The technology industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by the increasing demand for smaller and more interconnected electronic devices, such as smartphones, wearables, and IoT devices and advancements in semiconductor technology, miniaturization, and power management and growing importance of technologies such as master-slave communication, addressing, and clock synchronization mechanisms. The I2C protocol’s simplicity, versatility, and low power consumption make it an attractive choice for these applications factors driving innovation in the industry. 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: inter-integrated circuits (I2C). 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
Inter-integrated circuits (I2C) is a key innovation area in technology
Inter-integrated circuits (I2C) refer to a serial bus protocol utilized for connecting various peripheral devices, including sensors and displays, to a microcontroller. It serves as a standard communication method between integrated circuits and other electronic components. The I2C bus facilitates seamless data exchange among multiple devices through two bi-directional data lines and a clock line, ensuring efficient and dependable data transfer and reliable and fast communication capabilities.
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 360+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established technology companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of inter-integrated circuits (I2C).
Key players in inter-integrated circuits (I2C) – 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 inter-integrated circuits (I2C)
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2022) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Silicon Motion Technology | 47 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Qualcomm | 184 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Lexmark International | 34 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Inventec | 85 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Texas Instruments | 57 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Alibaba Group | 62 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Wistron | 29 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hitachi | 46 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Advantest | 26 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Dell Technologies | 216 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hon Hai Precision Industry | 30 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Advanced Micro Devices | 142 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Canon | 27 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Realtek Semiconductor | 56 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sony Group | 89 | Unlock Company Profile |
| IBM | 121 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Inspur Electronic Information Industry | 210 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Microchip Technology | 29 | Unlock Company Profile |
| NEC | 33 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Quanta Computer | 80 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Intel | 898 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Micron Technology | 187 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Liqid | 89 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Guangzhou Shiyuan Electronic Technology | 43 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kioxia | 29 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Suzhou Langchao Intelligent Technology | 52 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Rockport Networks | 25 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Intel is the leading patent filer in inter-integrated circuits (I2C) domain. One of the company’s patents explains an apparatus and methods involving a first latch that compares an input signal with a reference signal to provide an output signal, and a second latch connected to the output of the first latch. The second latch utilizes a CMOS inverter to generate an output signal with a greater signal swing than the output signal of the first latch. .
Other prominent patent filers in the space include Samsung Group and Huawei.
By geographic reach, Rockport Networks leads the pack, followed by Guangzhou Shiyuan Electronic Technology and Guangzhou Shirui Electronics. In terms of application diversity, Hewlett Packard Enterprise holds the top position, followed by Intel and HP.
Inter-integrated circuits (I2C) provide a standardized and efficient method for communication between integrated circuits and peripheral devices. I2C enables seamless connectivity and data exchange between various components, such as sensors, displays, and microcontrollers, simplifying the integration of different devices within electronic systems. Its bi-directional data lines and clock line facilitate fast and reliable data transfer, allowing for efficient control and coordination among multiple 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.
