One reliable way to measure the research activity in the field of engine technology is through the number of patent applications that are submitted to different patent offices in the world.
This paper offers a thorough statistical analysis of the innovation trends related to downsizing in Europe, USA, Japan, China and Korea in the field of internal combustion engines during the last 10 years, as seen by the European Patent Office. It demonstrates which technical fields (e.g. super- and turbocharging, direct fuel injection systems, hybrid technology, variable valve actuation, exhaust gas recirculation, etc.) are the most active, who are the most important players and which country attracts the highest number of applications. Subfields of certain technical fields are also analyzed. The technical fields discussed are chosen according to the International Patent Classification (IPC) scheme.
