Abstract: Based on the legal data of patents, this paper analyzes authorization and validation of patents by ExxonMobil in recent years including the technological distribution and surviving life of valid patents as well as the annual patent maintenance fee, thus obtaining the basic characteristics of maintaining the patents by the company. ExxonMobil’s average rate of valid patents has reached 70 percent in the United States, with an annual cost of more than 100 million yuan for its patents worldwide. It maintains its patents at a high level. ExxonMobil implements different policies for maintenance of it patents in different technological fields. The upstream rate of patents maintained is higher than the rates in the downstream and chemical sectors. As for maintenance of patents by the Chinese oil enterprises, this paper proposes a series of measures, such as setting a clear target, submitting applications as required, examining the patents periodically, establishing the outdating system and the patent business conceptions, and enhancing business management, in order to turn the “costoriented” pattern into the “profit-oriented” pattern.

Key words: ExxonMobil, oil companies, maintenance of patents, authorization of patents, validation of patents

摘要： 以专利的法律状态数据为分析对象,分析埃克森美孚公司近年在美专利的授权率和有效率、有效专利的存活年限与技术分布、年度专利维护费等指标,得出该公司基本的专利维持特征。埃克森美孚近20年在美专利的平均有效率达到70%,每年负担的全球专利成本超过了1亿元人民币,总体上对专利维持保持在较高水平;且针对不同技术领域的特点,专利的维持策略有所区别,上游专利的维持率要高于下游和化工领域的专利维持率。对于我国石油企业的专利维持工作,建议应明确目标、按需申请,对拥有的专利定期审查,建立淘汰制度,树立专利经营理念,强化经营管理,促其从"成本中心"向"利润中心"转变。

关键词: 埃克森美孚, 石油公司, 专利维持, 授权专利, 有效专利