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Technological capability/strength, market monopoly/success of R&D efforts are some of the indications, patents that belong to an entity signify. However, a simple patent count provides only a limited indication. Informetric analysis can be successfully applied to reveal the underlying hidden characteristics of the patent statistics. At the same time, caveats in analysing patent data and understanding the different attributes of a patent/patenting system is required to undertake a proper analysis. An investigation of prolific patenting institutions of India and China was undertaken to support the above argument. Their patenting activity in the US was investigated for the period 1998-2002. The attributes of the US patent system were used to distinguish the patent data. Patent profiles in terms of technological domains/applications were uncovered by informetric analysis. Effectiveness of the patenting activity, strategic and policy aspects were derived from this exercise. The paper attempts to make contribution towards integrating the features of the patent system, different aspects of patent statistics and tools of informetrics for deriving meaning that can be used by a wider audience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]