the big5 patents report
TRANSCRIPT
THE ‘BIG 5’ PATENTS REPORTPatent activity and trends across Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google,
and Microsoft
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Executive summary
Overall trends
Aggregate themes
Individual company analysis
Amazon
Apple
Microsoft
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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OVERALL PATENT ACTIVITY FROM BIG 5 COHORT ON
THE RISE
Applications trend upwards: Collectively, these IP powerhouses
have applied for more than 52,000 patents since 2009. Total
applications have steadily risen as each company diversifies its
research activities, with annual combined applications nearing
10,000 in 2013.
Microsoft leads, Facebook lags: Microsoft has filed for the most
patents, applying for over 16,800 since 2009, with second-place
Google applying for more than 14,500. Apple was in 3rd and
Amazon 4th, with Facebook lagging significantly behind.
Grants also rising: Although somewhat dependent on the USPTO
approval process, annual grant publications for this cohort have
also consistently grown. Google is now surpassing Microsoft for
the top spot here in part thanks to the reversal of its anti-patent
stance early in the decade.
INDIVIDUAL PATENTS REVEAL BROAD INTERESTS IN AI,
AR/VR, AND VEHICLES
AI activity skyrockets: 2014 applications with AI-related keywords
have already set an annual record, with more applications likely to
be published. Microsoft leads with Google quickly rising in second,
while Apple lags all of its peers thus far.
Facebook picking up: Although behind the other four in overall
filings, its activity is on the rise and recently published applications
reveal its efforts to automate the removal of objectionable content
using machine learning.
Apple targets vehicles, wearables: Apple came in second behind
Google in our keyword analysis of vehicle-related tech. Individual
filings point to research in autonomous vehicles and AR/VR.
Amazon broadens activities: The e-commerce company has
moved from consumer devices like e-book readers and tablets to
drones, cybersecurity, and potentially tech to support its Go stores.
Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft have applied for over
52,000+ PATENTSsince 2009
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35
65
51
02
70
31
94
57
98
04
92
30
61
40
22
21
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Total applications (AAPL, AMZN, FB, GOOG, MSFT)
to date
PATENT APPLICATIONS
MARCH UPWARD
Collective patent
applications from these technology giants has consistently risen on an
annual basis, as each company broadens the scope of its research
activities.
Combined applications neared 10,000 in 2013; more recent years may
exceed that threshold as more patents are published.
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OVERALL PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITYBy date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
245
535659
9541073
988
517
215
994
13781497
2391
2097
2468
1917
678
40100
211
461 432
660
420
184
556
792
2165
3355 3371
2403
1365
589
1730
2297
2499
2296
28312711
1921
555
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Amazon Apple Facebook Google Microsoft
to date
MSFT, GOOG, AAPL
AMONG MOST ACTIVE
Microsoft began the
decade with the most patent applications by a wide margin, but patent
applications from Google and Apple have skyrocketed since.
Google’s activity
dramatically increased from 2011-2013 as the company reversed its
early anti-patent bias.
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PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITY BY COMPANYBy date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
16,840 14,596 13,420 5,186
2,508
By date of application, 2009 – 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
CUMULATIVE APPLICATIONS BY COMPANY
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37
69
44
48
37
68
55
00
75
19
90
13
96
79
10
54
9
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 YTD
Total grants published (AAPL, AMZN, FB, GOOG, MSFT)
GRANT COUNT RISE
REFLECTS APPLICATION UPTICK
The growing number of
patents applications from this cohort is beginning to surface in publication of
granted patents figures as well.
Total grants published for the group has topped
10,000 for the first time in 2016 to date.
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OVERALL PATENT GRANT ACTIVITYBy date of grant publication, 2010 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
65139
193306
550
757
1153
1635
399
721805
1290
1951
2184 2130
2414
7 850
130291 387 432
146
277415
1060
1852
2638
3307 32483159
3304
2347
2794
30363143
27022820
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 YTD
Amazon Apple Facebook Google Microsoft
GOOGLE TAKES THE
LEAD IN GRANTS PUBLISHED
Google’s flurry of early-to
mid-decade application activity has led it to top Microsoft in grants
published from 2015 on.
With the exception of Microsoft, patent publications are trending
upward across our big 5 cohort.
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GRANT PUBLICATION ACTIVITY BY COMPANYBy date of grant publication, 2010 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
16 21 18 25 21
70
27
6
22 14
1741
25
39
16
4
3
11
18
4
1
4
3
1
15
7
6
5
6
3
1
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Microsoft Google Amazon Facebook Apple
MICROSOFT, GOOGLE
DOMINATE AI PATENTS
Activity has sharply
increased in the key battleground of AI and machine learning
technologies.
