November 2018

Blockchain
Innovation
A Patent Analytics Report

Prepared by IP Australia
THIRD PARTY COPYRIGHT
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DISCLAIMER
The information contained in this brief has been gathered from global intellectual
property (IP) databases and represents a snapshot of IP rights at a particular point
in time. It is provided for general information only and should not be relied upon for
the purposes of any particular matter. It is not a report on patentability or freedom to
operate and should not be relied upon for those purposes.
 Foreword
ACS has a vision for Australia to be a world leader in
technology talent, fostering innovation and creating new
forms of value.
To support this vision, we have a focus on the innovative creation and
Yohan Ramasundara adoption of best of breed technology in Australia.
President, ACS
Blockchain has been hyped as one of the most transformative
and disruptive technologies on the immediate horizon. Already,
Australia’s financial services sector is investing heavily in proofs of
concept, along with the Australian Stock Exchange and government
departments including the Digital Transformation Agency.

Blockchain is an open, distributed ledger that records transactions

sequentially (in blocks), and each new block is validated by third
parties to provide trusted verification.

Patents give exclusive commercial rights for devices, methods or

processes that are unique and beneficial in exchange for public
Andrew Johnson
Chief Executive disclosure of the invention or innovation.
Officer, ACS
In today’s environment, patent growth rates are exceeding economic
growth rates, pointing to the rise in knowledge-based professions
and the knowledge economy. Patent applications and registrations
remain a valuable insight into the business problems and
commercial use cases that organisations and individuals are focused
on solving.

The purpose of this report is to assist business and government

understand and assess the degree to which blockchain technology
is a critical enabler for continued economic growth. This can be
achieved by understanding the size of the blockchain market; the
types of use cases of blockchain patents; and the degree to which
patent applications are being registered in Australia compared to
other nations.

We would like to thank the Patent Analytics Hub of IP Australia for

undertaking the research and preparing this report.

BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATION - A PATENT ANALYTICS REPORT - NOVEMBER 2018 3

 Contents

04
02
Patent destination  12

Introduction  8
Why patent data? 9
The authors and

05
purpose of this report 9

01 Technology analysis 14

Summary  6
03 Technology overview
Blockchain application
patents 16
15

Data processing patents 20

Timeline  10

4
 08
Conclusion 36

06
09
Global applicants 22
Applicant origin 23
Top applicants 24
The problems the top Appendix A 38
blockchain innovators
Appendix B 39
are trying to solve 27
Data extraction and
analysis 39
Search strategy 39

07
Appendix C 40
Technology analysis 40
Appendix D 41
Sub-technology
Australian analysis 41
applicants 32

BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATION - A PATENT ANALYTICS REPORT - NOVEMBER 2018 5

01
SUMMARY

6
 KEY REPORT FINDINGS

3,021 patent families

have been filed in
blockchain technology.

Summary Blockchain patent

filings have grown 140%
or more each year
Blockchain is an open, since 2013.
distributed ledger that can
record transactions between
two parties efficiently and in a 92% of blockchain-
verifiable and permanent way. related patents are in
It is a foundational technology an active state.
with the potential to underpin
new ways of connecting and
recording information across all Coinplug is the top
areas of technology. global innovator in this
area, with 75 active patent
families (92% granted).
Recent patent applications show blockchain
technology is an area with strong growth.
Since 2013, patenting of blockchain-related
technologies has exploded, with annual
China is the largest
growth between 140 and 230%. Applicants
filing destination.
are commonly large corporations or newly
established companies. The young nature of
the technology is reflected in the age of the
most active companies – six of the top ten
companies were established in the last ten Australia ranks sixth
years. globally, with 49 patent
families in blockchain.
The following report outlines findings from
patent families filed since 1999, analysing
trends, innovators, filing destinations and
Document management
commercial players in this space.
is the major problem
being addressed by the
top innovators in the field.

Only 14% of active patent

families have at least one
granted patent at this
point in time.

BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATION - A PATENT ANALYTICS REPORT - NOVEMBER 2018 7

02
Introduction
Blockchain is an open, distributed ledger that can
record transactions between two parties efficiently
and in a verifiable and permanent way.1 It is a
foundational technology that has the potential to
underpin new ways of connecting and recording
information across all areas of technology.

Initial uses of blockchain were track supply chains from produce

associated with cryptocurrency to fashion labels. It is also seen
transactions, but wider uses are as a way to simplify security
being explored as understanding processes such as those relating to
of the technology develops. passenger screening.2
These uses have been recognised The global blockchain market
in numerous forms such as was estimated at US$708 million
record-keeping, agreements, in 2017, and is forecast to grow
contracts and registers. In the to US$60.7 billion by 2024.3
health industry, blockchain Understanding how blockchain
is being explored as a way to technology is commercialised,
support secure information identifying potential partners
exchange of patient records and and determining what capability
the tracking of pharmaceuticals currently exists in Australia
from their manufacture to their is important in assisting the
administration to patients. In Australian ICT industry to
the consumer world, blockchain leverage opportunities as this
technology is seen as a way to technology matures.

1
Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/2017/01/the-truth-about-blockchain
2
Computerworld UK: https://www.computerworlduk.com/galleries/security/how-could-
blockchain-be-used-the-enterprise-3628558/
3
Global News Wire: https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2018/02/14/1347823/0/en/
Blockchain-Market-Size-is-anticipated-to-reach-USD-60-7-billion-by-2024.html

8
Why patent data? on which the technology was
built. The search found 3,021
technology insights, building
relevant technology capacity
Patents can be used as unique patent families filed and capability that catalyses
indicators of innovative worldwide since 1999. Details Australian innovation, and speeds
activity. By extraction and on the search methodology are the adoption of technology
analysis of data associated provided in Appendix B. for the benefit of commerce,
with patent documents, we can government and society.
measure aspects of inventive The authors ACS is at the forefront
activity such as scope of
inventions, intensity of activity
and purpose of education and policy

and collaboration between of this report development in Australia’s

ICT sector, contributing to
innovators. These metrics can
IP Australia is dedicated building capability in the
be developed across technology
to building prosperity for development of, and response
sectors and by measures
Australia, and ensuring that to, emerging technologies.
including individuals (inventors),
Australians benefit from great
institutions (applicants), To support the needs of ACS,
ideas. Using patent analytics to
countries and regions. IP Australia has analysed the
provide evidence of innovation
development of technology
Patents are granted for trends, we leverage our unique
relating to blockchain. In its
devices, substances, methods access to intellectual property
2018 ACS Australia’s Digital
or processes that are new, (IP) data, knowledge and
Pulse report,4 ACS noted that
inventive and useful (Appendix expertise to deliver value to the
the demand for blockchain
A), giving exclusive commercial broader economy.
skills was recently identified
rights in exchange for full public
This patent analytics report as the fastest-growing skill on
disclosure of the invention. This
was prepared in partnership the online platform Upwork.5
means that patents are a source
with the Australian Computer This report provides insight
of data on innovation trends in
Society (ACS) as part of IP into innovators in this field
science and technology.
Australia’s commitment to – based on patents filed – to
As a basis for this analysis, we support Australian research provide potential connections
searched the worldwide patent and innovation. ACS is the for research, development and
databases for inventions relating professional association commercialisation.
to blockchain technologies. and peak body representing
The search was configured to Australia’s ICT sector. It
include both explicit reference to aims to deliver authoritative
blockchain and the foundations independent knowledge and

