The number of patent applications filed in the U.S. and European states dropped last year amid the recession, while the number rose in South Korea, China and Japan.

The Geneva-based World Intellectual Property Organization says 155-thousand-900 patent applications were filed globally in 2009, down four-point-five percent from 164-thousand in 2008.

However, filings from Japan grew three-point-six percent to nearly 30-thousand, Korea's grew two percent to over eight-thousand and China's grew a whopping 30 percent to over 79-hundred.

The U.S. applied for the most patents, retaining the top spot, followed by Japan, Germany, South Korea and China.

But the number of applications fell in most Western advanced nations, including an eleven percent slide in the U.S. and Germany.