The technology industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by the increasing demand for immersive 3D content in various industries, including entertainment, gaming, virtual reality, and augmented reality. This has resulted in the growing importance of technologies such as depth mapping, frame packing, view synthesis, and advanced compression algorithms. These technologies aim to optimize the storage and transmission of 3D video, providing a seamless and immersive viewing experience for users. 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: stereoscopic video coding. 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
Stereoscopic video coding is a key innovation area in technology
Stereoscopic video coding refers to a video compression technique employed for encoding 3D video content, enabling efficient storage and transmission. This technology compresses two distinct video streams, typically representing left-eye and right-eye views, into a single stream that can be decoded in real-time. By combining the two perspectives during decoding, the viewer experiences the illusion of depth and a stereoscopic 3D visual effect.
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 105+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established technology companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of stereoscopic video coding.
Key players in stereoscopic video coding – 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 stereoscopic video coding
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2022) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Qualcomm | 86 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Square Enix | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| MediaTek | 27 | Unlock Company Profile |
| JVCKENWOOD | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Citrix Systems | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Olympus | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Koninklijke Philips | 105 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mitsubishi Electric | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nokia | 19 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Panasonic | 174 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Canon | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sony Group | 89 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sharp | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Japan Broadcasting | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| THOMSON LICENSING | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sun Patent Trust | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ELG Electronic Kft | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Korea Electronics Telecommun | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Panasonic is one of the leading patent filer in the field of stereoscopic video coding. One of the company’s patents describes an invention related to an information recording and reproduction device for 3D image playback. It aims to improve screen efficiency by displaying subtitles with stereoscopic images. By setting a video shift mode for each subtitle, the video plane can be adjusted upwards or downwards during playback, allowing for a reframe processing that collects dark frames at the upper or lower end of the subtitle area, thus saving space for subtitle display.
Other prominent patent filers in the space include The Saudi Public Investment Fund and Sony Group.
By geographic reach, Ncam Technologies leads the pack, followed by Dolby Laboratories and Meta Platforms. In terms of application diversity, Panasonic holds the top position, followed by Samsung Group and Sony Group.
Stereoscopic video coding can efficiently encode and deliver 3D video content. By compressing two separate video streams into a single stream, it enables the storage and transmission of immersive 3D experiences. Stereoscopic video coding allows viewers to perceive depth and enjoy stereoscopic 3D vision, enhancing their visual immersion and engagement with the content. This technology plays a vital role in applications such as 3D movies, virtual reality, and augmented reality, offering a more captivating and realistic visual experience.
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.
