144	3.9	USA	IBM
Tao Luo	[4]	2085	1709	82.0%	2006—2023	17	123	5.6	USA	Qualcomm
Lowell L. Wood, Jr.	[5]	1987	1321	66.5%	1971—2023	51.5	39	8.8	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Frederick E. Shelton IV	[6]	1925	944	49.0%	2005—2023	17.9	108	4.5	USA	Ethicon
Roderick A. Hyde	[7]	1885	1250	66.3%	2001—2023	22	86	8.7	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Peter Gaal	[8]	1662	1267	76.2%	2002—2023	20.7	80	5.9	USA	Qualcomm
Wanshi Chen	[9]	1630	1278	78.4%	2009—2023	14	116	5.7	USA	Qualcomm
Chen-Hua Yu	[10]	1529	884	57.8%	1996—2023	26.9	57	4.9	Taiwan	TSMC
Junyi Li	[11]	1504	1254	83.4%	2002—2023	20.5	73	5.2	USA	Qualcomm
Jun Koyama	[12]	1462	618	42.3%	1991—2023	31.8	46	3.1	Japan	Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
Hanbyul Seo	[13]	1455	1095	75.3%	2012—2023	11	132	3.8	South Korea	LG
Gurtej Singh Sandhu	[14]	1409	582	41.3%	1991—2023	31.8	44	2.5	USA	Micron
Paul Lapstun	[15]	1302	246	18.9%	2000—2022	21.4	61	2.5	Australia	Silverbrook Research
Shou-Shan Fan	[16]	1281	1071	83.6%	2006—2023	17	75	4.2	China	Hon Hai
Clarence T. Tegreene	[17]	1242	902	72.6%	2000—2023	22.5	55	10.1	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Alexander Reznicek	[18]	1184	703	59.4%	2006—2023	17	70	3.9	USA	IBM
Leonard Forbes	[19]	1109	411	37.1%	1975—2019	43.3	26	2.6	USA	Micron
Edward K. Y. Jung	[20]	1108	795	71.8%	1996—2023	27	41	8.0	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Esmael H. Dinan	[21]	1096	524	47.8%	2006—2023	16.9	65	3.6	USA	Ofinno
Satoshi Seo	[22]	1089	522	47.9%	2002—2023	20.4	53	4.1	Japan	Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
Thomas Edison	[23]	1084	NA	NA	1869—1933	63.9	17	1.0	USA	Thomas Edison
Rick Allen Hamilton II	[24]	1056	711	67.3%	1999—2023	23.9	44	4.2	USA	IBM
Kijun Kim	[25]	1056	761	72.1%	2013—2023	9.4	112	4.6	South Korea	LG
Sarbajit K. Rakshit	[26]	1050	841	80.1%	2013—2023	10.3	102	3.4	India	IBM
Donald E. Weder	[27]	1000	395	39.5%	1978—2015	37.1	27	1.1	USA	Weder Family Trust
George Albert Lyon	[28]	993	NA	NA	1901—1965	64.5	15	1.0	Canada	Lyon George Albert
Joonkui Ahn	[29]	989	657	66.4%	2013—2023	9.8	101	4.7	South Korea	LG
Xiaoxia Zhang	[30]	988	874	88.5%	2009—2023	14.3	69	5.5	USA	Qualcomm
Jordin T. Kare	[31]	985	640	65.0%	1992—2023	30.5	32	9.1	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Michael J. Sullivan	[32]	983	530	53.9%	1989—2023	33.6	29	3.8	USA	Acushnet Holdings
Jay S. Walker	[33]	976	420	43.0%	1998—2023	24.9	39	5.2	USA	Walker Digital
John F. O'Connor	[34]	949	NA	NA	1901—1935	33.9	28	NA	USA	William H. Miner
