The impact of patent system on the economy is a hot and difficult topic in the field of intellectual property, but there is no definite conclusion of which role patent system plays in Chinese economy. Therefore, it is crucial to identify the mechanism of patent system influencing industries’ economic development. Based on needs of innovation leading the development of industries and protecting innovation with system in our country, the project studied the transmission mechanism of patent system influencing industries’ economy development using industry patent intensity, and stated the logic of “patent system having an impact on industry intensity, industry intensity characterizing industry innovation, industry innovation promoting industry economy development”. First, it analyzed the calculation method of industry patent industry, clarified the relationship between industry patent intensity and industries’ original innovation. Second, it explored the interaction mechanism of patent system and industries’ patent intensity through summarizing enterprises’ patent within a specific industry and distinguishing provincial differences in the strength of patent protection. Third, it studied the influence of independent research and patent supporting policies on industrial innovation characterized with multidimensional industry patent intensity. Forth, it revealed the evolution of patent-intensive industries’ economic contribution in space and time, analyzed the process of its innovation value chain and evaluated its performance. In short, the study result has great significance to identify the role of patent system playing in economy and optimize the patent system with the purpose of promoting industry economy development in China.

Keywords: patent system; industry patent intensity; the transmission mechanism; patent-intensive industries; industrial economy