The TR (Technical Relevance) indicator is calculated by counting the number of prior art citations that a
patent receives (forward citations). Citations are counted as citing families. Self-citations as well as
subsidiary citations are not counted. Finally, counts are normalized by year, country of jurisdiction and main IPC/CPC.
| /High/ | /Low/ |
|
A high TR value reflects a high technical relevance of a patent, since subsequent patents have to cite the patent as prior art. Patent citations are reviewed and verified by objective and qualified patent examiners. A high TR value thus identifies leading technologies of a particular market segment. |
A low TR value reflects a low technical relevance of a patent, since subsequent patents are not citing the patent as prior art. A low TR value reflects that a patent either protects a niche technology or a technology that is not of relevance to other market participants. |