Suckchel Yang	[35]	949	619	65.2%	2013—2023	9.8	97	4.7	South Korea	LG
Jason K. Resch	[36]	944	485	51.4%	2009—2023	13.7	69	4.2	USA	IBM
Marta Karczewicz	[37]	940	783	83.3%	2000—2023	22.4	42	4.0	USA	Qualcomm
Melvin De Groote	[38]	925	NA	NA	1924—1966	41.8	22	NA	USA	Petrolite
Ahmadreza Rofougaran	[39]	916	452	49.3%	2002—2023	20.7	44	6.4	USA	Broadcom
Yunjung Yi	[40]	913	670	73.4%	2015—2023	7.5	122	3.3	South Korea	LG
Ruilong Xie	[41]	910	678	74.5%	2013—2023	10.3	88	4.2	USA	IBM
Nathan Myhrvold	[42]	901	611	67.8%	1994—2023	28.6	32	11.1	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Francis H. Richards	[43]	894	NA	NA	1899—1930	30.8	29	NA	USA	Francis H. Richards
Mark Malamud	[44]	885	690	78.0%	1997—2023	25.9	34	7.5	USA	Intellectual Ventures
William H. Eby	[45]	883	879	99.5%	1994—2023	29	30	1.2	USA	Monsanto
David R. Hall	[46]	871	722	82.9%	1985—2023	37.8	23	3.8	USA	Hall Labs
Robert W. Lord	[47]	864	681	78.8%	2003—2023	19.3	45	7.6	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Royce A. Levien	[48]	854	666	78.0%	1997—2023	25.9	33	6.8	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Muriel Y. Ishikawa	[49]	837	559	66.8%	2002—2023	20.8	40	11.1	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Michael K. Gschwind	[50]	834	442	53.0%	2001—2023	22	38	2.6	USA	IBM
Jing Sun	[51]	826	712	86.2%	2012—2023	10.4	79	5.9	USA	Qualcomm
Clifford A. Pickover	[52]	823	544	66.1%	1992—2023	31.1	26	3.9	USA	IBM
Hajime Kimura	[53]	821	275	33.5%	2002—2023	20.5	40	2.6	Japan	Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
Tingfang Ji	[54]	811	598	73.7%	2006—2023	16.8	48	6.9	USA	Qualcomm
Lee D. Whetsel	[55]	806	128	15.9%	1991—2023	32.1	25	1.1	USA	Texas Instruments
Chih-Chao Yang	[56]	805	495	61.5%	2003—2023	19.4	41	3.4	USA	IBM
Jason L. Harris	[57]	792	498	62.9%	2011—2023	12.3	64	6.0	USA	Ethicon
Devendra K. Sadana	[58]	791	444	56.1%	1983—2023	40	20	4.3	USA	IBM
Hongyuan Zhang	[59]	782	434	55.5%	2009—2023	14	56	3.9	USA	Marvell
Salman Akram	[60]	778	289	37.1%	1995—2023	27.6	28	2.9	USA	Micron
Warren M. Farnworth	[61]	774	289	37.3%	1990—2020	24.4	32	2.8	USA	Micron
Juan Montojo	[62]	771	601	78.0%	2004—2023	19.2	40	6.9	USA	Qualcomm
SungDuck Chun	[63]	769	465	60.5%	2007—2023	15.1	51	3.8	South Korea	LG
Shan Liu	[64]	765	602	78.7%	2013—2023	9.7	79	3.4	USA	Tencent
Takahiro Nishi	[65]	763	303	39.7%	2001—2023	21.7	35	6.3	Japan	Panasonic
Bruce B. Doris	[66]	757	430	56.8%	1995—2023	28	27	4.2	USA	IBM
Jeyhan Karaoguz	[67]	756	371	49.1%	1996—2020	23.8	32	4.6	USA	Broadcom
Carleton Ellis	[68]	753	NA	NA	1902—1946	43.1	17	NA	USA	Ellis Foster Co
