IBM Leads US Patent List in 2020 - Patent Decline Reported
Even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to influence numerous facets of daily life after a year, key indicators demonstrate ongoing progress within the technology sector. Recent data reveals that the U.S. issued a total of 352,013 patents in 2020, which represents a slight decrease of just under 1% from the 354,428 patents granted in 2019.
Concurrently, the volume of patent applications experienced an increase of nearly 5% last year, suggesting a likely resurgence in patent numbers in future years. These figures are based on data compiled by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services, a firm specializing in tracking patent applications and trends at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. IBM again secured the most patents granted during the year, mirroring previous trends; however, Samsung maintains the largest overall portfolio of patents among all companies.
“Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, U.S. patent activity saw only a modest decline last year,” stated Mike Baycroft, CEO of IFI CLAIMS Patent Services. “This represents a small dip in an otherwise consistent upward trend observed over the past decade, and remains 13 percent higher than the numbers recorded in 2018.” He further noted, “The number of published pre-grant applications also saw a slight increase in 2020. However, further observation over the next year will be necessary to ascertain any definitive impact from the pandemic.”
For several years, patents and related infringement litigation have been prominent features within the technology landscape, with companies such as Apple and Samsung, and Oracle and Google, utilizing them as a component of their broader competitive strategies.
Although the period of frequent use of these tactics appears to have diminished recently, patents remain a significant indicator of technological development. They provide insights into the rate of innovation, identify leading companies in foundational research, and highlight the areas shaping the future of technology.
The 2020 data confirms Samsung’s substantial lead in overall patent ownership. The company currently holds 80,577 patents, a 5% increase compared to the previous year, maintaining a considerable advantage over the next largest patent holder. IBM presently possesses 38,541 patents.
Regarding patent activity within the last year, IBM continues to lead with the highest number of patents secured in 2020, totaling 9,130 grants, although this figure represents a 1% decrease from the prior year. Samsung received 6,415 patents, ranking second, while Canon Inc., Microsoft, Intel, Taiwan Semiconductor, LG Electronics, Apple, Huawei Technologies and Qualcomm completed the top-10 list.
Amazon (ranked 11th with 2,244 patents), Google (17th with 1,817 patents) and Facebook (38th with 938 patents) were also among the top 50 patent recipients this year.
Technology trends
The nature of patents has undergone a noticeable evolution over time, moving away from tangible devices and hardware and increasingly focusing on the services that operate on them. Recent data from IFI indicates that the most frequently patented technology classes center around software and data management, specifically electrical digital data processing and the transmission of digital information.
Notably, IFI’s research revealed that “computer systems based on biological models” experienced the most significant growth, increasing by 67% in the past year compared to the 2016-2020 period. This category reflects the substantial and continuing interest in artificial intelligence, with areas such as neural networks and brain-inspired technological processes remaining highly sought after. Companies like Google, Microsoft, and Intel are leading patent holders in this field, according to IFI. In addition to this aspect of AI, substantial increases were also observed in machine learning, quantum computing, autonomous systems, and 3D printing.
For context, medical and biological technologies were also prominent in the previous year, with hybrid plant development leading the list of emerging technologies, and CRISPR gene editing and cancer treatments also gaining traction. It is noteworthy that despite the global health crisis and unprecedented medical research efforts focused on finding treatments and vaccines, this activity has not yet significantly impacted the number of patents granted, although it is likely that future filings will reflect these developments. It will be important to monitor these trends in the coming years, along with other prominent areas like e-commerce and cloud computing.
Interestingly, despite facing regulatory challenges and negative public perception, patents related to electrical smoking devices still rose by 55% last year. This suggests continued innovation in this sector as traditional smoking declines under increased scrutiny, while the underlying addictive behaviors persist.
Top 50 list for 2020, according to IFI Claims:
1 IBM 9130
2 Samsung Electronics 6415
3 Canon 3225
4 Microsoft 2905
5 Intel Corp 2867
6 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC) 2833
7 LG Electronics 2831
8 Apple 2792
9 Huawei Technologies 2761
10 Qualcomm 2276
11 Amazon Technologies 2244
12 Sony 2239
13 BOE Technology Group 2144
14 Toyota 2079
15 Ford 2025
16 Samsung Display 1902
17 Google 1817
18 General Electric 1760
19 Micron Technology 1535
20 Hyundai 1464
21 Boeing 1435
22 Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson 1366
23 Seiko Epson 1334
24 Kia Motors 1323
25 Panasonic 1283
26 AT&T 1238
27 Honda 1205
28 Mitsubishi 1204
29 Texas Instruments 1147
30 EMC 1094
31 Cisco 1059
32 Sharp 1042
33 Denso 1030
34 LG Display 989
35 Robert Bosch 965
36 Toshiba 957
37 LG Chem 947
38 Facebook 938
39 NEC 937
40 SK Hynix 930
41 RicohCoLtd 928
42 Fujitsu 917
43 Koninklijke Philips 874
44 Hewlett Packard 873
45 Dell 849
46 Fujifilm 814
47 Hewlett Packard Enterprise 807
48 GM 781
49 Halliburton Energy 771
50 Murata Manufacturing 764
