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Patent co-citation networks of Fortune 500 companies

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Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the progression of technology structure based on patent co-citation networks. Methods of patent bibliometrics, social network analysis and information visualization are employed to analyze patents of Fortune 500 companies indexed in Derwent Innovations Index, the largest patent database in the world. Based on the co-citation networks, several main technology groups are identified, including Chemicals, Petroleum Refining, Motor Vehicles, Pharmaceuticals, Electronics, etc. Relationships among the leading companies and technology groups are also revealed.

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Acknowledgments

The research was supported by the Social Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 10CZX011, Grant No. 08BTQ025), the project of “Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China” (Grant No. 2009041110001), as well as the project of "Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities" (Grant No. 2009-852009).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. WISE Lab, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China

    Xianwen Wang, Xi Zhang & Shenmeng Xu

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  1. Xianwen Wang
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  2. Xi Zhang
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  3. Shenmeng Xu
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Correspondence to Xianwen Wang.

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Wang, X., Zhang, X. & Xu, S. Patent co-citation networks of Fortune 500 companies. Scientometrics 88, 761–770 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-011-0414-x

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