Siemens 2005 Annual Report Download - page 21

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21
Group Presidents Business Areas Megatrends Report of the Supervisory Board Corporate Governance Report
Strategic patent portfolio
Patents play a vital strategic role in the global competition for customers and market share.
Our innovative strength is reflected in a portfolio comprising more than 53,000 patents
worldwide as well as in a large number of patent exchange and licensing agreements and
patents for standards. This intellectual property provides unrestricted access to all key mar-
kets and supports the entire innovation process – to the benefit of our Company and our
customers.
In fiscal 2005, our researchers submitted some 8,800 invention reports, roughly seven per-
cent more than in fiscal 2004. We filed patent applications for about two-thirds of these
inventions. Siemensleadership in the international patent statistics is a testimony to our
power of innovation. In first-time patent applications, we were No. 1 in Germany, No. 2 in
Europe and among the top ten in the United States.
Our competitive position will continue to depend not only on the creativity of our people
but also on the strategic management of our patent portfolio. A Company-wide patent
initiative is driving our concerted efforts to further strengthen our patent portfolio and
leverage it in the face of stiff global competition.
www.siemens.com/intellectual_property