As we all may have noticed at some point there is a list of references cited adorning the face of every US patent. Utilizing these lists of references, patents can be connected to other patents through the references cited on their own face, as well as the instances where the patent is cited on a subsequent patent’s face. By connecting patents in this manner a network begins to form and begs the question: How many steps would it take to connect any patent with any other patent?
So, starting with any patent where would we find ourselves after 6 steps through the references cited network?
We're sharing our path, but feel free to follow your own path of patent connection intrigue and share it in the comments section below.
Have a suggestion for an inventor or invention you would like to see in the Six Degrees post? Share that in the comments too!
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