On structuring patent citation analysis for effective patent evaluation: A case study of US medical patents through the lens of value-oriented citing behavior

Patent bibliometrics, particularly citation indicators, are widely utilized in patent evaluation. However, the multifaceted nature of patent citing motivations and strategic citing behaviors—spanning citations by applicants, examiners, and other public members—can introduce significant noise into citation analysis for patent evaluation, as emphasized by numerous scholars. Using patent survival lifespan as a proxy for patent value, an empirical analysis of USPTO medical patents revealed three key insights: (1) the number of citations by applicants (CBA) was positively associated with survival lifespan; (2) the number of citations by examiners (CBE) exhibited no statistically significant correlation with survival lifespan; (3) the number of citations by other public members (CBO) was negatively associated with survival lifespan. These findings can be interpreted from three distinct angles: CBA reflects the economic essence underlying patents; CBE aligns with the legal frameworks governing patent examination; CBO highlights the disparities between scientific papers and technological patents. Consequently, it is advisable to refrain from indiscriminately relying on all types of patent citations for patent evaluation and instead prioritize applicant citations (CBA), given their robust positive association with patent value. Examiner citations (CBE) and public member citations (CBO) are more likely to constitute noise in the evaluation process.