Ali Khakifirooz	[69]	747	404	54.1%	2011—2023	11.6	64	4.2	USA	IBM
John M. Santosuosso	[70]	737	466	63.2%	2001—2023	21.4	34	3.9	USA	IBM
Hideo Ando	[71]	733	123	16.8%	1983—2020	36.7	20	3.1	Japan	Toshiba
George Spector	[72]	723	723	100%	1974—1998	24.6	29	2.1	USA	George Spector
Austin L. Gurney	[73]	718	182	25.3%	1999—2022	23	31	2.9	USA	Genentech
Seungmin Lee	[74]	718	549	76.5%	2014—2023	8.6	83	3.5	South Korea	LG
Tetsujiro Kondo	[75]	700	528	75.4%	1987—2021	34	21	3.8	Japan	Sony
Elihu Thomson	[76]	696	NA	NA	1899—1935	35.9	19	NA	USA	GE
Xue Dong	[77]	696	686	98.6%	2010—2023	12.3	57	7.4	China	BOE
Gregory J. Boss	[78]	686	468	68.2%	2008—2023	15.1	45	4.2	USA	IBM
Lisa Seacat DeLuca	[79]	685	496	72.4%	2009—2023	14.2	48	2.7	USA	IBM
Irwin Gerszberg	[80]	677	311	45.9%	1994—2023	29.1	23	6.8	USA	AT&T
Jean-Philippe M. Vasseur	[81]	675	547	81.0%	2006—2023	17	40	2.6	France	Cisco Systems
Hsien-Wei Chen	[82]	675	353	52.3%	2005—2023	18.2	37	3.5	Taiwan	TSMC
Eric C. Leuthardt	[83]	672	455	67.7%	2006—2023	16.3	41	9.1	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Shougo Sato	[84]	666	272	40.8%	1992—2023	30.5	22	1.8	Japan	Brother
Youngdae Lee	[85]	666	530	79.6%	2014—2023	9.1	73	3.1	South Korea	LG
Paul S. Henry	[86]	655	302	46.1%	1978—2023	45.1	15	6.3	USA	AT&T
William I. Wood	[87]	653	259	39.7%	1981—2013	32.2	20	5.2	USA	Genentech
Stuart C. Salter	[88]	653	614	94.0%	2009—2023	13.4	49	4.8	USA	Ford
Simon R. Walmsley	[89]	651	171	26.3%	1995—2012	17.2	38	3.2	Australia	Silverbrook Research
Jae Hoon Chung	[90]	649	381	58.7%	2010—2023	12.8	51	4.5	South Korea	LG
Edward J. Nowak	[91]	635	410	64.6%	1979—2021	41.1	15	3.0	USA	IBM
Frederick A. Ware	[92]	634	219	34.5%	1981—2023	41.4	15	2.8	USA	Rambus
Chung-Shi Liu	[93]	633	366	57.8%	2000—2023	23.3	27	6.1	Taiwan	TSMC
Audrey D. Goddard	[94]	628	153	24.4%	1997—2023	25.5	25	5.3	USA	Genentech
Justin T. Mason	[95]	624	620	99.4%	2008—2023	14.5	43	1.0	USA	MS Technologies
Kie Y. Ahn	[96]	622	234	37.6%	1970—2013	42.7	15	1.9	USA	Micron
John D. Rinaldo, Jr	[97]	620	483	77.9%	2002—2023	20.6	30	8.0	USA	Intellectual Ventures
Anthony K. Stamper	[98]	610	336	55.1%	1998—2023	24.8	25	3.4	USA	IBM
Hui-Ling Lou	[99]	609	335	55.0%	1997—2023	25.7	24	3.9	USA	Marvell
Ronald S. Cok	[100]	608	515	84.7%	1986—2023	36.5	17	3.7	USA	Kodak

This table is usually updated every Tuesday evening in US Eastern time, and is current as of May 16, 2023.

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 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.

• Timeline of historic inventions
• List of inventors
• List of top United States patent recipients