Microsoft leads the pack with over 200 related patent applications since
2009, while Google comes in second with over 150. Apple, criticized
for being slow to the draw in this field, comes in last.
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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITYBy date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
Analysis filters patent titles and abstracts for select relevant keywords, e.g. machine learning, deep learning, neural network, etc.Does not include pre-acquisition patent activity of purchased companies (e.g. DeepMind with Google)
to date
19
22
87 81
101
3628
41
3
1215
9
13
8
7 4
10
125
12
7
6
2 2
14
12
8
3
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Google Apple Microsoft Amazon
GOOGLE APPLYING FOR
HUNDREDS OF VEHICLE PATENTS
With the Google Self-
Driving Car Project (recently launched as Waymo) long in gestation,
it’s not surprising that Google holds the crown.
Apple comes in second, while Amazon has also
applied for a handful of patents related to automated delivery
drones and warehouse vehicles.
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VEHICLE TECH PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITYBy date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
Analysis filters patent titles and abstracts for select relevant keywords, e.g. autonomous driving, self-driving vehicle, etc.Does not include pre-acquisition patent activity of purchased companies
to date
6 8
17
33
23 2219
13
4
7
9
64 9
64
5
7
45 2
2
2
1
4 1
2
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Microsoft Google Amazon Apple
MICROSOFT ALSO
TOPS AR/VR ACTIVITY
Thus far, patent
submission activity for AR/VR and related tech peaked in 2012.
Microsoft again leads the
way, driven by the development of the mixed reality HoloLens.
Microsoft also has number of patents related to its Kinect motion
sensing and gaming devices, which HoloLens traces its lineage to.
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AR/VR PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITYBy date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
Analysis filters patent titles and abstracts for select relevant keywords, e.g. augmented reality, virtual reality, eye tracking, etc.Does not include pre-acquisition patent activity of purchased companies (e.g. Oculus with Facebook)
to date
24
5
53
5
65
9
95
4
10
73
98
8
51
7
21
5
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Total applications
to date
AMAZON RISING
CONSISTENTLY FROM 2009 ON
The Seattle giant’s patent
activity has rocketed as it pushes beyond core e-commerce into cloud
services, hardware, B&Mretail, and so on.
Amazon’s annual patent applications more than
quadrupled from 2009 to 2013.
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AMAZON PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITYBy date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
AMAZON’S INTERESTS
BROADEN BEYOND
Amazon’s top keywords
represent a shift in focus from core e-commerce competencies like product
recommendation to developing its Kindle line and other consumer
devices (red) as well as delivery drones (orange).
As AWS has risen in prominence, the frequency
of cybersecurity keywords has also spiked (light blue).
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AMAZON TOP PHRASES BY SIGNIFICANCEBy date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
electronic reader resource resource resource resource inventory resource resource
computer
networknode client client provider resource client authentication
reader device user device network page image image image provider virtual machine
phrasevarious
embodimentprovider provider client electronic device
computer
networkprovider
reader clientvarious
embodimentuser device node tablet
various
embodimentclient
node provider image component inventory fluid instance policy
network site virtual machine electronic devicevarious
embodimentinstance instance inventory
various
embodiment
client network page user device recommendation server providerunmanned
vehicle
computer
network
virtual computer recommendation instance environment computing palette node replica
adapter book inventory inventoryvarious
embodimentholder container service provider
server electronic book server server environment client configuration execution
environment instance digital work power object container component computing
resource delivery content item element control virtual machine bincryptographic
key
delivery catalog host objectcomputer
systemcolor palette vehicle instance
ISOLATING SPECIFIC
USERS
This filing relates to the
identification of a specific user in a crowd by comparing a physiological
conditions across individuals (e.g. heart rate).
This patent describes a device use case, but
similar technology could hypothetically be employed to track
shoppers in Amazon’s recently-announced, highly automated Go stores.
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AMAZON PATENTS OF INTERESTExample 1: “Detecting the primary user of a device”
Application date: 6/7/2015Publication date: 12/8/2016
AUTOMATING
SHOPPING PROCESSES
Regarding Amazon Go, the
company also applied for a patent describing the identification and tracking
of user-picked items from a “materials handling facility.”
Interpreted in the context
of Amazon Go, this research could be used to track each shopper’s
shopping cart in an automated store.
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AMAZON PATENTS OF INTERESTExample 2: “Transitioning items from a materials handling facility ”
Application date: 9/24/2014Publication date: 1/8/2015
WAREHOUSING
AUTOMATION ALSO A FOCUS
Amazon is known for its
drive to maximize efficiency in its warehouses and fulfillment centers, often
leveraging automation (e.g. with its acquisition of Kiva Systems).