ACS Australia’s Digital Pulse 2018: https://www.acs.org.au/content/dam/acs/acs-publications/aadp2018.pdf

4

5
Computerworld: https://www.computerworld.com/article/3235972/it-careers/blockchain-moves-into-top-spot-for-hottest-job-skills.html

BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATION - A PATENT ANALYTICS REPORT - NOVEMBER 2018 9

03
TIMELINE

10
Timeline Additional in-depth analysis
can help understand the
underlying factors and their
legal statuses: Alive, Dead or
Indeterminate. A family is Alive
if at least one family member
Analysing the filing of correlation to these trends. is active or in force. A patent
patent families across This information can inform family is considered Dead when
time provides a picture strategies around research, all family members have lapsed,
of the growth or decline development, collaboration and expired or been withdrawn. The
in innovation. commercialisation. remaining patent families are
Figure 1 shows the number considered as Indeterminate
of patent families by earliest as the lack of legal status
priority year. Figure 2 shows the information for family members
proportion of patent families that prevents their classification.
have been allocated one of three

FIGURE 1 PATENT FAMILIES BY PRIORITY YEAR 1999-2018

Source: Derwent Innovation, accessed June 2018
1000

800
Number of patent families

600

400

200

1999 2000 2000 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Patenting activity over an active state, with patent FIGURE 2 PATENT STATUS OF FAMILIES
Source: Derwent Innovation, accessed
time shows that growth in protection being sought or June 2018
blockchain patent filings has in force (Alive). The very low
114
increased each year since levels of patent families in 115

2013 (49 patent families). an inactive state (Dead) may

There was 231% growth in be reflective of the both the
2014 (162 patent families), recent patenting activity in
143% in 2015 (393 patent this technology area and
families) and 178% in 2016 importance of blockchain IP.
(1,091 patent families). The
Data for 2017-18 is incomplete
growth has been highest in
due to a lag in publication of
the United States and China.
patents. The dip in this period 2,792

Of the 3,021 unique patent reflects incomplete data

families captured in this rather than a declining trend Alive Indeterminate Dead
report, 2,792 (92%) are in in applications.

BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATION - A PATENT ANALYTICS REPORT - NOVEMBER 2018 11

04
PATENT DESTINATION

FIGURE 3: PATENT FAMILIES RELATING TO BLOCKCHAIN

TECHNOLOGY BY PATENT DESTINATION
Source: Derwent Innovation, accessed June 2018

CHINA 1,581 AUSTRALIA 87

UNITED STATES 951 CANADA 69
SOUTH KOREA 220 INDIA 65
JAPAN 137 TAIWAN 53
EUROPE 131 DENMARK 36

12
Patent
destination
Applicants must file patents in each country for
which they wish to have patent protection. The
patent destination for inventions indicates where
1,581 CHINA

China, with 1,581 patent families,

is the largest patent destination for
blockchain technology. Of the 1,581
families, 1,495 are filed by at least one
innovators choose to protect their invention.
applicant that is of Chinese origin.
Reasons for protection include the country being

951
a target for commercialisation or that the country
is important for further research. Figure 3 shows
the number of patent families filed in different
jurisdictions that have at least 30 patent families USA
relating to blockchain technology. See Appendix
A for more information about the patent filing
systems.
With blockchain technology, applicants file the
greatest proportion of patents within their own
The United States ranks second
country.
globally as a destination, with 951
patent families. Of these families,
720 applications are from
domestic applicants.

87 AUS

Australia is the sixth largest

patent destination with 87
patent families having at least
one patent application filed.
Australian applicants account
for 35 of the 87 Australian patent
families while applicants from the
United States have filed 38 patent
families in Australia.

BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATION - A PATENT ANALYTICS REPORT - NOVEMBER 2018 13

05
TECHNOLOGY ANALYSIS

14
Technology
analysis
Technology analysis can be used to identify the
level of activity in specific technology areas within
an overall field. This analysis can help innovators
understand areas of commercial interest
and inform commercialisation strategies and
research directions.

Technology overview
We initially divided the 3,021 The blockchain applications FIGURE 4 TECHNOLOGY ANALYSIS
patents into two broad category (1,873 patent families) OF PATENT FAMILIES RELATED TO
functional categories – relates to uses of blockchain BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY
Source: Derwent Innovation, accessed
blockchain applications and technology in payment June 2018
data processing (Figure 4). and transaction systems,
These two categories were financial services, business
based on patent classification administration, shopping and 1,148

symbols International Ecommerce.

Patent Classification (IPC) The data processing category
and Cooperative Patent (1,148 patent families)
Classification (CPC) and includes networking and data
keywords. See Appendix C for transmission, encryption and
more information about the security, data manipulation and 1,873
technology classification. error correction, data storage,
There are 432 families that search, and recording.
contain at least one granted From this broad analysis it is Application Data processing
patent, which represents only clear that most blockchain
14% of families within this innovation is occurring in
report. This low proportion is technology application. Each of
potentially due to the fact that these two broad categories have
patents take at least two years been analysed in more detail
to be granted by patent offices to provide further information
and the majority of applications about innovation trends in
are very recent. specific technologies.

BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATION - A PATENT ANALYTICS REPORT - NOVEMBER 2018 15

 Blockchain application patents
The 1,873 patent families related to blockchain applications were further divided into four sub-categories
by IPC, CPC and keywords, based on different types of application (see Appendix D for more information
about the sub-category analysis). These sub-categories are:

PAYMENTS AND FINANCIAL SERVICES BUSINESS SHOPPING AND

TRANSACTION SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATION ECOMMERCE

Figure 5 shows the number of patent families in each sub-category by their current legal status of granted
or not granted. A patent family is considered to be granted when at least one member of the family is
granted and in force in any jurisdiction. Of the patent families in this sub-category, 12% have had a family
member granted.

