Patent families by capability, 2020–2024
Each tile is one capability of the Critical Technology framework, as large as the patent families in the classes it is read from; the capabilities sit together in their group. A family in two capabilities' classes counts in both. Colour it by group, or by how fast its families grew, 2020–24 on 2015–19. Select a tile for its capability.
4,390,619 patent families across 47 capabilities, all groups.
- Artificial Intelligence
- Semiconductors & Advanced Computing
- Quantum Technologies
- Robotics & Autonomous Systems
- Energy Technologies
- Biotechnology & Health Technologies
- Connectivity, Cyber & Trust Technologies
- Sensing, Timing & Navigation
- Space Technologies
- Advanced Materials & Manufacturing
Origins leading the most capabilities
The origin with the largest share of each capability's families. Counted on families filed in more than one office instead, the leaders are: United States 28, Japan 13, China 5, South Korea 1.
China 46
Applied AI & Advanced Analytics · Machine Learning & Foundation Models · Advanced Wireless Communication · Batteries & Energy Storage · Protective Cybersecurity Technologies · Privacy, Identity & Trust Technologies · Advanced Semiconductor Fabrication · Synthetic Biology & Genetic Engineering · Semiconductor Equipment & Materials · Biomanufacturing · Autonomous Systems & Trusted Autonomy · Advanced Robotics · Hydrogen, Ammonia & Sustainable Fuels · Advanced Imaging & Photonic Sensing · Advanced Packaging & Heterogeneous Integration · Genomics & Biological Data · Advanced Therapeutics, Vaccines & Medical Countermeasures · Advanced Optical Communication & Photonics · Next-Generation Solar & Renewables · Human-Machine Interfaces · Additive & Precision Manufacturing · Functional Materials & Coatings · Nanomaterials & Metamaterials · Structural & Composite Materials · Radar & Radiofrequency Sensing · Uncrewed & Collaborative Systems · High-Performance & AI Computing · Compound & Power Semiconductors · Satellite & Constellation Technologies · Semiconductor Design & EDA · Resilient Positioning & Navigation · Superconducting, Magnetic & Photonic Materials · Advanced Nuclear & Fusion · Acoustic & Undersea Sensing · Nuclear Medicine & Radioisotope Technologies · Resilient & Infrastructure-Independent Networks · Advanced Chemical & Process Manufacturing · Quantum Computing · Precision Timing & Atomic Clocks · Advanced Propulsion & Hypersonic Systems · Quantum Communication · Space Launch & Reusable Systems · Energetic Materials · AI Safety, Security & Evaluation · Directed Energy Technologies · Quantum Sensing & Metrology
South Korea 1
Post-Quantum Cryptography
China 
South Korea By capability
Largest first. Growth is 2020–2024 on the five years before; abroad is the share of families filed in more than one office.
| Capability | Group | Families | Growth | Abroad | First | Second | Top international applicant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied AI & Advanced Analytics | Artificial Intelligence | 916k | +207% | 13% | China 79% | United States 7% | SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD |
| Machine Learning & Foundation Models | Artificial Intelligence | 506.7k | +420% | 15% | China 75% | South Korea 9% | SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD |
| Advanced Wireless Communication | Connectivity, Cyber & Trust Technologies | 312.2k | +32% | 46% | China 56% | United States 17% | HUAWEI TECH CO LTD |
| Batteries & Energy Storage | Energy Technologies | 260.4k | +83% | 30% | China 61% | South Korea 16% | LG ENERGY SOLUTION LTD |
| Protective Cybersecurity Technologies | Connectivity, Cyber & Trust Technologies | 216k | +74% | 18% | China 71% | United States 14% | HUAWEI TECH CO LTD |
| Privacy, Identity & Trust Technologies | Connectivity, Cyber & Trust Technologies | 166.7k | +43% | 21% | China 65% | United States 14% | HUAWEI TECH CO LTD |
| Advanced Semiconductor Fabrication | Semiconductors & Advanced Computing | 147.7k | +18% | 50% | China 38% | Japan 20% | SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD |
| Synthetic Biology & Genetic Engineering | Biotechnology & Health Technologies | 135.1k | +64% | 32% | China 70% | United States 15% | UNIV CALIFORNIA |
| Semiconductor Equipment & Materials | Semiconductors & Advanced Computing | 132.4k | +39% | 39% | China 46% | Japan 20% | TOKYO ELECTRON LTD |
| Biomanufacturing | Biotechnology & Health Technologies | 126.5k | +38% | 30% | China 67% | United States 11% | UNIV CALIFORNIA |
| Autonomous Systems & Trusted Autonomy | Robotics & Autonomous Systems | 101.6k | +67% | 29% | China 57% | Japan 11% | TOYOTA MOTOR CORP |
| Advanced Robotics | Robotics & Autonomous Systems | 100.6k | +47% | 23% | China 63% | South Korea 11% | FANUC CORP |
| Hydrogen, Ammonia & Sustainable Fuels | Energy Technologies | 94.8k | +94% | 25% | China 58% | Japan 10% | BOSCH GMBH ROBERT |
| Advanced Imaging & Photonic Sensing | Sensing, Timing & Navigation | 90.6k | +53% | 32% | China 56% | Japan 11% | SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORP |
| Advanced Packaging & Heterogeneous Integration | Semiconductors & Advanced Computing | 89.4k | +26% | 53% | China 37% | Japan 18% | SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD |
| Genomics & Biological Data | Biotechnology & Health Technologies | 87.9k | +57% | 25% | China 70% | United States 13% | ILLUMINA INC |
| Advanced Therapeutics, Vaccines & Medical Countermeasures | Biotechnology & Health Technologies | 81.3k | +55% | 54% | China 47% | United States 28% | UNIV CALIFORNIA |
| Advanced Optical Communication & Photonics | Connectivity, Cyber & Trust Technologies | 76.5k | +24% | 33% | China 61% | Japan 12% | HUAWEI TECH CO LTD |
| Next-Generation Solar & Renewables | Energy Technologies | 71.9k | +29% | 21% | China 73% | South Korea 6% | VESTAS WIND SYS AS |
| Human-Machine Interfaces | Robotics & Autonomous Systems | 68.7k | +22% | 37% | China 45% | United States 19% | SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD |
| Additive & Precision Manufacturing | Advanced Materials & Manufacturing | 66.7k | +13% | 30% | China 55% | United States 12% | FANUC CORP |
| Functional Materials & Coatings | Advanced Materials & Manufacturing | 64.4k | −4% | 22% | China 68% | Japan 11% | APPLIED MATERIALS INC |
| Nanomaterials & Metamaterials | Advanced Materials & Manufacturing | 62.6k | +26% | 22% | China 71% | United States 8% | SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD |
| Structural & Composite Materials | Advanced Materials & Manufacturing | 57k | +10% | 19% | China 70% | Japan 10% | BOEING CO |
| Radar & Radiofrequency Sensing | Sensing, Timing & Navigation | 53.2k | +70% | 25% | China 64% | United States 9% | BOSCH GMBH ROBERT |
| Uncrewed & Collaborative Systems | Robotics & Autonomous Systems | 37.6k | +38% | 20% | China 57% | South Korea 16% | SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO LTD |
| High-Performance & AI Computing | Semiconductors & Advanced Computing | 33.2k | +67% | 37% | China 54% | United States 21% | INTEL CORP |
| Compound & Power Semiconductors | Semiconductors & Advanced Computing | 26.3k | +46% | 42% | China 50% | Japan 18% | TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MFG CO LTD |
| Satellite & Constellation Technologies | Space Technologies | 24.7k | +114% | 24% | China 73% | United States 11% | HUAWEI TECH CO LTD |
| Semiconductor Design & EDA | Semiconductors & Advanced Computing | 22.6k | +75% | 23% | China 69% | United States 12% | TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MFG CO LTD |
| Resilient Positioning & Navigation | Sensing, Timing & Navigation | 21.8k | +60% | 17% | China 78% | United States 6% | BOSCH GMBH ROBERT |
| Superconducting, Magnetic & Photonic Materials | Advanced Materials & Manufacturing | 20.6k | +18% | 32% | China 55% | Japan 18% | TDK CORP |
| Advanced Nuclear & Fusion | Energy Technologies | 16.4k | +36% | 17% | China 63% | South Korea 14% | CGN POWER CO LTD |
| Acoustic & Undersea Sensing | Sensing, Timing & Navigation | 16.3k | +20% | 27% | China 58% | United States 9% | BOSCH GMBH ROBERT |
| Nuclear Medicine & Radioisotope Technologies | Biotechnology & Health Technologies | 14.5k | +29% | 45% | China 51% | United States 18% | KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV |
| Resilient & Infrastructure-Independent Networks | Connectivity, Cyber & Trust Technologies | 13.6k | −6% | 25% | China 68% | United States 11% | HUAWEI TECH CO LTD |
| Advanced Chemical & Process Manufacturingtools | Advanced Materials & Manufacturing | 13.4k | +55% | 28% | China 66% | United States 8% | SABIC GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES BV |
| Quantum Computing | Quantum Technologies | 10.8k | +326% | 42% | China 42% | United States 26% | IBM |
| Precision Timing & Atomic Clocks | Sensing, Timing & Navigation | 6.2k | +50% | 23% | China 77% | United States 9% | HUAWEI TECH CO LTD |
| Advanced Propulsion & Hypersonic Systems | Space Technologies | 6.2k | +46% | 14% | China 71% | United States 11% | ARIANEGROUP SAS |
| Quantum Communication | Quantum Technologies | 5.6k | +121% | 23% | China 67% | United States 10% | TOSHIBA KK |
| Space Launch & Reusable Systems | Space Technologies | 4.5k | +49% | 13% | China 72% | United States 8% | ARIANEGROUP SAS |
| Energetic Materials | Advanced Materials & Manufacturing | 3.1k | +4% | 9% | China 82% | United States 4% | ARIANEGROUP SAS |
| AI Safety, Security & Evaluationtools | Artificial Intelligence | 2.3k | +167% | 37% | China 45% | United States 25% | FUJITSU LTD |
| Directed Energy Technologies | Energy Technologies | 2k | +17% | 40% | China 49% | United States 17% | GIGAPHOTON INC |
| Quantum Sensing & Metrology | Quantum Technologies | 1.6k | +35% | 41% | China 41% | United States 18% | SEIKO EPSON CORP |
| Post-Quantum Cryptography | Quantum Technologies | 505 | +125% | 60% | South Korea 25% | United States 24% | SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD |
United States 
Japan