The Presentation of The Evaluation Framework of The Rate of Patent Analysis Usage in Research Centers

Patent documentations include the rare information and the results of applied researches. The analysis of the patent information establishes a new insight about the research and business environment. The recognition of the patent analysis applications not only responds to many information needs and contributes to decision making in research centers, but also makes the researchers and managers familiar with and encouraged to the use of this new tool in research. Presenting a suitable conceptual framework to evaluate the rate of patent analysis usage in research centers is the object of this article. Another object, in this respect, is to determine the applications of the patent analysis. This is a qualitative research, and its results obtained by library studies, questionnaire, interview with the experts (semi-structured), researcher's contribution in research, and also by using the AHP technique. Finally, the hierarchical conceptual framework is recognized as a supreme (suitable) one and its sub-sections are determined. This structure is divided to macro (strategic), intermediate (competitive) and operational (technical) levels. Seventy five patent analysis applications in research centers are recognized in this structure and are presented in different classifications.