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Linking science to technology: Using bibliographic references in patents to build linkage schemes

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Abstract

In this paper, we develop and discuss a method to design a linkage scheme that links the systems of science and technology through the use of patent citation data. After conceptually embedding the linkage scheme in the current literature on science-technology interactions and associations, the methodology and algorithms used to develop the linkage scheme are discussed in detail. The method is subsequently tested on and applied to subsets of USPTO patents. The results point to highly skewed citation distributions, enabling us to discern between those fields of technology that are highly science-interactive and those fields where technology development is highly independent from the scientific literature base.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. R&D division INCENTIM Groot, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Begijnhof 59, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Arnold Verbeek & Koenraad Debackere

  2. Ministry of the Flemish Community, Private Office of the Flemish Minister of Education and Training, Brussels, (Belgium)

    Marc Luwel

  3. R&D division INCENTIM, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, (Belgium)

    Petra Andries & Edwin Zimmermann

  4. Medical School, Department of Neuro- and Psychophysiology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, (Belgium)

    Filip Deleus

Authors
  1. Arnold Verbeek
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  2. Koenraad Debackere
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  3. Marc Luwel
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  4. Petra Andries
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  5. Edwin Zimmermann
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  6. Filip Deleus
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Verbeek, A., Debackere, K., Luwel, M. et al. Linking science to technology: Using bibliographic references in patents to build linkage schemes. Scientometrics 54, 399–420 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016034516731

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