Abstract: Innovation investment has an important role in enterprises total factor productivity,the strength of intellectual property rights protection is the basis of decision making for enterprise innovation investment. The paper analyzes the effect mechanism of innovation investment structure under intellectual property rights protection on TFP based on panel data of 30 provinces and autonomous regions (municipalities directly under the central government) during the period of 2001-2010. The results show that innovation investment structure of source, innovation investment structure of input-intensity and innovation investment structure of application have a significantly negative impact on total factor productivity, and intellectual property rights protection has a positive moderating effect on the relationships between innovation investment structure of source, innovation investment structure of application and TFP. Therefore, in the case of the protection of intellectual property rights protection is becoming more and more perfect,enterprises should improve the efficiency of innovation input and the ability of independent research and development to promote total factor productivity.

Key words: total factor productivity, intellectual property rights protection, innovation investment structure