IBM Tops U.S. Patent List for Eighth Consecutive Year.

Business Editors

ARMONK, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 10, 2001

For the eighth consecutive year, IBM was awarded the most U.S. patents in 2000, with a record 2,886 issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

IBM topped the next closest company by more than 850 patents. In fact, IBM's number surpassed the combined total of patents awarded eight of its largest competitors -- Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Sun, Microsoft, Cisco, Dell, Oracle and EMC.

The results were reported today by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services, which compiles the CLAIMS(c) patent database and annually reports the number of U.S. patents issued to companies.

"In an industry driven by innovation, patent leadership demonstrates a commitment to developing technologies that benefit our customers and fuel IBM's growth," said Nicholas M. Donofrio, senior vice president, Corporate Technology and Manufacturing. "The creativity of our technical teams is helping push the industry in new directions that are determining the next steps in e-business."

Technology breakthroughs were patented in critical areas of IBM's business during 2000 with nearly 1,000 patents awarded for software, about 1,000 for microelectronics and 400 for storage technologies.

IBM's patent leadership is a direct result of the company's continued investment in research and development, with focus on innovative technologies and bringing those technologies to market quickly. According to Donofrio, one third of the technologies IBM patented in 2000 are already in the marketplace and many more will reach market in 2001. Further, IBM's total intellectual property portfolio again generated more than $1 billion in licensing royalties in 2000.

IBM holds nearly 34,000 patents worldwide, including about 19,000 in the U.S. In addition, the company is one of the largest non-European patent holders in Europe and one of the largest non-Japanese patent holders in Japan.

2000 Patents -- Selected Highlights

Covering all aspects of e-business, IBM maintains the broadest range of patented technologies in the information technology industry, including networking, computer systems, large servers, semiconductors, microprocessors, memory chips, storage and software applications.

Among the U.S. Patents issued for IBM inventions in 2000:

IBM advances holograms for information storage

In holographic data storage, entire pages of data are committed to and read from a photosensitive material by a laser. Each page consists of an array of "bright" and "dark" pixels, resembling a checkerboard. This invention improves the contrast between the bright and dark pixels by subtracting unwanted electronic signal from the dark pixels as each hologram is recorded. By making the dark pixels darker, errors are reduced and capacity can be increased. (Patent US6031643: Method for holographic storage)

Taking speech recognition to the next level

A speech recognition system will be able to identify who is speaking by voiceprint characteristic regardless of what the person is saying, and then perform a command specific to that person. For example, a woman who shares an office can say, "Call my husband," and the system will dial the correct number for her spouse. (Patent US6073101: Text-independent speaker recognition for transparent command ambiguity resolution and continuous access control)

"Time sharing" computers over the Internet

This invention covers a method for using idle computers connected via the Internet to work on computationally intensive projects, such as weather forecasting or rendering sophisticated computer graphics. (Patent US6112225: Task distribution processing system and the method for subscribing computers to perform tasks during idle time)

Sensory experience enhanced by an IBM invention

At present computing involves two senses -- sight and hearing. Down the road, users will be able to add a third sensory dimension to their computing experience -- smell. This invention will allow computer users to actually smell scents associated with video signals received over the internet. Responding to signals, smells from a pallet of scents will emit from a scent emulator hooked up to the computer. (Patent US6024783: Aroma sensory stimulation in multimedia)

IBM drives miniaturization of wireless devices

High-speed circuits used in wireless communications applications require passive components such as inductors and transformers. Two IBM inventions describe compact, high-quality inductors and transformers that can be integrated into silicon chips without consuming excess chip area, which can lead to enhanced miniaturization. These components also can operate at high frequencies, which extends the use of circuits in many applications such as cell phones and personal digital assistants. (Patent US6114937: Integrated circuit spiral inductor and Patent US6054329: Method for forming an integrated circuit spiral inductor with ferromagnetic liner)

About IBM

IBM is the world's largest information technology company, with 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. IBM creates, develops and manufactures the industry's most advanced information technologies, including computer systems, software, networking systems, storage devices and microelectronics. In December 2000, IBM received the National Medal of Technology -- which recognizes lasting contributions to America's competitiveness and standard of living -- for leadership in developing and commercializing data storage technology. The fastest way to get more information about IBM is through the IBM home page, at www.ibm.com.