FIGURE 5 PATENT FAMILIES RELATED TO APPLICATIONS OF BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY

Source: Derwent Innovation, accessed June 2018

PAYMENT AND
1,142
TRANSACTION SYSTEMS

FINANCIAL SERVICES 298

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 234

Not granted
SHOPPING & ECOMMERCE 199
Granted
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1,000 1,100 1,200

Number of patent families

16
 $14.9
THE ASX HAS PAID

MILLION

FOR A 5% EQUITY INTEREST IN

DIGITAL ASSET HOLDINGS

PAYMENT AND active patents in Canada, China, for blockchain technology,

TRANSACTION SYSTEMS Europe, Japan, Singapore and EP3257191. The invention covers
the United States, and a patent a technique that works for any
The sub-category of blockchain
granted in Australia. digital content that requires a
payment and transaction
license − using a blockchain
systems includes patents Australia’s biggest stock
system, the access and license
directed to the use of blockchain exchange, the ASX, is
are both validated. This patent is
technology in money transfer. developing a private blockchain
also being pursued in Taiwan.
This category has the highest with Digital Asset Holdings as
proportion of patent families a post-trade solution for the Socure10 is a software company
of all the sub-categories of Australian equity market. The established in 2012 and based
blockchain applications, with ASX has paid $14.9 million for in the United States. Socure
61% (1,142 patent familes). a 5% equity interest in Digital aims to put trust in digital
Typical examples of patents in Asset Holdings, a fee that will identity using Socure ID+, a
this sub-category are held by also fund development of the predictive analytics platform
Digital Asset Holdings, nChain, privately distributed ledger that authenticates identities
Socure and Swirlds. solution.7,8 in real-time using data from
traditional and non-traditional
Digital Asset Holdings6 is nChain9 is a blockchain
sources. Socure ID+ has
a multinational software development company
been widely adopted by major
company founded in 2014, with founded in 2015 and based
financial companies, including
headquarters in the United in the United Kingdom. The
two of the top five United
States. Digital Asset provides company conducts research and
States banks (and three of the
distributed ledger technology to development in tools, protocols
top ten), due to its accuracy
regulated financial institutions. and applications for blockchain
and innovative approaches.11
Their system described in infrastructure to improve the
The platform, described in
application WO2016164310 use of blockchain technology
application WO2014145431, uses
allows unilateral access to for all businesses. On 11 April
financial transaction and social
data in a distributed ledger for 2018, nChain was issued the
media information to derive an
authorised users with verified first granted European patent
authenticity score for identity
credentials. This family has
6
Digital Asset Holdings: https://www.digitalasset.com/about
7
Medici: https://gomedici.com/an-overview-of-blockchain-technology/
8
ASX: https://www.asx.com.au/services/chess-replacement.htm
9
nChain: https://nchain.com/en/
10
Socure: https://www.socure.com/
11
Business Wire: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180604005149/en/

BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATION - A PATENT ANALYTICS REPORT - NOVEMBER 2018 17

 verification. This patent family in this sub-category are held by a technology – discussed in
has had members granted in Nasdaq and Coinplug. application US2017316497 –
the United States and Australia. incorporating biometric data in
Nasdaq13 was founded in 1971
The family has active patents in user authentication. The patent
and is the second largest stock
China, Singapore and Europe. family is active in South Korea and
exchange in the United States.
the United States.
Swirlds Inc.12 is a software Application WO2017134281
company founded in 2015 and describes the use of a BUSINESS
based in the United States. It has computer that interfaces with
ADMINISTRATION
patented a platform designed a blockchain, and matches
purchased and sold stock The sub-category of business
to build fully-distributed
exchange transactions. The administration captures the
applications without the need for
matched information is stored in use of blockchain technology in
a cloud server – detailed further
the blockchain as a confirmation transaction applications that do
in patent WO2017040313. Patent
of the stock transaction. The not involve money. These include
protection is being pursued in
family has a patent granted in record keeping, medical records
Canada and the United States.
the United States. and management of contracts
FINANCIAL SERVICES (234 patent families). Examples
Coinplug, Inc.14 is a South Korean of patents in this sub-category
The sub-category of blockchain- company established in 2013 are held by eIngot and SkuChain.
related financial services that provides digital currency
includes patents that involve exchange platforms based on eIngot is a company based in
banking, stock trading and blockchain technology. Coinplug the United States. The company
management of currency and is discussed in more detail in has used blockchain technology
cryptocurrencies (298 patent the Applicant section of this in medical record access and
families). Examples of patents report. Coinplug has developed management. Application

12
Swirlds: https://www.swirlds.com/
13
Nasdaq: https://www.nasdaq.com/
14
Coinplug: https://www.coinplug.com/

18
WO2009006609 describes a and records a chronological Beston Technologies16 was
program that builds an electronic order of events into a public founded in 2015 with headquarters
medical record database by order ledger, which enables in Adelaide, South Australia.
combining electronic records from effective item and container The company aims to connect
multiple repositories. The platform tracking. The patent family is consumers directly to producers
enables a patient or authorised active in China and Europe.
and has bridged this with the
emergency personnel to easily Patent US9436923 describes the
online application Oziris. The
access the combined medical use of a distributed consensus
application provides a way to track
record. The family has patents network to enable custody
the produce’s location and its
granted in both the United States tracking of an item in a supply
chain. Both families have patents delivery. Application AU2016277684
and China.
granted in the United States. describes the invention of
SkuChain Inc.15 was founded Oziris. It outlines the use of a
in 2014 and is based in the SHOPPING AND unique product identifier that
United States. SkuChain uses ECOMMERCE encompasses location information
blockchain technology in supply The sub-category of shopping and and stores these in a blockchain
chain, logistics and shipping ecommerce relates to patents system to prevent counterfeits and
management. Patent US9641338 that use blockchain in purchases enable tracking of the product. The
explains the use of blockchain from online or traditional shops patent family is active in Australia
technology in logistics by and in online gaming (199 patent and has been granted in the United
incorporating a distributed families). An example of patents in States.
consensus system in item tracking. this sub-category is held by Beston
The consensus system enforces Technologies Pty Ltd.

