Patent Mapping a way to visualize patent mining results that involves clustering or otherwise orienting patent data on a page so that there is meaning in the spatial relationships among the data points. Patent Landscape: graphical representation of how large numbers of patents relate to each other based on keywords, citations, or patent classifications. It is useful in identify trends, determine patent gaps and opportunities, and design around competitors’ patents.

Patent maps are not only produced for a specific use, but also are produced to serve as so-called general-purpose use. Consequently, when using them, their contents can be read from various viewpoints. In particular, by combining multiple maps (figures and tables), it is possible to find a new matter that cannot be obtained from a single map.

Traditionally, patent information searches are done, as a part of the drafting a patent drafting, before patent filing or during patent litigation. During the recent few years, there have been lots of activity and interest had been evolved in the area of patents. Patents are now being considered as one of the major source of technological and competitive information. Computer and internet technologies made it very easy to access these big informational sources. In our highly competitive business environment Patent awareness is a critical skill for business managers, engineers, researchers, inventors, consultants, or anyone involved in Patent issues. Patents are an important source of technological intelligence that companies can use to gain strategic advantage.

Current technological development necessitates conducting searches of patent information to avoid unnecessary investment as well as gaining the seeds for technological development and the applicable fields contained in the patent information. In order to accomplish this, visual representation of related patent information (hereinafter “Patent Map”) attracts the attention of the persons concerned. A patent map is produced by gathering related patent information of a target technology field, processing, and analyzing it.

There are two primary ways of analyzing patent information: Qualitative and Quantitative. The qualitative method shows more closely the content of the individual patent documents. The quantitative method results in statistical processing. These two methods have quite different objectives and different ranges of applications. Patent analysis can be displayed by visual representation
using bar graphs, polygonal line graphs, pie charts and other charts/graphs, which are called ‘Patent Maps’.

Reasons for using Patent Information