Relecura Releases Internet of Things Patent Landscape Report

Relecura, the data analytics firm, has released its interesting and thorough Internet of Things – Technology Landscape and IP Commercialization Trends Report.  The report includes a helpful slide on the technology stack in IOT to understand the layers of relevant technologies necessary and another slide on hot application growth areas.  The report also includes a breakdown of key players in the space and strategy.  The patent landscape portion of the report includes the following “high level findings”:

The top patent holders are from diverse sectors like consumer electronics (Samsung, LG, Sony); telecom (Huawei, Ericsson, Korea Electronics Telecom, ZTE), and software (IBM, Microsoft).

• Qualcomm is the leading filer in multiple jurisdictions as well as PCT filings. This suggests an intention to license its technologies worldwide.

• The network layer has the highest number of patent filings and accounts for 62% of all the IoT patents. • Samsung is a key patent holder in most layers of the IoT technology stack and its patents address multiple application areas.

• IoT patent transactions per year have shown an increase after 2011.

• Patent filings related to the upper layers of the IoT stack were relatively less till 2011, but have increased significantly starting in 2012.

Helpfully, the report contains a wealth of other information including top patent holders and assignees with a breakdown by industry.  It also includes the top cited patents and the high quality patents and patent holders by Relecura’s metrics.  The report also covers patent transactions.  The report is available, here.