微型氣體傳感器專利申請趨勢
如今，移動應用集成了越來越多的傳感器（慣性傳感器、壓力傳感器、MEMS麥克風等），氣體傳感器很可能將是下一個集成進入智能手機和（或）可穿戴設備的傳感器。消費類應用正推動新型氣體傳感器進一步降低成本、功耗和尺寸，尤其是MEMS技術的採用。這些傳感器也因此被稱為MEMS氣體傳感器。這些技術和商業需求為氣體傳感器的創新開啟了大門，並為氣體傳感器供應商的全球競爭增加了新維度。該領域近期發生的併購事件（AMS / Applied Sensors / NXP / CCMOS / TDK / Micronas）反映了該市場的繁榮。通過氣體傳感器市場及相關專利的分析，結果令人意外的是，其市場領導者（Honeywell、MSA、NGK、Figaro）和微型氣體傳感器主要專利權利人（Bosch、Siemens、Micronas、CCMOS）之間並不一致。這或許預示著氣體傳感器市場即將發生改變：針對新應用的新專利及相關器件或將打破原有的市場格局。
氣體傳感器在手機中的應用專利
目前，全球氣體傳感器的專利數量正在不斷上升，一些國家已經憑藉其強大的專利佈局而脫穎而出。所有這些信號都預示著微型氣體傳感器市場即將騰飛。根據Yole最新的報告《氣體傳感器技術與市場-2016版》，消費類應用的氣體傳感器市場規模將從2015年的1200萬美元，增長至2021年的9500萬美元（如果這些氣體傳感器技術得到大規模應用，預計市場規模還將再提高6000萬美元）。2014~2020年間的複合年增長率將達33%，消費類應用的氣體傳感器市場將以氣體傳感器市場裡最快的增長速率穩定增長。面對如此蓬勃的新興市場，針對微型氣體傳感器強有力的專利佈局，將成為廠商進入該市場的前提條件。
目前正是通過深入分析關鍵技術和關鍵廠商的相關專利，了解全球微型氣體傳感器專利態勢的關鍵時期，由此可以預見市場動態發展趨勢，把握市場機遇，規避風險，制定增強企業市場地位、實現專利佈局收益最大化的發展戰略。
本報告深入研究了可應用於消費領域的微型氣體傳感器的專利態勢，具體包括：極具創新性的氣體傳感技術、基於現有MEMS/半導體/光學集成平台以及利用微製造工藝製造的相關氣體傳感器專利。
微型氣體傳感器專利主要申請人
截止2016年8月，全球公開了超過1050件發明專利，這些專利來自440多位申請人。首件關於MEMS氣體傳感器的專利是由一家日本企業（NEC）在上世紀80年代申請，不過，專利申請活躍期是由歐洲和美國企業（Siemens、Fraunhofer（德國弗勞恩霍夫研究所）、 CEA（法國原子能委員會）、SRI、SPX等）進入該領域而在1985~1994年間興起的。基於CEA的研究成果，多家初創企業得以創立。隨著新興的IDM企業（ST Microelectronics、Micronas、Honeywell、NGK、Bosch）、美國研究實驗室（Caltech（加州理工）、University of Florida（佛羅里達州立大學））以及純氣體傳感器廠商（AMS、Sensirion、APIX 、NXP等）的專利申請貢獻，該領域的第一波專利申請高峰在1994~2003年間出現。目前，有760多件專利獲得了授權，大部分集中在中國、歐洲和美國，510多件專利申請處於待審狀態，主要集中在歐洲、中國和美國。我們認為該領域全球範圍內的授權專利數量和專利申請數量仍將保持上升趨勢，顯示出該領域的技術正逐漸走向成熟階段，可應用於消費領域的微型氣體傳感器市場將在未來獲得增長。
全球微型氣體傳感器專利區域分佈
市場主要廠商的專利佈局
全球微型氣體傳感器專利申請人排名
MEMS氣體傳感器專利涉及440多位專利申請人。Bosch（博世）是該領域全球主要專利權人，並且在該領域的專利申請仍非常活躍。但是經過我們的深入分析，發現Caltech、General Electric（Amphenol）、Honeywell以及Siemens在該領域的專利佈局強度相對最高，創建了真正的潛在的專利壁壘。本報告根據申請人的專利數量、專利引證網絡、專利申請國家和當前法律狀態，對主要專利權人進行了排名，並分析了它們的專利相對強度。報告還揭示了擁有可能應用於消費領域的氣體傳感器技術的專利申請人及其專利佈局強度，描繪了它們的專利競爭地位。
按技術分類的主要申請人分析
本報告經過分析識別出18位主要廠商：AMS、APIX Analytics、Applied Sensor、Bosch、Caltech、Cambridge CMOS Sensors、CEA、ETRI、Figaro、Fraunhofe、General Electric、Honeywell、Micronas、NGK Spark Plugs、Sensirion、Siemens、 SPEC Sensors以及VTT。報告針對每位申請人分別提供了關於其微型氣體傳感器技術的專利分析，包括：專利申請動態、主要申請國家、主要技術特徵、專利強度、專利合作網絡以及核心專利。
已申請專利保護的技術及專利佈局策略
本報告對所選擇的1050多件發明專利進行了技術分類：電學探測（FET、CMOS、MOS/MIS、化學傳感器、碳納米管/石墨烯傳感器）、光學探測、聲學探測、熱氣體傳感器、電子機械氣體傳感器、電子化學氣體傳感器以及氣相色譜分析。
微型CMOS / MOS / MIS氣體傳感器全球主要申請人區域分佈
本報告分別介紹了每一類技術的優缺點、專利申請時間趨勢、主要申請人及其申請國、核心專利和快到期專利，以及主要專利申請人與市場主導廠商之間的對比分析。
本報告介紹了關於微型氣體傳感器的近期授權技術，並揭示了主要專利權人的專利佈局策略和技術選擇。
Consumer applications open up new perspectives for gas sensors ; Do the key market players have the best IP positions?
