Abstract: The relationship between patents and science and technology input is studied. Based on the cross-section data of Chinese provinces from 2001 to 2005, it is found that there is a strong linear relationship between the patent and the two factors that are the proportion of science and technology expenses in GDP and the number of scientific and technological personnel, and a regression model that explanatory variables are the proportion of science and technology expenses in GDP and the number of scientific and technological personnel, and variable explained is patent is establised. Using this regression equation, the impact of the proportion of science and technology expenses in GDP and the number of scientific and technological personnel on the patent is estimated, it could be better indicated the relationship between the patent as a important innovation product and the factors of science and technology input. Most of the research articles only discussed the impact of science and technology expenses on the patent. In the contrary, two factors of the expenditure and the personnel in the analysis process are considered, it is more consistent with the actual situation.

Key words: patent, scientific and technological input, cross-section data, empirical analysis