Analysis of China's Blockchain Technology Innovation Situation Based on Patent Metrology

Conventional patent metrics may not provide an accurate assessment of a technology's actual level of development. To address this issue, this study utilizes metrological research methods to perform empirical analysis on global blockchain technology-related patent applications. Based on the findings, the study provides suggestions to governments and companies on how to enhance China's innovative capabilities in the blockchain technology field. In this paper, the incoPat patent search database and information visualization tools are employed to scrutinize the patent application trends, technical application fields, and innovation trends. Furthermore, the Herfindahl-Hirschman index is utilized to measure and examine the patent concentration of blockchain technology patent applicants across various regions of China. The analysis shows that China has the highest number of patent applications in the field of blockchain technology. However, the percentage of high-value patents is relatively low, which requires further improvement. Patent distribution in the eastern region of China is more dispersed, while the western region has more concentrated patents. The government should issue differentiated policies based on geographic location to avoid excessive concentration or dispersion of patents.