15
Skuchain: http://www.skuchain.com/
16
Beston Technologies: https://www.bestonmarketplace.com.au/blog/manufacturer/beston-technologies-pty-ltd-3/

BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATION - A PATENT ANALYTICS REPORT - NOVEMBER 2018 19

 Data processing patents
We further divided the 1,148 patent families related to data processing into three sub-categories by IPC,
CPC and keywords, based on different data processing uses of blockchain technology (see Appendix D for
more information about the sub-category analysis). These sub-categories are:

ENCRYPTION AND NETWORKING AND DATA DATA MANIPULATION,

SECURITY TRANSMISSION MANAGEMENT AND
INTERROGATION

In the category of blockchain with a specific focus on wireless media and entertainment,
in data processing, 19% of communication. Application connected transport, and
patent families have had a WO2012170039 describes a the internet of things. The
family member granted. Figure unique strategy to secure company has a platform cyber
6 shows the number of patent wireless communication security system, Cloakware,
families in each sub-category. channels for a group of to protect digital devices and
computers by establishing a environments with technologies
ENCRYPTION AND session key, where the key is a relating to encryption keys and
SECURITY combination of a shared secret protocols, conditional access
The sub-category of encryption key and the computer identity and rights management. Patent
and security includes patents key. This family has patents US2008025509 explains a network
that relate to encryption of data granted in China, Europe, encryption technology that can
Japan, South Korea and the scramble a stream of data using
and the ciphering of records
different ciphers while the data
and information (476 patent United States.
is sent between computers,
families). Examples of patents
Irdeto 18 was founded in 1969 changing encryption for each
in this sub-category are held by
and has headquarters in the transfer event. This family has
Qualcomm and Irdeto.
Netherlands. It is a subsidiary patents granted in Australia,
Qualcomm,17 a multinational of the multinational media China, Europe, India, Japan, South
company based in the United group Naspers. Irdeto is a Korea and the United States.
States, was founded in 1985. leading cyber security company,
It provides semiconductor and focused on software security
telecommunication equipment for digital platforms such as

FIGURE 6 TECHNOLOGY ANALYSIS OF PATENTS RELATING TO DATA PROCESSING

Source: Derwent Innovation, accessed June 2018

ENCRYPTION & SECURITY 476

NETWORK & DATA TRANSMISSION 411

Not granted
DATA MANIPULATION,
261
MANAGEMENT & INTERROGATION Granted
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500

Number of patent families

17
Qualcomm: https://www.qualcomm.com/
18
Irdeto: https://irdeto.com/

20
NETWORKING AND DATA Taiwan and the United States. in this sub-category are held by
TRANSMISSION Microsoft and Tencent.
Marvell Technologies20 was
The sub-category of networking founded in 1995 and is a Microsoft Corporation21 is a
and data transmission relates to multinational company based global leader in computing and
patents focused on the transfer in Bermuda. The company operation systems software.
of data between the blockchain has a focus on network Patent US8677336 describes the
network and the network itself infrastructure and wireless company’s work in data storage
(411 patent families). Examples connectivity solutions. Patent using blockchain technologies.
of patents in this sub-category US8560848 describes the use The storage algorithm improves
are held by Philips and of an encryption module, nonce execution time by optimising
Marvell Technologies. module and security module in the ordering of data within the
wireless network transmission. storage media. This patent
Philips19 is a multinational
The encryption module is used family has grants in China,
technology company that
to encrypt packets; the nonce Europe and the United States.
was established in 1891. It is
module generates a nonce for
based in the Netherlands and Tencent22 is a Chinese
the encrypted packets; and the
is a subsidiary of Koninklijke multinational, founded in 1998,
security module checks the
Philips N.V. The company has with subsidiaries specialising
encrypted packet includes the
a broad range of products in internet-related services and
nonce. The patent family has
and solutions for healthcare, products, entertainment and
members granted in China,
domestic applications and the artificial intelligence. Application
Japan, South Korea and the
automotive industry. Patent WO2009076854 describes a data
United States.
US8837736 describes an storage system using blockchain
invention that provides robust, technology. This patent has
DATA MANIPULATION,
efficient and secure distribution been granted in China, India
MANAGEMENT AND
of identification keys by splitting and Vietnam.
INTERROGATION
the key into multiple segments
and applying a cryptographic This sub-category includes data
function over these segments manipulation, management
before distribution. The family and interrogation within the
has patents granted in China, blockchain network (261 patent
Europe, Japan, South Korea, families). Examples of patents

19
Philips: https://www.philips.com/a-w/about/company.html
20
Marvell Technologies: https://www.marvell.com/
21
Microsoft: https://www.microsoft.com/en-au
22
Tencent: https://www.tencent.com/en-us/

BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATION - A PATENT ANALYTICS REPORT - NOVEMBER 2018 21

06 Global
applicants
Applicant analysis can be used to identify entities that are innovative
leaders in a sector. It can also be used to identify countries that
are hot spots for research and development. This analysis can
help innovators understand who has a commercial interest in the
technology and where they carry out this activity. This information
can inform collaboration and commercialisation strategies.

22
 FIGURE 7 PATENTS RELATED TO BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY, BY APPLICANT ORIGIN
Source: Derwent Innovation, accessed June 2018

CHINA 1,520 families

UNITED STATES 773 families

SOUTH KOREA 198 families

JAPAN 121 families

UNITED KINGDOM 105 families

AUSTRALIA 49 families

DENMARK 46 families

CANADA 44 families
Number of patent families
INDIA 23 families
Number of applicants
ISRAEL 22 families

0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600

Number of patent families and applicants

Applicant origin
Analysis of patent applicant origin indicates which countries have the
most investment or interest in a specific area of innovation. Figure 7
shows the number of patent families originating from each country
(shown in blue). Country information is derived from applicant address
data. Additionally, the number of applicants that have contributed to the
overall country performance has been labelled in pink.

China
China and the United States Chinese applicants have filed 1,520 patent
currently dominate global families (more than half of the total patents
blockchain innovation. Despite filed). Those families have been filed by 585
China and the United States different applicants.
having an approximately
equal number of applicants,

USA
Chinese applicants file twice Applicants from the United States rank
as many patents for blockchain second globally with 773 patent families
technology as applicants from from 569 different applicants.
the United States.

Applicants from Australia rank sixth globally

AUS
in blockchain technology, with 49 patent
families. There have been 55 different
Australian applicants that have contributed
to these patent families.

BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATION - A PATENT ANALYTICS REPORT - NOVEMBER 2018 23

 TABLE 1 TOP GLOBAL APPLICANTS WITH GRANTED PATENTS IN BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY24

PATENT
COMPANY
FAMILIES APPLICANT INVENTORS TECHNOLOGY
DETAILS
(GRANTED)

• Cryptocurrency
Est. 2013 • Identity
69 Jay Wo Hong
South Korea verification
• Fintech

Est. 2016 • Blockchain

12 Praveen Jayachandran
United States platform

Est. 1989 • Consultancy

7 Giuseppe Ateniese
Ireland • Digital solutions

• Operating
Est. 1975
7 Srinath Setty systems
United States
• Cloud computing

Top applicants
Entities file patents to protect granted patents as part of the that were granted in the United
their ideas and products. The family (69). 92% of its blockchain States. IBM has the broadest
number of patent families filed patent portfolio has been reach across the globe, with its
by an applicant in a particular granted. Each of those patent patents also being granted in
technology can be indicative of families was granted in South Europe, the United Kingdom,
market presence or of a desire to Korea and the United States. China, South Korea, Germany,
build such a presence. Based on patent measures, Japan and Taiwan.
they are the world leader in this
GRANTED FAMILIES Accenture and Microsoft round
technology.
out the top four applicants with
Table 1 summarises information
IBM23 comes in second place seven patent families each.24
on the top four applicants with
with 12 families that have at
patent families granted in
least one family member that
blockchain technology. Coinplug
has been granted (20% of their
is the company with the most
total patent portfolio). Ten of
patent families that have
those families had members

23
IBM: https://www.ibm.com/blockchain
24
Company details from Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com and company websites

24
ACCENTURE’S DIVERSE Accenture began as a business
APPROACHES TO and technology consulting Accenture has applied
THE APPLICATION division of accounting firm blockchain distributed
OF BLOCKCHAIN Arthur Andersen. In the early
databases to provide an
TECHNOLOGY 1950s it conducted a feasibility
autonomous selection of
study for General Electric on the
Blockchain technology has competing commodity
commercial use of computers
recently gained rapid traction
for business accounting.29 suppliers.
in the capital markets industry
Now, headquartered in Dublin,
as one of the most exciting
Ireland, this Fortune Global
technological developments.
500 company operates in 53
In 2015 an estimated US$75 system (see US20170300627).
countries across more than 40
million was invested in
industries.30 The company has produced
blockchain efforts specific to
rewritable (hybrid) blockchains
capital markets. This investment In this patent study, Accenture has
that, instead of having to jettison
was up from US$30 million in been identified as an innovator
a blockchain and recreate a
2014, and it is estimated that of blockchain-based technology
new one due to inappropriate
by 2020 US$600 million will be across a variety of applications.
content, a trusted party may
spent on blockchain and related
Accenture has applied simply rewrite the existing
technology initiatives.25
blockchain distributed blockchain while also preserving
Consultants are key to the start- databases to provide an the validity of the blockchain
up of many new businesses. autonomous selection of (see US20180032273).
The field of online consultation competing commodity suppliers
has been described as lacking (such as electricity, natural gas
proper sharing and auditing. or water). It offers its services
Blockchain has been labelled as under certain conditions where
a great way to bridge the trust changes in marketplace offers
gap.26 and user consumption habits
may change in real-time (see
Accenture is a global
US20170206522).
management, consulting and
professional services firm that Accenture has also applied
aims to be at the forefront of distributed blockchain
blockchain innovation. The databases for the validation
company offers services in and distribution of
strategy, consulting, digital, antivirus signatures (see
technology and operations.27 US20170279818); the facilitation
It had the highest number of of secure distribution of
blockchain-related job openings electronic files on a computing
in 2017, more than double the network; and a secure electronic
next company in the field, IBM.28 healthcare record management

25
Accenture: https://www.accenture.com/us-en/service-blockchain-capital-markets
26
Cointelegraph: https://cointelegraph.com/news/blockchain-unlocks-consulting-model-for-experts-of-all-kinds-worldwide
27
Accenture: https://www.accenture.com/au-en/company
28
Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffkauflin/2018/03/09/why-accenture-has-the-most-blockchain-job-openings-in-the-world
29
The Chicago Tribune: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2005-07-28/news/0507280218_1_arthur-andersen-electronic-computer-
ham-radio-operator
30
Accenture: https://newsroom.accenture.com/fact-sheet/

BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATION - A PATENT ANALYTICS REPORT - NOVEMBER 2018 25

 A PATENT PROVIDES
AN EXCLUSIVE
MONOPOLY TO THE
APPLICANT FOR UP TO

PATENT FAMILIES OVERALL

20
In this section we have analysed
YEARS

is the entity with the third most

the total number of patent patent families filed (57). While
families filed by entities overall. they have a large number of
Table 2 summarises information patent families, all of them were
on the top four applicants. filed in 2016-17 and none of them
While the top two applicants are have been granted. The Bank
the same as those for granted of America has filed 49 patent
patents, third and fourth place families, all in the United States.
are different. The Alibaba Group

TABLE 2 TOP GLOBAL APPLICANTS IN BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY, ALL ACTIVE PATENTS31

PATENT COMPANY
APPLICANT INVENTORS TECHNOLOGY
FAMILIES DETAILS

Est. 2013 • Cryptocurrency

75 Jay Wo Hong • Identity verification
South Korea • Fintech

Est. 2016 • Blockchain

61 Praveen Jayachandran
United States platform

Est. 1999
57 Hong-Lin Qiu • Ecommerce
China

Est. 1874
49 Joseph Castinado • Digital security
United States

31
Company details from Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com and company websites

26
 The problems the top blockchain
innovators are trying to solve
We investigated the problems with a priority year from 2015 to
that the top four companies have 2018 to ensure the analysis of the
tried to address using aspects of most contemporary problems
blockchain technology. As shown faced by the top applicants. Two
in Figure 8, patent families of the of the top four global entities,
top four companies have been Coinplug and Bank of America,
categorised by problems that are solving problems in all six
they are trying to solve. We have areas described below.
focused on the patent families

FIGURE 8 PROBLEMS THE TOP FOUR APPLICANTS ARE TRYING TO SOLVE

Source: Derwent Innovation, accessed June 2018

DOCUMENT AUTHENTICATION
41
& MANAGEMENT

DATA SHARING & CONSISTENCY 37

ENTITY AUTHENTICATION 33

SECURITY & SECRECY 32

GENERAL TRANSACTIONS 31

DATA PROCESSING SPEEDS 28

DIGITAL CURRENCY & BANKING

17

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

Number of patent families

BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATION - A PATENT ANALYTICS REPORT - NOVEMBER 2018 27

 DOCUMENT AUTHENTICATION AND MANAGEMENT
The patent families in this category address problems of document forgery, the deployment of smart
contracts and the handling of documents in general (see Table 3).

TABLE 3 SAMPLE OF PATENT APPLICATIONS FOR TOP APPLICANTS ON DOCUMENT AUTHENTICATION

AND MANAGEMENT

PUBLICATION PRIORITY
APPLICANT SOLUTION USED
NUMBER YEAR

Handling different types of contract templates stored

in a blockchain, where the type of template accessible
US20180137465 2016 IBM
is determined by the event type and event records
entered.

Verifying the authenticity of a bank’s transaction

records by comparing the initial generated record
US20180121923 2015 Coinplug
and the second record generated at the request of a
customer.

Using a private blockchain system to enhance and

US20180101848 2016 Bank of America expedite validation of documents to be transferred
between two different storage devices.