The company has applied
for a number of robotic packaging and inventory management systems.
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AMAZON PATENTS OF INTEREST
Application date: 12/16/2014Publication date: 6/16/2016
Example 3: “Generating robotic grasping instructions for inventory items ”
99
4
13
78
14
97
23
91
20
97
24
68
19
17
67
8
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Total applications
to date
APPLE’S
APPLICATIONS RISING AFTER DIP IN 2013
Cupertino’s annual
application count fell in 2013 but seems poised to resume an upward trend
as the company continues pushing into new fields such as
wearables and vehicles.
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APPLE PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITYBy date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
APPLE WEARABLE
PUSH EVIDENT
Many of Apple’s top
phrases reflect its core device and hardware businesses.
However, more recent
years reveal Apple’s emphasis on wearable development (orange),
especially as the Apple Watch has come to market.
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APPLE TOP PHRASES BY SIGNIFICANCEBy date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
electronic
device
electronic
device
electronic
device
electronic
device
electronic
device
electronic
device
electronic
device
electronic
device
medium device display screen medium device display screen display screen graphical user wearable device layer
portable
computerscreen packaging screen screen display screen display screen adapter
image graphical user memory graphical user graphical user screen screen mobile device
connector icon image image connector wearable deviceband
attachmentscreen
dock insert packaging station connector housing connector graphical user substrate
power housing keyboard structure layer layer attachment housing
stand cover graphical user cover image component layer wireless
circuit station connector power memory housing connector cover
keyboard power circuit circuitthereof with
iconpower component component
packaging image screenthereof with
iconsignal circuit structure communication
dock portable display display screen adapter circuit packaging power circuit
APPLE’S VEHICLE
RESEARCH
Though Apple has lagged
somewhat in overall AI research, recent reports have detailed the
expansion of its machine learning efforts.
Apple’s long-rumored automotive project has
said to have shifted focus from developing an actual vehicle to developing a
self-driving system instead.
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APPLE PATENTS OF INTERESTExample 1: “Collision avoidance of arbitrary polygonal obstacles”
Application date: 6/7/2015Publication date: 12/8/2016
INDOOR NAVIGATION
FOR POTENTIAL AR/VRUSE CASES
Another recently
published Apple patent involves precisely mapping and navigation
indoor environments.
As the patent’s description notes, such capabilities would be
useful not just for smartphones, but also “smart glasses and other
devices.”
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APPLE PATENTS OF INTERESTExample 2: “Visual-based inertial navigation”
Application date: 8/12/2016Publication date: 12/1/2016
40 10
0
21
1
46
1
43
2
66
0
42
0
18
4
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Total applications
to date
FACEBOOK PATENT
ACTIVITY BEGINNING TO PICK UP
Of this cohort, Facebook
is notably less active from an intellectual property standpoint.
However, it has recently
begun to submit more applications, with its 2014 applications already
marking an annual record, even with more patents (likely) awaiting
publication.
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FACEBOOK PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITYBy date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
TACKLING SUSPECT
CONTENT: FAKE NEWS?
Since the 2016 US
presidential election, Facebook has faced increasing criticism for
“fake news” on it platform.
Recently published patents reveal efforts to leverage machine learning
to automate the flagging and removal of objectionable content
dating back to 2015.
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FACEBOOK PATENTS OF INTERESTExample 1: “Systems and methods to identify objectionable content”
Application date: 6/1/2015Publication date: 12/1/2016
OCULUS FORGING
AHEAD
Oculus’ VR patents are
still filed under the Facebook subsidiary itself rather than the corporate
parent.
A number of recently published documents reveal work in hand-held
VR controllers, likely for the development of Oculus’ just-launched
Touch controllers.
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FACEBOOK PATENTS OF INTERESTExample 2: “Hand-held controllers for virtual reality system”
Application date: 6/3/2015Publication date: 12/8/2016
55
6
79
2
21
65
33
55
33
71
24
03
13
65
58
9
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Total applications
to date
GOOGLE BECOMES IP
POWERHOUSE
Google executives (up to
Larry Page and Sergey Brin) were once infamous for opposing excessive
patenting as a threat to innovation.
However, as the threat of smartphone litigation
intensified in the early 2010s, Google began applying for patents at a
blistering pace.
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GOOGLE PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITYBy date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
image document search image image image display device search
document query document search searchwearable
displayimage image
search search query document query vehicle search vehicle
query image image query content item display device query balloon
score server server server document search glass query
server score clientwearable
display
computing
devicecontent item graphical user content item
program program programcomputing
devicevehicle computer icon content item notification
client client web content item computing message vehicle graphical user
computer
program
computer
programmobile device score score document
computing
device
computing
device
communication message object vehicle mobile devicecomputing
devicecomputing user device
content item resource value client graphical user query communication communication
advertisement advertisement computing computing server display panel screen hotword
TOP GOOGLE
KEYWORDS HIGHLIGHT X PROJECTS
Advertising (light blue)
has fallen off the top keyword list as Mountain View seeks to diversify.
