Analysis of the relationship between citation frequency of patents and diversity of their backward citations for Japanese patents

• Published in: Scientometrics Vol. 92; no. 3; pp. 721 - 733
• Main Authors: Yoshikane, Fuyuki, Suzuki, Yutaka, Tsuji, Keita
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.09.2012; Springer
• Subjects: Bibliometrics. Scientometrics; Bibliometrics. Scientometrics. Evaluation; Citation analysis; Classification; Computer Science; Exact sciences and technology; Information and communication sciences; Information science. Documentation; Information Storage and Retrieval; Japan; Library and information science. General aspects; Library Science; Sciences and techniques of general use; Patent classification; Citation frequency; Patent citation; Japan; Patents; Frequency; Citation analysis; Correlation analysis; Scientific research; Classification
• ISSN: 0138-9130; 1588-2861
• DOI: 10.1007/s11192-011-0612-6

Conventional patent citation analyses have focused mainly on the presence of citation relationships, the number of patents cited by the subject patent, and the number of times the subject patent is cited by others (i.e., the numbers of backward and forward citations of the subject patent). However, most of them have not focused on patent classifications. Assuming that a patent based on a variety of technological bases tends to be an important patent that is cited more often, this study examines and clarifies the relationship between the diversity of classifications assigned to backward citations and the number of forward citations for Japanese patents. The results show notable differences in the number of classifications assigned to backward citations between the often cited and less frequently cited groups. It is considered that the diversity of backward citations can be utilized in the evaluation criteria for grouping that roughly identifies the often cited patents or eliminates a large part of less frequently cited patents.