Validation and authentication of documents between

users by at least one person checking the document
WO2018106995 2016 Alibaba then uploading onto a central server which distributes
the checked document to all other users of the
blockchain.

28
DATA SHARING AND CONSISTENCY
This category relates to patent families addressing how data is distributed over the blocks in a blockchain,
the consistency of stored data and how to secure the transfer of information over the network (see Table 4).

TABLE 4 REPRESENTATIVE PATENT APPLICATIONS OF THE TOP APPLICANTS ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM
OF DATA SHARING AND CONSISTENCY

PUBLICATION PRIORITY
APPLICANT SOLUTION USED
NUMBER YEAR

Generating a compact representation of the whole

blockchain and providing stable datasets as check
US20180152289 2016 IBM
points to ensure the data stored in the local storage
device is consistent with the whole blockchain.

Registering only root values of the Merkle tree model

US20180109516 2016 Coinplug that represents the whole blockchain instead of the
entire blockchain to a local computer.

Using uniquely generated hashes for each shared data

US20180139186 2016 Bank of America record to help the system distinguish between data
records to be shared from other data records.

Using a voting system to select a consensus node that

is in charge of data sharing and data consistency in
CN107590738 2017 Alibaba
order to simplify the processing steps needed to check
the whole blockchain.

ENTITY AUTHENTICATION
This category relates to patents that have tried to improve identity checking, falsification of people and
detection of identity theft (see Table 5).

TABLE 5 REPRESENTATIVE PATENT APPLICATIONS OF THE TOP APPLICANTS ADDRESSING THE

PROBLEM OF ENTITY AUTHENTICATION

PUBLICATION PRIORITY
APPLICANT SOLUTION USED
NUMBER YEAR

Authentication of individual access to specific

US20170330180 2016 Coinplug transactions based on a person’s ID and the
transaction ID.

Using biometric data to generate a unique identifier to

US20170279800 2016 Bank of America
grant the user access to the blockchain.

Determining first and second check values of the user

WO2018032995 2016 Alibaba
and validating the user’s identity by these two values.

BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATION - A PATENT ANALYTICS REPORT - NOVEMBER 2018 29

 SECURITY AND SECRECY
This category relates to the patent families that are trying to solve the problems of privacy and encryption of
data and transfers (see Table 6).

TABLE 6 REPRESENTATIVE PATENT APPLICATIONS OF THE TOP APPLICANTS ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM
OF SECURITY OR SECRECY

PUBLICATION PRIORITY
APPLICANT SOLUTION USED
NUMBER YEAR

Method of protecting the media content of a provider

where the content is being held on a server and
US20170178263 2015 IBM
only delivered to a media player application upon
authentication.

Using a blockchain-based electronic wallet system as

WO2017104899 2015 Coinplug an authentication system that incorporates public keys
as a unique identifier.

A system that tracks resource availability and converts

non-secure instruments into secure instruments that
US20170214699 2016 Bank of America
require user and signature validation before granting
access.

Using a blockchain platform to verify transaction

CN108009441 2017 Alibaba
requests before transferring the resources to the user.

GENERAL TRANSACTIONS
This category captures solutions related to transactions and exchange of data, tracking of and determining
the type of transfers (see Table 7).

TABLE 7 REPRESENTATIVE PATENT APPLICATIONS OF THE TOP APPLICANTS ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM
OF GENERAL TRANSACTIONS

PUBLICATION PRIORITY
APPLICANT SOLUTION USED
NUMBER YEAR

Coalescing and correlating transactions that are

US20180143912 2016 IBM captured in a blockchain to identify parties that have
pending transactions.

The use of blockchain to track transactions between

WO2016163608 2015 Coinplug parties without the need to recognise a public address
or the use of QR-codes.

Using a blockchain system to enable a user to transfer

US20170244757 2016 Bank of America information from one bank to another without the need
of an aggregator.

A smart contract system in a blockchain to determine

CN107341702 2017 Alibaba the best contract template to use, based on the
business transactions needed.

30
DATA PROCESSING SPEEDS
The category includes patent families that are solving problems related to the processing speeds of data
from various sources within the blockchain (see Table 8).

TABLE 8 REPRESENTATIVE PATENT APPLICATIONS OF THE TOP APPLICANTS ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM
OF DATA PROCESSING SPEEDS

PUBLICATION PRIORITY
APPLICANT SOLUTION USED
NUMBER YEAR

Using a cognitive data processing system environment

such as artificial intelligence and natural language
US20180082023 2016 IBM
processing within a blockchain to improve speed and
accuracy of correlating patient health records.

Compiling data from batches that are related to each

US20180060836 2016 Bank of America other into blocks of a blockchain and ordering the data
into a life cycle.

Using data storage instructions that capture identity,

WO2018095275 2016 Alibaba key pair, and timestamp the data before storage into
the blockchain.

DATA CURRENCY AND BANKING

These patents aim to solve issues surrounding digital currencies and monetary transactions, including
payments and stock exchanges (see Table 9).

TABLE 9 REPRESENTATIVE PATENT APPLICATIONS OF THE TOP APPLICANTS ADDRESSING THE

PROBLEM OF DATA CURRENCY AND BANKING

PUBLICATION PRIORITY
APPLICANT SOLUTION USED
NUMBER YEAR

Record keeping of cryptocurrency transfers in a

debit and a credit transaction pair and storing the
US20180089644 2016 IBM
transactions in a second storage location on the
blockchain.

Reducing the number of transactions by accumulating

the reduction amount in one blockchain until the
US20170308872 2015 Coinplug
amount equals a standard unit and then executing the
transfer.

Employing alias mapping within a blockchain and

WO2017081534 2015 Bank of America pairing links between aliases as a way to track
payment transactions.

BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATION - A PATENT ANALYTICS REPORT - NOVEMBER 2018 31

07
Australian
applicants
There are two types of patents available in
Australia: a standard patent and an innovation
patent.

