The advancement of the Internet-of Things (IoT) and new sensory technologies has led to the creation of a new segment of devices called Wearables, which connect with the human body and help users access biophysical data for a number of applications, including fitness, medicine, disability, education, transportation, gaming and entertainment.
Wearable
Technology
Licensing and Landscape
Microsoft, Philips and Alphabet lead patent filings in wearable technology with 757, 756 and 602 patents/patent applications respectively, followed by Samsung (498 patents/patent applications) and Qualcomm (patents/patent applications).
Other notable assignees in this space are Medtronics, a company specializing in smart medical devices such as remote cardiac monitoring systems, with 379 patents/patent applications, and Aliph, which produces the Jawbone line of fitness wearables.
We use our Licensing-Heat Map framework to identify sub-domains in the field of Wearable Technology where licensing activity is expected to be high.
Manufacturing/Fabrication and Measurement Testing are red in color, which reflects a very distributed portfolio with no monopoly of any assignee in these domains. Hence there is a higher chance of licensing activity.
Domains like Medical Devices and Display Systems fall in the green shades reflecting that the patent portfolio in these domains is predominantly held by fewer players.
Medtronic, Philips and Dexcom are the top three companies having the highest number of patent applications in the Medical Devices domain, while the Display Systems domain is ruled by the three technology behemoths – Alphabet, Microsoft and Samsung.
Medical Devices
Other Hardware(Circuits)
Display systems
Other(Miscellaneous)
ResourceManagement
Movement SpeechProcessing
Measurement/Testing
Heat rate Other(Algorithm)
Input/Outputinterfaces
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The Wearable Electronics and Technology market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 17.8% and reach $31.27 billion by 2020*
Mergers and Acquisitions
Market Projections
Top Assignees
LICENSING HEAT MAP
A CAGR of 17.8%
2020*
$ 31.27 Billion
13.78
16.24
19.13
26.54
22.53
31.27
2015 2016
2017 2018
2019
2020
© LexInnova 2016 www.lex-innova.com
What and WhyWearable technology comprises all products and devices which can be worn on a user’s body to integrate computing into their daily activity.
Technical maturity and miniaturization of components have opened the gateway for a new generation of wearable devices that are expected to have a far reaching impact.
The devices cover a wide range of smart technologies, including smart watches, smart eyewear, connected apparel, medical devices, etc.
One of the most recent acquisitions in the wearable technology domain was made by Fossil Group, which acquired Misfit in November, 2015.
Intel has accelerated its entry in the wearable space by acquiring Recon in June, 2015, which follows its acquisition of Basis in March, 2014.
Microsoft considered acquiring Osterhout Design Group, a low-profile company that develops wearables for the military, but instead picked up a big chunk of its IP. Six issued and 75 in-progress patents for Augmented Reality glasses were picked up by Microsoft in the multi-million dollar deal.
Another significant acquisition in the wearable tech space was by Facebook in 2014, of an app called Moves, which it picked up with the purchase of Helsinki-based developer ProtoGeo Oy.
*Source: The market value of Wearable Technology is a mash-up between the estimates of 'Wearable Technology Market' by Markets and Markets, and LexInnova’s estimations using the CAGR formula.
International BusinessMachines
188
Intel
164
ETRI
164
Panasonic
153
Honeywell
152
Dexcom
207
Apple
197
Nokia
196
Abbott Laboratories
195
Fitbit
192
Intellectual VenturesManagement
412
Medtronic
379
Aliph
357
LG
232
Microsoft
757
Philips
756
Alphabet
602
Samsung
498
Qualcomm
415
Sony
318
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