Time in Purgatory: Determinants of the Grant Lag for U.S. Patent Applications

50 Pages Posted: 3 Mar 2003 Last revised: 6 Jul 2022

See all articles by David Popp

David Popp

Syracuse University - Department of Public Administration; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Ted Juhl

University of Kansas - Department of Economics

Daniel K. N. Johnson

Colorado College - Department of Economics and Business; NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund

Date Written: March 2003

Abstract

The impacts of two recent changes in US patent policy depend on the length of time it takes for an invention to go through the examination process. Concerns over the distributional effects of these changes were expressed during policy debates. We use data on U.S. patent applications and grants to determine the factors influencing the length of the patent examination process. We augment this analysis with interviews of patent examiners, leading to a better understanding of the examination process. Our analysis finds that differences across technology are most important. Inventor characteristics have statistically significant effects, but the magnitudes are small.

Suggested Citation

Popp, David C. and Juhl, Ted and Johnson, Daniel Kent Neil, Time in Purgatory: Determinants of the Grant Lag for U.S. Patent Applications (March 2003). NBER Working Paper No. w9518, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=384242

David C. Popp (Contact Author)

Syracuse University - Department of Public Administration ( email )

Syracuse, NY
United States
315-443-2482 (Phone)
315-443-1075 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://faculty.maxwell.syr.edu/dcpopp/index.html

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
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Ted Juhl

University of Kansas - Department of Economics ( email )

Lawrence, KS 66049
United States
785 864-2849 (Phone)

Daniel Kent Neil Johnson

Colorado College - Department of Economics and Business ( email )

14 E Cache La Poudre Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
United States
719-389-6654 (Phone)
719-389-6927 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://faculty1.coloradocollege.edu/~djohnson

NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund ( email )

40 Rector St.
5th Floor
New York, NY 10006
United States

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