Thermal & Combustion Technology, Motive & Fluid Power Systems Ranks as the #6 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 Thermal & Combustion Technology, Motive & Fluid Power Systems technology ranked 6th largest in 2018. There were 7,017 patents issued for Patent 300 companies in the U.S. Thermal & Combustion Technology, Motive & Fluid Power Systems covers several United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) technology classifications. Motive Power Systems are systems of electrical supply and/or of control for one or more electric motors. Electrical Systems and Devices, Power Supply or Regulation Systems, Electrothermally or Thermally Actuated Switches, are among the many possible classifications related to this technology area.

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

Rank	Patent 300 Technology Area	2018 U.S. Patents	Percentage of Total 2018 U.S. Patents
1	Semiconductors/Memory	15,153	9%
2	Electrical Circuits and Systems	13,215	8%
3	Multiplex and VoIP	9,875	6%
4	Optics	9,003	5%
5	Printing/Measuring and Testing	8,641	5%
6	Thermal & Combustion Technology, Motive & Fluid Power Systems	7,017	4%
7	Selective Visual Display Systems	4,855	3%
8	Telecommunications: Analog Radio Telephone; Satellite and Power Control; Transceivers, Measuring and Testing; Bluetooth; Receivers and Transmitters; Equipment Details	4,761	3%
9	Computer Networks	4,544	3%
10	Cryptography and Security	4,311	3%

The top 20 companies in the Thermal & Combustion Technology, Motive & Fluid Power Systems area are shown in Chart 2. They include UTX (#1), GE (#2), Ford (#3), Toyota (#4), and others. United Technologies Corporation tops the list having obtained 906 U.S. patents, up 46% from 2017. General Electric had a 6% increase over 2017 at 574 U.S. patents. Ford, at 462, was down 4% from 2017. The top 20 companies represent a cross-section of the manufacturing, transportation, and technology sectors. Included are automakers and supporting companies, tech companies, and other manufacturers.

Chart 2 – Top 20 Companies by U.S. Patents in Thermal & Combustion Technology, Motive & Fluid Power Systems

Patent 300 Company Name	Patent 300 Rank in Thermal & Combustion Technology, Motive & Fluid Power Systems	Thermal & Combustion Technology, Motive & Fluid Power Systems Patents 2018	% of Company's 2018 U.S. Patents	Thermal & Combustion Technology, Motive & Fluid Power Systems Patents 2017	Change from 2017 Patents
UTX	1	906	42%	492	46%
GE	2	574	22%	537	6%
Ford	3	462	21%	482	-4%
Toyota	4	407	16%	381	6%
Hyundai	5	251	16%	197	22%
GM	6	226	19%	218	4%
Safran	7	224	44%	161	28%
Rolls-Royce	8	216	55%	184	15%
Denso	9	215	18%	178	17%
Siemens	10	185	13%	176	5%
Mitsubishi Electric	11	175	15%	191	-9%
Robert Bosch	12	171	13%	176	-3%
LG Electronics	13	143	6%	148	-3%
Caterpillar	14	140	28%	192	-37%
Mitsubishi Heavy	15	138	41%	161	-17%
Honeywell.	16	99	9%	104	-5%
Continental	17	96	23%	105	-9%
Mahle	18	91	58%	113	-24%
Borgwarner	19	91	46%	88	3%
Honda	20	87	9%	80	8%

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.