The University of California led the top 10 universities receiving most patents in 2005 with 390.

The Department of Commerce's United States Patent and Trademark Office announced Wednesday the top 10 universities receiving the most patents during 2005.

The University of California led for the 12th consecutive year in 2004 it received 424 patents.

Rounding off the top five were the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (136), the California Institute of Technology (101), Stanford University (90), the University of Texas (90) and the University of Wisconsin (77).

Other universities in the top 10 include John Hopkins University, University of Michigan, University of Florida, Columbia University, Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Pennsylvania and Cornell University.

"America's economic strength and global leadership depend on continued technological advances," said Undersecretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property Jon Dudas. "Groundbreaking discoveries and patented inventions generated by innovative minds at academic institutions have paid enormous dividends, improving the lives and livelihoods of generations of Americans."

Copyright 2006 by United Press International