The technology industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by the increasing demand for data storage, advancements in mobile and wearable devices, and the growing popularity of cloud computing, as well as growing importance of technologies such as NAND and NOR flash memory architectures, 3D stacking techniques to increase storage density, and advanced manufacturing processes to improve performance and reliability. 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: non-volatile flash memory. 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
Non-volatile flash memory is a key innovation area in technology
Non-volatile flash memory refers to a category of memory composed of semiconductor devices that retain data even in the absence of power. It finds widespread use in various consumer electronics, including digital cameras, USB flash drives, and video game consoles.
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 75+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established technology companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of non-volatile flash memory.
Key players in non-volatile flash memory – 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 non-volatile flash memory
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2022) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| eMemory Technology | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Funai Electric | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ZTE | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Silicon Motion Technology | 28 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Microsoft | 17 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Apple | 20 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Alibaba Group | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hitachi | 17 | Unlock Company Profile |
| CEA | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Phison Electronics | 19 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Renesas Electronics | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Acer | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Infineon Technologies | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| SanDisk | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| IBM | 50 | Unlock Company Profile |
| STMicroelectronics | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Macronix International | 16 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Toshiba | 61 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Intel | 62 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Pure Storage | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Micron Technology | 188 | Unlock Company Profile |
| MOSAID Technologies | 23 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kioxia | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sandisk Technologies | 17 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Ace Kai Hynix | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Micron Technology is the top patent filer in the non-volatile flash memory landscape. One of the company’s patents focuses on apparatuses and methods for memory operations on data. One example method involves performing an operation where a first managed unit is written to a second managed unit, and the first managed unit is then placed in a free state. The first managed unit is positioned at a specific distance from the second managed unit.
Other prominent patent filers in the space include Western Digital and SK Square.
By geographic reach, MOSAID Technologies leads the pack, followed by Microchip Technology and Apple. In terms of application diversity, Micron Technology holds the top position, followed by Samsung Group and Western Digital.
Non-volatile flash memory can retain stored data even when the power is turned off. It offers several advantages over traditional volatile memory, including higher storage capacity, faster access times, and lower power consumption. Such memory also offers the advantage of persistent data storage, allowing users to access their stored information reliably and conveniently, even after power cycles or system shutdowns.
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.
