Wireless charging patent applications are increasing rapidly.

Without the use of wires, core patent applications for wireless charging technologies that deliver current to mobile devices or charge are rapidly increasing. According to the recently published "Analysis of Core Patent for Mobile Wireless Charging Technology" report by Displaybank incorporated into IHS Inc., the number of core patents for mobile wireless charging technology increased from 36 in 2005 to 206 in 2010.

With the development of mobile devices, in order to maximize the convenience of users, wireless charging related technologies and productization are proceeding rapidly. Wireless charging technology has gradually expanded from smart phones to TVs and electric vehicles. Companies are actively engaged in R & D activities to seize the market in advance, which has led to a substantial increase in the number of related patent applications in recent years.

Judging from the distribution of patent applications for mobile wireless charging technologies in four major countries including South Korea, the United States, Japan, and Europe, the United States ranks first with a 40% share of applications, followed by South Korea with 29%. At the same time, in terms of patent applicants, Qualcomm has the largest number of applications. In addition, Seiko Epson, Samsung Electronics and Hanrim Postech are also active in patent applications.

Trends in annual and national patent applications for mobile wireless charging technology

Status of main applicants of mobile wireless charging technology

From the perspective of the proportion of other patent applications for wireless charging, the guidance method for placing the device on the pad is 47%, which is higher than the 37% application ratio for the resonance method that can also be charged at tens of meters. However, as Samsung Electronics and Qualcomm began to actively develop the wireless charging technology of the resonance method in 2008, the resonance method technology has recently shown a higher application frequency.

Displaybank believes that with the recent introduction of wireless charging technology as the core technology of next-generation smartphones such as Samsung Electronics ’Galaxy S3 and LG Electronics’ OpTImus LTE2, the wireless charging market has officially opened, and wireless charging will be expected to become the mainstream charging technology for smartphones in the future . In particular, Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics respectively use different technologies such as resonance and guidance methods, making these two wireless charging technologies more attractive. In terms of current completion of projects such as standardization, charging efficiency and safety, the self-guided method is in an advantageous position over the resonance method, but due to the limitation of short transmission distance, as long as the future resonance method can make up for the current shortcomings To improve the maturity of technology, it is very likely that the resonance method in the field of smartphones will replace the self-guided method as the mainstream technology.

In the report, Displaybank selected 975 patents related to mobile wireless charging technology in Korea, the United States, Europe, and Japan, and analyzed the overall patent trends of wireless charging technology, as well as the technical trends of the guidance method and resonance method. At the same time, the core patents of major companies related to wireless charging technologies such as Samsung Electronics, Seiko Epson, Hanrim Postech, Qualcomm, LS Cable, ETRI, Powermat, Witriasty, MIT, Sony, Intel, LG Electronics, etc. were selected to provide enterprise technology trends and solutions Program. Through this report, I hope to get the technical development direction of the wireless charging technology, the advanced technology, the problems of the advanced technology and the guidance on product technology development. At the same time, by confirming the scope of the core patent rights of the enterprise, in order to prevent future patent disputes.