References Cited Per Patent | Patently-O:
This is interesting how the number of issued patents cited have gone up from about 20 total patents references to about 50. Over the last 10 years! WOW.
The additional references from the examiner appears to be consistent at about 5 to 7; but as the comments indicate, some of those may already have already been mentioned in some form by the applicant.
That is a 250% increase in the number of patents being mention in a patent application.
Reasons are definitely up for debate!
WOW!