China is neither the world’s largest chip developer nor the world’s largest semiconductor maker. However, the burgeoning microelectronics industry appears to be generating patent applications at a rapid pace.Last year, Chinese companies filed more than half of all semiconductor-related patents worldwide, according to a report. Matisse & Squirean intellectual property law firm.
Edd Cavanna, Managing Associate at Mathys & Squire, said: “It says it all about their importance to the future of the economy.”
A record 69,190 microelectronics-related patents were filed in 2022. That’s a 59% jump from his 43,380 just five years ago. This development highlights how rapidly the industry is evolving and how chips are impacting every aspect of modern life.
With 18,223 applications, Chinese firms accounted for 55% of global filings, followed by US firms with 26%. By contrast, the UK accounts for 179 of her patents, or 0.26% of her worldwide, reports Mathys & Squire.
Meanwhile, TSMC is the largest individual applicant, holding 4,793 patents, or 7% of all semiconductor-related patents worldwide. Applied Materials filed for 209 patents (more than all UK-based companies combined), SanDisk 50 and IBM his 49.
Note that Mathys & Squire only reports the number of patents. The number of units is important, but the content of those patents is even more important. Unfortunately, it is impossible to analyze the importance of tens of thousands of patents. Still, the number of patent applications filed speaks to the pace of development of the microelectronics industry.
“Governments are becoming increasingly concerned about vulnerabilities in global supply chains and are taking steps to encourage domestic semiconductor research and production,” said Cavanna. “New technologies emerging from this global technology race are likely to be protected by patents, which are likely to be vigorously enforced.”