A standard patent protects an in this report, Australians have proportional use of second-
invention that is new, involves an filed 35 patent families into tier patent systems (55%) in
inventive step that is not obvious, Australia. Table 10 shows that blockchain technology. Due
and has use in industry. The 27 of those patent families were to the lower threshold for this
innovation patent is Australia’s via the innovation patent system. type of patent, and the fact that
second tier patent and has a Eight patent families were filed the innovation patent is not
lower inventiveness requirement as standard patents. Australians enforceable overseas, this may
in comparison to a standard have also filed 14 patent families overstate the level of innovative
patent.32 It should be noted only in jurisdictions other than activities of Australian patent
the Australian Government Australia. applicants in blockchain
has recently accepted the technology.
In the entire patent landscape,
recommendation of the
only 59 patent families contained
Productivity Commission to
patents filed through second
phase out the innovation patent.33
tier patent systems around
This report identified 49 patent the world (2% of all patent
families filed by 55 Australian families). In comparison to
applicants in blockchain applicants from other countries,
technologies. As noted earlier Australians have made a higher

IP Report 2018: https://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/ip-report-2018/patents

32

PC (2016), Intellectual Property Arrangements, Productivity Commission Inquiry Report, Canberra: http://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/
33

completed/intellectual-property/report/intellectual-property.pdf

32
TABLE 10 PATENT APPLICATIONS FILED BY AUSTRALIANS

NUMBER OF PATENT
APPLICATION TYPE
FAMILIES

Australian innovation patents 27

Australian standard patents 8

Patents only filed outside Australia 14

Table 11 summarises the seven Australian companies that have either filed standard patents in
blockchain technology in Australia or who are using the international patent system, allowing for
protection overseas. Each Australian company noted in the table holds a single patent family.

TABLE 11 AUSTRALIAN PATENT APPLICANTS IN BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY34

APPLICANT INVENTORS COMPANY TECHNOLOGY

DETAILS

Kunal Chhabra
Est. 2017 Blockchain platform
Ajitha Thayaharan

Elliot Shepherd
Eric Knight
Fintech, Payments,
Daniel Friedman Est. 2014
Compliance
Ben Buckingham
Nick Armstrong

Jonathan McDonald
Est. 2015 Fintech
Ruth Hatherley

Xiwei Xu
Ingo Weber
Mark Staples Government
Regis Riveret agency Blockchain platform
Paul Rimba Est. 2016
Alexander Ponomarev
Guido Governatori

Jason Williams
Mark Toohey Est. 2016 Product verification
Alex Taylor

Govert Van Ek
Nuno Cristina Martins
Health record
Oliver Peter Curtis Est. 2015
management
Nicholas Anthony Curtis
John Bulich

Vojdan Kardalev
Est. 2016 Data provision
Emilija Poposka Kardaleva

34
Company details from Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com and company websites

BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATION - A PATENT ANALYTICS REPORT - NOVEMBER 2018 33

 Moneycatcha and E-Nome are great examples of recent Australian
success stories. They have each filed standard patent applications
through the international patent cooperation treaty (PCT) in the last
two years. This filing strategy means that they are in a position to
seek protection overseas.

Moneycatcha
Moneycatcha Pty. Ltd., is an an ongoing residential loanbook
Australian start-up founded risk review tool, helping Homechain is an end-to-
in 2015. Moneycatcha’s financial institutions comply
end mortgage application
two blockchain platforms, with and report to regulatory
processing system and
Homechain and Regchain, bodies. Moneycatcha holds one
aim to streamline mortgage patent family WO2017205902 speeds up processing time
approvals and future-proof describing an improved security from 42 days to five days.
organisations against fraud, and transparency blockchain
risk and regulatory pressures. mortgage brokering system. In
Homechain is an end-to- February 2018, HSBC linked up
end mortgage application with Moneycatcha to implement
processing system and speeds Regchain to overhaul its
up processing time from 42 regulatory reporting capacity.35
days to five days. Regchain is

35
The Australian: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/hsbc-links-up-with-moneycatcha/news-story/6996f442610
e41a6e520280e311b6d07

34
 E-Nome
E-Nome is a start-up founded secure storage of genomic
E-Nome’s medical record in 2015 focused on developing information, and the collection
management platform blockchain-based electronic and management of research
health record storage and data.36
allows individuals to take
management solutions.
control of their own health E-Nome’s medical record
None of the patents filed by
records on a smartphone management platform allows
Australian applicants were
with security and privacy. co-filed between two separate
individuals to take control of
companies. This means that
their own health records on
the patent data provides no
a smartphone with security
evidence of Australian research
and privacy. The platform also
collaboration in blockchain
consolidates scattered health
innovation. This characteristic is
records, and safely and securely
reflective of the field in general.
shares the compiled data.
Application WO2018009979
describes how E-Nome’s secure
blockchain data management
system is tailored for electronic
health records. E-Nome
has linked with The Garvan
Institute of Medical Research
to assess E-Nome’s platform
as a potential solution for

36
Garvan Institute: https://www.garvan.org.au/news-events/news/blockchain-tech-garvan-partners-with-e-nome

BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATION - A PATENT ANALYTICS REPORT - NOVEMBER 2018 35

08
CONCLUSION

36
 140
THE NUMBER OF
PATENT FILINGS
HAS GROWN BY
%

230
BETWEEN

& %
FROM 2014-16

Conclusion
The report explores the patent collaboration was identified grown by between 140 and 230%
landscape of innovations relating in terms of the co-filing of each year from 2014–2016.
to blockchain technology. applications by companies. Only 4% of patent families are
dead. 14% of patent families
The technology is dominated Australia’s role in the area
have granted patent application
by Chinese applicants, making of blockchain technology is
members. This low proportion
up 50% of the total families active, with 49 patent families
is reflective of the early state of
captured within the report. The originating from Australian
the field.
largest applicant from China is inventors, ranking Australia
Alibaba, filing 57 patent families. sixth globally in patent Based on the available patent
Globally, the top players within applications. Australia is also data, significant growth and
this technology are Coinplug ranked sixth globally as a further IP certainty in blockchain
from South Korea with 75 destination for filing blockchain technology is expected in
patent families and IBM with patents, with 87 patent families the coming years. Further
61 families. filed in Australia. The seven monitoring of the patent
Australian companies that have landscape will allow the field to
Applicants are using
patents in blockchain technology be fully appreciated.
blockchain technology to
are Bloxian, Moneycatcha,
solve problems in document
Identitii, Data61, E-Nome, TBSx3
handling and management,
and bron.tech.
and predominately applying the
technology into payment and Over the past five years, the
transaction systems. Very little number of patent filings has

BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATION - A PATENT ANALYTICS REPORT - NOVEMBER 2018 37

09 Appendix A

Patents, applications and excluded from the analysis of patent family ID to patents that share a
publications destinations because they do not common inventive concept.39 For
represent an enforceable right in metrics in this report, the number
A patent is a right that is granted
any jurisdiction. European patents of patent families is typically used.
for any device, substance, method
are enforceable in designated There are some exceptions where
or process that is new, inventive
contracting states to the European individual applications are used, as
and useful. Australian patent rights
Patent Convention at the date of each application represents a legal
are legally enforceable and give
filing of the application.38 right in a country. When analysing
the owner, or patentee, exclusive
the number of applications or
rights to commercially exploit the The most recent legal status families per applicant, related
invention in Australia for a period action was used to determine the commercial entities have been
of up to 20 years. In this report, an status of a patent family. A family grouped under a single harmonised
application refers to a single patent is considered alive if at least one applicant name. When individual
filing. A patent application is usually family member is active or in force. publication numbers are quoted,
published within 18 months of its A patent family is considered dead we have chosen a representative
earliest filing date (also known as when all family members have publication from the respective
the priority date). We consider that lapsed, expired or been withdrawn. patent family. Where possible, PCT
the priority date is most relevant for The remaining patent families are or United States patent applications
our analysis as it is the closest date considered as indeterminate as have been quoted as representatives
to that when the invention occurred. the lack of legal status information as they are in English.
for family members prevents their
There are two major routes for
classification. Classification
filing a patent application: the
international route and direct filing. Patents are classified by technology
Patent families
The international route involves into the hierarchical International
filing a Patent Cooperation Treaty Applications filed in different Patent Classification (IPC) system.
(PCT) application, which establishes jurisdictions but claiming the A further classification system,
a filing date in all 152 contracting same priority are known as as referenced in this report, is the
states.37 Subsequent prosecution patent families. Patent families Cooperative Patent Classification
at national patent offices, referred enable us to analyse inventive (CPC). The CPC began in 2013 and is
to as a national-phase entry (NPE), activity regardless of the number a bilateral system developed by the
is made at the discretion of the of countries in which protection European Patent Office (EPO) and
applicant. A patent can only be is sought. Patent families are the US Patent and Trademark Office
enforced once it has been granted commonly used in analytics as (USPTO), providing significantly
and a PCT application must enter they generally represent a single more depth to the hierarchy of the
the national phase to proceed inventive concept. We determine IPC.40 For more information on the
towards grant. patent families based on the coverage of the CPC, see the CPC
Derwent World Patent Index (DWPI). Annual Report 2016.41
PCT applications have been DWPI patent families give a unique

37
WIPO: https://www.wipo.int/pct/en/pct_contracting_states.html
38
EPO: Guidelines for Examination - Designation of Contracting States
39
Clarivate Analytics: https://clarivate.com/products/derwent-world-patents-index/
40
EPO and USPTO: https://www.cooperativepatentclassification.org/
41
EPO and USPTO: https://www.cooperativepatentclassification.org/publications/AnnualReports/CPCAnnualReport2016.pdf

38
Appendix B

Data extraction and Search strategy

analysis The search was limited to patent applications with an earliest filing year on
We used five phases of data or after 1999. Patent applications were retrieved when the following keywords
extraction and analysis: or phrases appeared in the abstract, title and first claim. No classification
symbols were used in the search as the patent classification of blockchain
• Phase 1: Development of a related technology is still immature.
search strategy (See right)

• Phase 2: Data mining using

Keywords used to search Blockchain* or (block ADJ chain)
Derwent Innovation. The unique
Titles, Derwent abstracts or (merkle ADJ tree*) or (public* or
DWPI family members relating
and first claims field electronic* or distribut* or decentral*)
to blockchain technologies were
NEAR3 ledger*) or (eos ADJ io) or bitcoin
identified and used as the basis
or (bit ADJ coin) or litecoin or ethereum or
of the analysis
namecoin or (crypto* NEAR3 currenc*)
• Phase 3: Data cleaning, focusing
on consolidating applicant
Note: In the search query the use of ‘*’ act as a wildcard character for text
names and ensuring the return
and spaces.
of correct records using Derwent
Data Analyser and national The search results were further filtered to remove patents related to
patent office legal status actions non-computer related technologies. The filters below were applied in a
hierarchical manner to remove any irrelevant patents
• Phase 4: Data categorisation
according to the technological
focus of the patent families. EXCLUDED
IPC/CPC SYMBOLS KEYWORDS
The technological focus was TECHNOLOGIES
determined by taking into account
the CPC and IPC symbols and Related to B0, B1, B2, B3, writing block*, video block*,
mechanical B4, B5, B6, F1, F4 MPEG, heat*, voltage*,
keywords for the patent families
vehicle*, unit*, pull*, drive*,
• Phase 5: Data analysis using memory*, thread*, box*,
motor*
Tableau 2018.1 for calculation
and visual presentation of patent
Related to C0, C1, C2, C3 poly*
metrics chemical/
biological

BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATION - A PATENT ANALYTICS REPORT - NOVEMBER 2018 39

 Appendix C

Technology analysis
This technology analysis categorises all search results (DWPI families)
based on their classification into one of two categories: Application and Data
processing. The categorisation is represented in the order of its hierarchy
below. The table below provides the IPC or CPC subclasses captured in each
technology area, the sub-technology it relates to and a description to further
define it.

TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW

IPC/CPC
SUB-TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS
SYMBOLS

Application Uses of blockchain technology in payment and G06Q (*coin*), (*currency*),

transaction systems, financial services, business (*pay*)
administration, shopping and Ecommerce

Data processing Networking and data transmission, encryption and H04L, blockchain*
security, data manipulation and error correcting and G06F,
data storage, searching and recording G11B,
G09C

40
Appendix D

Sub-technology analysis
This sub-technology analysis further refines the categorisation for
blockchain patent families. The categorisation is carried out in the hierarchy
as shown below. The tables provide the IPC or CPC symbols captured in
each technology, the sub-technology it relates to and a description to further
define it.

BLOCKCHAIN APPLICATION

IPC/CPC
SUB-TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS
SYMBOLS

Payment and Relates to the use of blockchain technology in money pay*, sale*
transaction transfer
systems

Financial services Relates to financial services and includes patents G06Q 40 currency*, mone*,
that involve banking, stock trading and management bitcoin*, bank*, financ*
of currency, and cryptocurrencies

Business Relates to other transaction applications that do not G06Q 10, informat*, contract*,
administration involve money G06Q 50 document*, auth*,
audit*, time*, ledger*,
vot*

Shopping and Relates to patents that use blockchain in purchases G06Q 30

Ecommerce from online or traditional shops and in online
gaming

BLOCKCHAIN APPLICATION

IPC/CPC
SUB-TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS
SYMBOLS

Encryption and Relates to encryption of data and the ciphering of G06F 21, encrypt*, ciph*, cryp*,
security records and information H04L encod*, signa*, auth*,
secur*

Networking and Relates to patents directed to the transfer of data H04L 6 transmission*,
data transmission between the blockchain network and the network network*, link*, comm*,
itself connect*

Data Relates to data manipulation, management and G06F Stor*, record*,

manipulation, interrogation within the blockchain network memory*, manage*,
management and process*, debug*
interrogation

BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATION - A PATENT ANALYTICS REPORT - NOVEMBER 2018 41

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