Highly visible are
keywords related to X “moonshot” projects, including self-driving cars
(red), Google Glass and wearables (orange), and Project Loon’s internet
delivery balloons (blue).
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GOOGLE TOP PHRASES BY SIGNIFICANCEBy date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
SELF-DRIVING CAR
PROJECT MATURING
Google’s Self-Driving Car
Project has “graduated” from beta and become the new full-fledged
Alphabet company Waymo.
This just-published application describes the
mechanisms to both initiate a ride and trigger an emergency stop, either
through input buttons in an autonomous car or other devices.
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GOOGLE PATENTS OF INTERESTExample 1: “Autonomous vehicles”
Application date: 6/8/2016Publication date: 12/1/2016
AR/VR RESEARCH
REMAINS STRONG AS WELL
Despite the failure of
Google Glass to generate significant traction, the company’s patent outputs
reflect the various augmented and virtual reality projects that it is
still pushing forward.
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GOOGLE PATENTS OF INTERESTExample 2: “See-through eyepiece for head wearable display”
Application date: 8/17/2016Publication date: 12/8/2016
17
30
22
97
24
99
22
96
28
31
27
11
19
21
55
5
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Total applications
to date
MICROSOFT HOLDING
STEADY
Out of this tech cohort,
Microsoft’s patent application totals have been the least volatile.
Despite a corporate
restructuring in 2013 and an executive transition in 2014, the company’s
overall research activity has remained strong.
www.cbinsights.com 39
MICROSOFT PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITYBy date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
NEW MICROSOFT
HARDWARE COMES INTO FOCUS
Microsoft’s patent
keywords provide an early glimpse into the development of the
Surface tablet lines (orange).
The “headset” and “visor” patents (light blue)
highlight the ramp-up of Microsoft’s efforts in the AR/VR space seen earlier,
specifically its HoloLens headset.
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MICROSOFT TOP PHRASES BY SIGNIFICANCEBy date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16)
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
display screen display screen display screen display screen display screen display screen display screen message
screen screen screen screen screen screen screen communication
icon icon graphical user graphical user graphical user graphical user graphical user component
image image iconscreen with
icon
screen with
iconhandset controller document
keyboardelectronic
mouse
screen with
iconicon icon image
screen with
iconserver
object document image image handset document icon environment
avatar query objectelectronic
cameraimage
screen with
iconheadset query
component search query object search communication visor object
clientelectronic
camerasearch
electronic
mousetype font client document file
server mouseelectronic
mousesearch headset icon client computing
file message server input deviceelectronic
tabletenvironment communication peer
gesture resource controller document client computing elementcomputing
device
player component headsetelectronic
tabletdocument resource message resource
resource value resource environment controller moduleheadset with
visorgesture
MICROSOFT CONTINUES
NATURAL LANGUAGE WORK
One new patent
application details Redmond’s efforts to facilitate natural language
conversations by personalizing virtual assistant responses.
This would bolster
Microsoft’s Cortana assistant and potentially chatbots for its
productivity software.
www.cbinsights.com 41
MICROSOFT PATENTS OF INTERESTExample 1: “Crafting feedback dialogue with a virtual assistant”
Application date: 5/20/2016Publication date: 11/24/2016
WEARABLES STILL ON
THE RADAR
Microsoft may still be
interested in wearables and smartwatches despite the discontinuation of its
Band fitness wearable, as the company recently filed a patent detailing a new
wearable device and corresponding dock.
www.cbinsights.com 42
MICROSOFT PATENTS OF INTERESTExample 2: “Wearable personal information system”
Application date: 7/11/2016Publication date: 11/3/2016
A word on the nature of patents analysis
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The patent filing and grant process involves several key dates
with significant time lags in between (see the graphic to the right).
After an application is submitted, there is a delay before it is
published. This lag is typically 12-18 months but can range from
several months to over two years.
The delay before the publication of granted (approved) patents is
even more variable; occasionally decades can pass before grants
are published.
Applications and grants cannot be captured for analysis until they
are published, so these time lags are important to keep in mind.
Note: Our analysis focuses on patents filed or granted directly under each company’s
name, although this may still include a small number of patents from acquired
companies attributed to their parent.
Application filed(Application date)
Application published(App publication date)
Grant published(Grant publication date)
typically 12-18 months
typically several years, but can take decades
TYPICAL PATENT PROCESS