The technology industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by the rising demand for high-quality immersive audio experiences in applications such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), gaming, and 360-degree video, and growing importance of technologies such as advanced microphone arrays, specialized software for encoding and decoding ambisonic audio, and compatible playback systems. 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: ambisonic audio encoding. 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
Ambisonic audio encoding is a key innovation area in technology
Ambisonic audio encoding employs mathematical functions to capture and reproduce sound in three-dimensional space, enabling the creation of immersive auditory experiences that immerse the listener within the sound environment.
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 110+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established technology companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of ambisonic audio encoding.
Key players in ambisonic audio encoding – 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 ambisonic audio encoding
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2022) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| HTC | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Qualcomm | 946 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sennheiser Electronic | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Apple | 44 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Angewandten Forschung | 449 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hitachi | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Ricoh | 21 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Koninklijke KPN | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Koninklijke Philips | 21 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nokia | 391 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Panasonic | 13 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sony Group | 164 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nippon Telegraph and Telephone | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Intel | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| BARCO | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Magic Leap | 25 | Unlock Company Profile |
| THOMSON LICENSING | 18 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Beijing ByteDance Technology | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mimi Hearing Technologies | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Huddly | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Gaudio Lab | 40 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ARKAMYS | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Verizon Patent And Licensing | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| III Holdings 1 | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nomono | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Syng | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Among the companies innovating in ambisonic audio encoding, Qualcomm is one of the leading patents filers. The company’s patents are aimed at describing methods that involve indicating the potential reusability of frame parameters for decoding vectors. A device, equipped with a processor and memory, can execute these techniques. The processor's function includes retrieving a bitstream that contains a vector representing an orthogonal spatial axis within a spherical harmonics domain. Additionally, the bitstream contains an indication of whether to recycle, from a prior frame, at least one syntax element that signifies information utilized during the compression of the vector. The memory, on the other hand, is responsible for storing the bitstream. Other prominent patent filers in the space include Dolby Laboratories and Nokia.
In terms of application diversity, Dolby Laboratories held the top position, while Qualcomm and Nokia stood in the second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, The Saudi Public Investment Fund leads the pack, followed by Dolby Laboratories and Huddly.
Ambisonic audio encoding enables the capture and reproduction of sound in a three-dimensional space, creating an immersive auditory experience. The technology is particularly crucial in applications such as VR, AR, gaming, and 360-degree video, where realistic and spatially accurate audio enhances the overall immersion and user experience. Ambisonic encoding plays a pivotal role in delivering lifelike audio environments, making it an indispensable tool for modern audio production and entertainment.
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.
