Temporal analysis of patents in the engineering field

Resumo

Patent analysis is considered a strategic tool for understanding the technological dynamics of a country, especially in highly complex sectors such as engineering. In the Brazilian context, assessing the representativeness and temporal evolution of patent filings in the engineering area allows us to identify innovation trends, emerging technological sectors, and potential development opportunities. This study aims to analyze the temporal distribution of engineering-related patents filed in Brazil, based on data available on the Espacenet platform, seeking to understand the evolution of technological interest in this specific sector over the years. The methodology adopted involved extracting data on patents filed in Brazil from 1900 to 2024 from the Espacenet repository. For the purposes of this research, patents classified in sections B (Processing operations; transportation), E (Fixed constructions), and F (Mechanical engineering; lighting; heating; armament; explosion) were considered to belong to the engineering area. The data were organized according to the year of filing and the corresponding IPC section, allowing the construction of time series and comparative analyses. The results reveal a progressive growth in the number of patent applications in engineering over the last decades, with peaks at certain periods. The areas with the greatest representation were mechanical engineering, transportation and construction, reflecting historically consolidated industrial sectors in Brazil. Furthermore, it was possible to observe an increase in the technological diversity of patents in recent years, suggesting an expansion of the performance of inventors and companies in different fields of engineering. However, it is possible to conclude that the temporal analysis of patents allows mapping national technological development. The representation of engineering in the patent system reflects its importance as a vector of development and its relevance in the scientific and technological advancement of the country.