1 Augmented Reality Patent Trend Analysis

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1 1 Augmented Reality Patent Trend Analysis

2 Augmented Reality Patent Trend 1. Analysis Background and Methods Augmented reality is a technology that combines real and virtual world, where a user experiences real-world environment together with computer-generated virtual information space 1 - Current virtual reality only dealt with virtual space and objects, but augmented reality has a special feature that provides additional information difficult to obtain in real world by showing virtual objects to users overlaid on top of the real world they see with their eyes. Augmented reality was selected as top ten socially influential innovative technology by MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) in 2007, and as top ten promising technology from 2008 to 2012 by Gartner Inc, an American information technology research firm. It also shows real practical cases combined with mobile, wearable, and PC technology today. - Global furniture company IKEA is the typical successful case of the practical use of augmented reality, and their catalog app which allows users to place furniture in an empty office space or home before purchasing has become a big issue. - A wearable device Google Glass which materializes augmented reality has become a big issue even before the release. 1 Augmented Reality Technology and Analysis on Practical Cases, KIAT Augmented Reality Patent Trend Analysis 2

3 [IKEA AUGMENTED REALITY CATALOG 2014] 2 [Google Glasses] It is currently used in field of map, commercial, education, and media, but it is expected to be applied more actively in the field of medicine, manufacturing, and industries which requires high level of accuracy. According to Juniper Research, a market research company, augmented reality related market is expected to grow up to $150 million by 2015, and ABI Research expects the scale of investment of augmented reality to grow up to $250 million by Particularly, mobile augmented reality market is expected to show high growth. Juniper Research expects augmented reality market within mobile industry to grow from $2 million in 2010 up to $730 million in This report conducted a patent trend analysis of augmented reality technology publicized or registered in U.S. from 2000 to 2014 using WIPS Global. - Augmented reality related keywords were selected, and then the data group was developed by creating a search formula using synonyms and analogues. The noise documents were removed after that and the final data was extracted. 2 Place IKEA furniture in your home with augmented reality, YouTube Capture 3 Developers to Invest $2.5 Billion in Augmented Reality in 2018; Look for Enterprise to Drive Smart Glasses, ABI Research 4 Augmented Reality in Mobile Phone Another transformation of location information, Digital Times 3 Augmented Reality Patent Trend Analysis

4 - Based on the research results, patent trend analysis by year, number of applicants by year, current nationality of applicants, patent trend analysis by technology, and major applicants as well as joint applicants were examined. Augmented Reality Patent Trend Analysis 4

5 2. Augmented Reality Patent Analysis Result There are total of 781 augmented reality patents applied in U.S. and the number has been progressively increasing in general, but the number of application particularly showed explosive increase from Augmented reality related patents were applied starting in 95 and its activity began to take off after cases which were more than 2.5 times more than the previous year were applied in It continuously increased through 2011 and 2012, and the total of 204 patents was applied within one year period of [Augmented Reality Patent Trend by Year] Out of 781 total patent applications, U.S. applicants recorded highest among nationality of applicants followed by Korea, Germany, Finland, and Japan. 5 Augmented Reality Patent Trend Analysis

6 [Applicant Nationality Status] Since the number of applicants by year has been increasing continuously since 1995, the market competition is expected to become more intense in the field of augmented reality in the years to come. - The comparison in number of players divided into three sections from 1995 to 2014 shows steady increase in development. [Number of Applicants by year] Top major applicants were global electrical and electronic companies such as SIEMENS, QUALCOMM, SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS, and NOKIA. Augmented Reality Patent Trend Analysis 6

7 - SIEMENS filed total of 35 patents from 1990 to 2000 and had been active in technology developments. They already launched a navigation development project INSTAR 5 with augmented reality technology in QUALCOMM, with 26 patents applied, launched augmented reality development platform Vuforia last year, and compared to last year, Vuforia based application amounts up to 5, Samsung began their real patent activity starting in the late 2000 and now holds total of 24 patents. They already launched augmented reality book SAMSUNG AR Book in 2011 and are putting great efforts in development of augmented reality technology that can be applied to wearable devices. - NOKIA developed the mobile phone with AR technology and became a hot issue in 2009, and currently provides various services by releasing AR applied maps and applications. [Major Applicant Status] 5 Information and Navigation Systems Through Augmented Reality, YouTube 6 QUALCOMM CEO Accelerating Digital 6 th Sense Generation, INEWS24 7 Augmented Reality Patent Trend Analysis

8 [Major Applicant Status by Year] [Part of SIEMENS s INSTAR Intro video] [QUALCOMM s Vuforia] [Part of Samsung s AR Book Intro Video] [NOKIA s AR Map Service] Augmented Reality Patent Trend Analysis 8

9 Looking at the application status by IPC, arrangements or circuit for control of indicating devices using static means to present variable information (G09G), image data processing or generation (G06T), and electrical digital data processing (G06F) had the highest number of applications. [Application Status by IPC] [Current Status by IPC] IPC G09G Technology Field ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION Patent Patent number Percentage % G06T IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION % G06F ELECTRICAL DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING % H04N PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION 74 9% G06K G06Q RECOGNITION OF DATA ; PRESENTATION OF DATA ; RECORD CARRIERS ; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS DATA PROCESSING SYSTEMS OR METHODS, SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORY OR FORECASTING PURPOSES 66 8% 38 5% 9 Augmented Reality Patent Trend Analysis

10 A63F CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR 18 2% A61B DIAGNOSIS ; SURGERY ; IDENTIFICATION 16 2% G08B SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS ; ORDER TELEGRAPHS ; ALARM SYSTEMS 15 2% Application status of joint patents between companies shows only 3 cases of augmented reality related patents, meaning that most of the companies are carrying out their patent application independently. - 4 of them were U.S. applicants, 2 were Taiwan applicants, and more than half of them were universities or research institutes. Augmented Reality Patent Trend Analysis 10

11 3. Summary U.S. applied augmented reality patents were 781 cases, and it shows explosive increase after Looking at the number of applicants, recent number of players has increased tremendously and the market competition is expected to become more intense in the field of augmented reality in the years to come. Looking at the nationality of applicants, U.S. domestic applicants appeared to have taken up the highest percentage and the next highest were Korea, Germany, Finland, and Japan. Key applicants of augmented reality patents were SIEMENS, QUALCOMM, SAMSUNG, and NOKIA. In the past, SIEMENS were matchlessly highest in number of patents but recently, QUALCOMM, SAMSUNG, and NOKIA have suddenly rose up as key applicants. - SIEMENS showed an enthusiastic attitude toward research development in the past but no particular research development activity is shown recently. - QALCOMM, SAMSUNG, and NOKIA seem to be putting great efforts in applicable augmented reality research developments. Looking at the application status by IPC, arrangements or circuit for control of indicating devices using static means to present variable information (G09G), image data processing or generation (G06T), and electrical digital data processing (G06F) had the highest number of applications. Looking at the joint application status, very small number of joint research was being done meaning that most of the companies are carrying out their patent application independently. With other recent industries and various converging research developments, its power of influence through industrial convergence is expected to grow considerably in the future. Therefore, continuous effort in development of 11 Augmented Reality Patent Trend Analysis

12 original technology and commercialization of the technology will be necessary to lead the future market. Augmented Reality Patent Trend Analysis 12