The technology industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by the increasing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) worldwide, government incentives promoting sustainable transportation, the desire for more convenient charging solutions, and growing importance of technologies such as inductive charging, resonant inductive coupling, and radio frequency (RF) energy transfer. 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 Electric vehicles in technology: wireless charging. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over 1.6 million patents to analyze innovation intensity for the technology industry, there are 185+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Wireless charging is a key innovation area in electric vehicles
Wireless charging is a technique for powering electronic devices like smartphones or smartwatches, which doesn’t rely on physical cables. Instead, it achieves energy transfer through the utilization of a charging base or pad.
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 820 companies, spanning technology vendors, established technology companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of wireless charging.
Key players in wireless charging – 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 wireless charging
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Among the companies innovating in wireless charging, Toyota Motor is one of the leading patents filers. The company’s patents are aimed at describing the charger designed to transform electric power from an external source into power stored in a power storage device (MB). A user input component accepts an upper limit value set by the user. The control device then oversees the charger to ensure that this user-input upper limit value acts as a cap for the charging current supplied from the charger to charge the power storage device (MB).Other prominent patent filers in the space include Honda Motor and Hyundai Motor.
In terms of application diversity, Toyota Motor leads the pack, while Honda Motor and iRobot stood in second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, iRobot held the top position, followed by Sumitomo Heavy Industries and Sandvik.
Wireless charging is a ground-breaking advancement in EV technology, offering a convenient and efficient method to recharge EV batteries. By eliminating the need for physical cables, wireless charging simplifies the charging process, making it more user-friendly and reducing wear on charging equipment. This technology is particularly significant in enhancing the accessibility and practicality of EVs, allowing for seamless charging in various environments. It also addresses concerns about the availability of charging infrastructure, making EV adoption more viable for a broader range of users.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the technology industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Electric Vehicles (EV).
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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.
