The technology industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by the escalating concerns over copyright infringement, piracy, and the need for secure content distribution in industries like media, entertainment, and e-commerce, as well as the proliferation of digital content creation and distribution platforms. The growing importance of technologies such as spatial and frequency domain watermarking, spread spectrum techniques, and advancements in blockchain-based watermarking for enhanced security and traceability, amplifies the demand for digital watermarking. In the last three years alone, there have been over 1.5 million patents filed and granted in the technology industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Innovation in technology: digital watermarking. Buy the report here.
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However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilizing and reaching maturity.
Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
185+ innovations will shape the technology industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the technology industry using innovation intensity models built on over 1.6 million patents, there are 185+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, non-volatile flash memory, neuromorphic computing, and haptic feedback interfaces are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. RAID transmission error detection, projector-camera system, and optimized vector processing are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are resistive touch displays and digital watermarking, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for the technology industry
Digital watermarking is a key innovation area in technology
Digital watermarking involves discreetly inserting concealed information, like text, images, or various data types, into digital media like images, audio, and video. This addition is imperceptible to the human eye or ear but can be discerned using specific software or methods. Its main objectives include securing copyright, authenticating content, detecting tampering, and facilitating various forms of data verification and protection.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 700+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established technology companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of digital watermarking.
Key players in digital watermarking—a disruptive innovation in the technology industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to digital watermarking
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Among the companies innovating in digital watermarking, AT&T is one of the leading patents filers. The company’s patents are aimed at describing a method employed to steer a set of cameras for identifying various potential sources. These sources are then determined based on the image data provided by the cameras. Each of these potential sources is assigned a specific microphone beam from a collection of beams belonging to multiple microphones. Subsequently, a first command, which may consist of either an initial audible cue derived from signals received by a portion of the microphones, a visual cue based on image data from one of the cameras, or both, is detected. This command is used to operate a media centre, and the media centre is then adjusted in accordance with the first command. Other prominent patent filers in the space include Adeia and Sony Group.
In terms of application diversity, Intel leads the pack, while Cox Enterprises and Apple stood in second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, Vectormax held the top position, followed by Lululemon Athletica and Flex.
Digital watermarking allows creators to embed hidden information within digital media, providing a means to establish ownership and deter unauthorized use or distribution. This technology serves as a crucial tool in safeguarding copyrights, ensuring content integrity, and enabling traceability. By offering a covert layer of protection, digital watermarking plays a pivotal role in upholding the rights and authenticity of digital content in an increasingly interconnected and digital-centric world.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the technology industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Technology.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
