The growth of patent applications in 2022 was significantly influenced by digital communication technologies, enhancing efficiency, collaboration, and productivity across various domains of life and business. This article aims to present insightful data on patent applications, emphasizing the key applicants within the context of recent technological advancements. Furthermore, we delve into the practical significance of these technologies in our day-to-day lives, drawing from personal and professional experiences.
The Patent Index released by the European Patent Office (EPO) in 2022 reveals a notable 2.5% increase in patent applications compared to the previous year. This positive trend signifies the anticipated growth following a period of stagnation in 2020.The growing trend in the number of patent applications is a good indicator of recovering of the investments in research and developments performed by companies and individuals, despite the recent pandemic crisis, and the current war in Ukraine. In Table 1, the top 10 countries for European patent applications in 2022 are highlighted. It is worth noting that numerous European countries have made impressive strides in recovering their industries, as evidenced by this indicator. However, German applicants have encountered challenges in regaining their previous level of performance.
Table 1 (Font: EPO's Patent Index 2022)
Figure 1 illustrates the dominant technical fields that were related to patent applications filed before the EPO in 2022, wherein the Electrical machinery/apparatus/energy field and the Digital communication field are related, respectively, to 7.2% and 8.6% of the total of patent applications. Besides these significant absolute numbers in the ranking, these two technical fields, which can be grouped in the general technical field of Electrical engineering, have been related to the higher growth rates of patent applications in relation to 2021, 18.2%, and 11.2% respectively.
Figure 1 (Font: EPO's Patent Index 2022)
Advances in the Electrical machinery/apparatus/energy technical field
The Electrical machinery/apparatus/energy technical field encompasses a wide range of technologies, including lighting devices, power and electric energy supply systems, basic electric elements, and various techniques. Notable examples within this field include power cables, magnets, relays, and X-ray techniques.
This technical field is relatively broad and is divided into 30 International Patent Classification (IPC) codes, which are listed in Table 2. The highlighted IPCs in Table 2 refer to 80% of records in the set of European patent documents published in 2022, which are also depicted in Figure 2. It is remarkable the share of patent applications referred to batteries for the direct conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy, although it is intuitive considering the huge worldwide investments in electrical mobility, smartphones, and portable computational devices nowadays.
The patent applications filed in 2022 also present recent advances regarding self-charging portable devices with integrated flexible solar cells.
The inventions described in the European patent applications published in 2022 also mirror our market perceptions of ongoing dying technologies. Indeed, the advances in electric incandescent lamps comprise just five patent applications published in 2022. Perhaps, it is time to think about a brand-new icon for representing an invention or a great idea, as the light bulb is evidently obsolete?
Table 2 (Font: Espacenet)
Figure 2 (Font: Espacenet)
The technical field under consideration has witnessed a consistent annual growth of approximately 5% in patent applications from 2018 to 2021. However, the data for 2022 indicate a substantial jump, with 13,951 patent applications representing an 18.2% increase compared to the 12,054 applications in 2021. Examining the distribution of patent applications in this field for 2022, the top 5 leading countries in terms of share are Japan (15.1%), Germany (14.4%), China (14.1%), the United States (13.4%), and the Republic of Korea (12.6%). Furthermore, the top 10 applicants in the same period are LG (1,109), Signify (398), Contemporary Amperex (387), Huawei (268), Panasonic (248), Siemens (221), Valeo (194), Bosch (191), Hitachi (186), and ABB (183).
The advances in this field of electrical engineering provide technical solutions for the increasing demands of our society. More efficient smart grids and smart devices that can contribute to the spreading of the use of renewable energy, wherein commercial and industrial consumers can generate their own power and even sell their surplus are an example of current demands. The advances in electric vehicles, including more powerful, and longer-lasting batteries, besides enhanced charging technology, are other landmarks for this technical field. The advances in lithium-ion batteries have been making it possible to significantly decline their production costs, besides improving their stability and reducing their weight to meet their applications in mobile phones, electric vehicles, medical devices, or renewable energy.
Advances in the Digital communication technical field
Within the realm of technology, the Digital Communication field emerges as a fascinating landscape of innovation anchored by the pillars of basic electronic circuitry and electronic communication.
We find three prominent branches regarding IPC codes, which are listed in Table 3. Among these three sectors, the technologies comprised in the symbols H04L or H04W have outstanding results regarding the number of European patent documents published in 2022, as illustrated in Figure 3.
Table 3 (Font: Espacenet)
Figure 3 (Font: Espacenet)
Exploring the Growth Trend in the Digital Communication Technical Field
Regarding the Digital communication technical field, it has been possible to observe a growth trend from 2018 (11853 patent applications) to 2022 (16705 patent applications). Considering the share of the sum of patent applications filed in 2022 in this technical field, the top 5 leading countries are the United States (30.1%), China (10.9%), Sweden (8.1%), Republic of Korea (7.9%), and Japan (7.3%).
Also looking at the number of patent applications filed in 2022, the top 10 ranking of the applicants consists of Qualcomm (2155), Huawei (2082), Ericsson (1298), Samsung (727), ZTE (661), Nokia (620), Oppo (549), LG (433), NTT Docomo (421), and Apple (363).
The investments in research and development of new Digital communication technologies aim to meet the continuous demand of an increasingly digitally integrated world, wherein individuals and organizations have been altering their daily experiences in more online and virtual environments.
The data provided in this edition of the EPO's Patent Index 2022 illustrates the main players in developing technologies that are strongly influencing our routines, like the role of live and VOD in commerce; the proliferation of mobile devices; the spreading of real-time messaging platforms; the new technologies regarding online meetings; the use of audio-content, for example, podcasts to propagate information or the relevant contribution of the visual content sharing platforms in digital marketing.
In our fast-paced world, digital communication technologies have emerged as a powerful ally, streamlining various aspects of our lives. From online shopping to seamless bank transactions, these technologies have revolutionized our routines, saving us precious time and money. Furthermore, within the business landscape, they have catalyzed improved collaboration and communication among co-workers, fueling enhanced productivity within organizations.
As we embrace this transformative trend, we can look forward to a future brimming with possibilities. With each passing day, these technologies pave the way for fresh perspectives and exciting innovations, promising us a vibrant and ever-evolving technological landscape.
