"IBM is already the world's most prolific innovator
If patents are the best measure of innovative prowess, no one -- and I mean no one -- comes close to IBM. In 2008, Big Blue became the first company in history to register more than 4,000 patents in a year. (4,186 total.) South Korea's Samsung was second, followed by Japan's Canon, and Microsoft. Notably, Mr. Softy produced less than half the number of patents " Motley Fool.