What is a Patent Family?

Since patents are national rights, the same invention is often covered by multiple patents in different countries. These related patents form a ‘patent family.’ Different data providers use their own methods and criteria to group patents into families, which can lead to variations in how families are defined.

Patent families can evolve over time. New applications, such as improvements to the invention or filings in additional jurisdictions, may expand the family. Even within the same country, multiple applications—like divisional filings or continuations—can belong to the same family, adding to its complexity. Additionally, as data providers refine their methods or correct records, the structure of patent families may be adjusted to reflect these changes.

While this explains the basics, it’s worth noting that patent families can vary significantly depending on the criteria used, such as shared priority filings or similarities in claims. These variations can affect how families are analyzed, making it crucial to understand the methods used by each data provider.