Selective Visual Display Systems Ranks as the #7 Technology Area in the 2019 Patent 300™ Report

By Rocky Berndsen

The 2019 Patent 300™ Report details the top 300 companies, organizations, and universities obtaining patents in the United States.  Data from the report shows that nearly 70% of the U.S. patents obtained in 2018 were for electrical, software, or computer-related technologies.  The top 10 technology areas, which represent 49% of the 167,164 U.S. patents obtained by Patent 300 companies in 2018, are dominated by electrical technologies.

Chart 1 shows the Selective Visual Display Systems technology area ranked 7th largest in 2018.  Selective Visual Display Systems covers United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) technology classifications related to processes and apparatus for selective, electrical control of two or more light-generating or light-controlling display elements. Processes and devices under these classifications use received or stored image data signal. The image data includes character, graphical information, or display attribute data.  Image data sources may consist of peripheral input devices, television signals, image data recognition, or computers.

This class also includes digital data processing systems or methods for visual presentation.  Data processing consists of the creation or manipulation of graphic objects (e.g., artificial images), or text.  The class includes telegraphy subclasses for digitizing writing tablets, styluses, and circuits.

Chart 1 – Top 10 Technology Areas for Patent 300 (2018 U.S. Patents)

RankPatent 300 Technology Area2018 U.S. PatentsPercentage of Total 2018 U.S. Patents
1Semiconductors/Memory15,1539%
2Electrical Circuits and Systems13,2158%
3Multiplex and VoIP9,8756%
4Optics9,0035%
5Printing/Measuring and Testing8,6415%
6Thermal & Combustion Technology, Motive & Fluid Power Systems7,0174%
7Selective Visual Display Systems4,8553%
8Telecommunications: Analog Radio Telephone; Satellite and Power Control; Transceivers, Measuring and Testing; Bluetooth; Receivers and Transmitters; Equipment Details4,7613%
9Computer Networks4,5443%
10Cryptography and Security4,3113%

The top 20 companies in the Selective Visual Display Systems area, shown in Chart 2, are large global technology companies. Selective Visual Display Systems is an important technology area in the patent world with over 4,855 US patents in 2018 alone.  They include Samsung (#1), BOE Technology Group (#2), TCL (#3), Apple (#4), and others.  Samsung tops the list having obtained 909 US patents, up slightly from 2017.  BOE Technology had a 20% increase from 2017 at 481 US patents.  TCL, at 308, was up 28% from 2017. The top 20 companies represent a cross-section of the technology sector.  Included are device manufacturers, software, and media companies.

Chart 2 – Top 20 Companies by U.S. Patents in Selective Visual Display Systems

Patent 300 Company NamePatent 300 Rank in Selective Visual Display SystemsSelective Visual Display Systems Patents 2018% of Company’s 2018 U.S. PatentsSelective Visual Display Systems Patents 2017Change from 2017 Patents
Samsung190911%9011%
BOE248129%38720%
TCL330832%22328%
Apple425812%20421%
LG Display524136%20415%
Japan Display621535%18713%
Sony71849%1783%
Microsoft81546%12718%
Synaptics911659%119-3%
Seiko Epson10967%7918%
Semiconductor Energy Lab119411%940%
LG Electronics12924%113-23%
Sharp138913%111-25%
Panasonic14804%4642%
IBM15801%5235%
Lenovo167813%90-15%
Alphabet17703%657%
Microchip Technology186534%4235%
Intel19592%4819%
Immersion205841%3933%

For more detailed information about this technology area, or any other data related to the 2019 Patent 300™ Report, please visit harrityllp.com/patent300/ or contact Rocky Berndsen directly via email at rberndsen@harrityllp.com.