Bibliometrics

Sternitzke, C., A. Bartkowski, and R. Schramm (2008). Visualizing patent statistics

In this context it is found that inventors who serve as interfaces or links between different inventor groups apply for technologically broader patents, hence, benefiting from their access to different knowledge through their position.
The position of applicants within citation networks seems to be useful in explaining behaviour of the applicants in the marketplace, such as cooperation or patent infringement trials.