A Dynamic Stochastic Analysis of International Patent Application and Renewal Processes

This paper formulates a dynamic stochastic model to examine the joint patent application and renewal behavior under an international patent protection regime. This framework makes it possible to utilize both the cross-sectional (multi- country filing) and the time-series (patent renewal) dimensions of available international patent data to evaluate the private value of patent protection, and allows one to distinguish more aspects of patent value. The private value of European patent in the pharmacertical and the electronic industries is examined. It is found that pharmacertical patents are endowed with higher initial returns, and their holders seek protection in more countries than those of electronic patents. However, pharmaceutical patents depreciate faster than electronic patents, and consequently have lower renewal rates and shorter patent lives.