The technology industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by the advancements in organic photovoltaic materials, the development of flexible substrates, and the optimisation of device architectures to achieve efficient energy conversion.The growing importance of flexible substrates, organic semiconductors, thin-film encapsulation and roll-to-roll (R2R) manufacturing techniques further supports innovation in the industry. These key technologies collectively contribute to the advancement of flexible photovoltaic OLEDs enabling sustainable energy generation and versatile applications in various industries. In the last three years alone, there have been over 3.6 million patents filed and granted in the technology industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Technology Innovation: Flexible photovoltaic OLED. 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 stabilising 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.
300+ 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 2.5 million patents, there are 300+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, microphone beamforming, live betting games, and quantum dots are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Circuit design testing, smart contracts, and surround sound systems are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are vehicle platooning and PCI power management, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for the technology industry
Flexible photovoltaic OLED is a key innovation area in technology
Flexible photovoltaic OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) is an organic semiconductor technology that utilises organic materials to produce a thin and flexible film capable of generating electricity without any energy consumption. This emerging technology has the potential to transform energy generation, storage, and utilisation. The remarkable flexibility of these devices enables their seamless integration into portable electronics, solar cells, and wearable devices, offering new possibilities for efficient power generation on the go.
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 60+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established technology companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of flexible photovoltaic OLED.
Key players in flexible photovoltaic OLED – a disruptive innovation in the technology industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to flexible photovoltaic OLED
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2022) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Samsung Group | 1779 | Unlock Company Profile |
| LG Display | 870 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Beijing Electronics | 371 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Semiconductor Energy Laboratory | 335 | Unlock Company Profile |
| TCL Technology Group | 187 | Unlock Company Profile |
| LG | 153 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Japan Display | 139 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Apple | 112 | Unlock Company Profile |
| 3M | 59 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sharp | 52 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kunshan Govisionox Optoelectronics | 49 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sumitomo Chemical | 46 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Aviation Industry | 42 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shenzhen Royole Technologies | 42 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Innolux | 40 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Corning | 28 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kunshan New Flat Panel Display Technology Center | 28 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Visionox Technology | 27 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shenzhen Tianma Microelectronics | 23 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Wuhan Huaxing Optoelectronics Semiconductor Display Technology | 19 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sakai Display Products | 19 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Alphabet | 18 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Porsche Automobil | 17 | Unlock Company Profile |
| E Ink | 17 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sony Group | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Tian Ma Microelectronics | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kabushi Kaisha Limited Energy Kenkyusho | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nitto Denko | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Flexterra | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Toray Industries | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| General Interface Solution | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hewlett Packard Enterprise | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Polyera | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Toyobo | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Huawei Investment & Holding | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Konica Minolta | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Egis Technology | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nagase & | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| AUO | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Microsoft | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Amazon.com | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Xiaomi | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Saudi Arabian Oil | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Krones | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Dai Nippon Printing | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Qualcomm | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| HP | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Intel | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Meta Platforms | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| DuPont de Nemours | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Samsung Group is a leading patent filer in flexible photovoltaic OLED. One of the company’s patents describes a display apparatus with a display area and a non-display area surrounding it. The non-display area includes a bending area, an encapsulation layer, a touch electrode, a touch wire extending to the non-display area, and a fan-out wiring connected to the display area. A portion of the fan-out wiring is located in the bending area, and both the fan-out wiring and the touch wire are made of the same material. Other prominent patent filers in the space include LG Display and Beijing Electronics.
By geographic reach, Nikon leads the pack, followed by Applied Materials and Carl Zeiss Stiftung. In terms of application diversity, Corning holds the top position, followed by Amazon.com and Carl Zeiss Stiftung.
Flexible photovoltaic OLED combines the capabilities of both photovoltaic and OLED technologies in a flexible and lightweight format. This technology enables the generation of electricity from sunlight while simultaneously providing display functionality. The flexibility allows for the integration of solar panels into various surfaces and objects, opening up possibilities for applications such as solar-powered wearables, smart packaging, and portable electronic devices.
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.