MICRO GAS SENSOR IP DYNAMICS COME ALONG WITH THE MARKET RAMP-UP
Today, mobile applications aggregate more and more sensors (pressure, inertial…), and gas sensors could be the next sensors to be integrated in smart phones and/or wearables devices. Consumer applications are driving new gas sensors development to reduce cost, power consumption and size, especially with MEMS technologies. Such gas sensors are thus referred as “MEMS gas sensors”. These technical and business requirements have opened the door to innovation and added a new dimension to the global competition between gas sensor suppliers. The recent mergers and acquisitions (AMS/Applied Sensors/NXP/CCMOS, TDK/Micronas) reflect this thriving sector in structuration. What is surprising with the gas sensor market and related patents, is the discrepancies between the market leaders (Honeywell, MSA, NGK, Figaro) and the leaders for patents related to miniaturized gas sensors (Bosch, Siemens, Micronas, CCMOS). This is highlighting the fact that the gas sensor market is about to change: the new patents and related devices are targeting new applications, which may disrupt the market.
Nowadays, the number of enforceable patents is increasing worldwide, and several companies already stand out by their strong IP position. All of these signs suggest the market start. According to the latest analysis from Yole Développement (Gas Sensor Technology & Market, February 2016), the market size of gas sensors for consumer applications should grow from $12M in 2015 to more than $95M in 2021 (upside of $60M if massive adoption of these technologies). With a CAGR 2014 - 2020 of 33%, this segment is poised to experienced the highest grow rate of the gas sensor market. In such emerging market, a strong intellectual property (IP) position on miniaturized gas sensors is thus essential for companies to enter in this promising business.
Now it is a critical time for understanding the global patent landscape of miniaturized gas sensors through in-depth patent analyses of key technologies and key players, in order to anticipate changes, harvest business opportunities, mitigate risks and make strategic decisions to strengthen one’s market position and maximize return on one’s IP portfolio.
In this report, we have investigated the patent landscape of miniaturized gas sensors that could be used in consumer applications, i.e. patents claiming gas sensing technologies with very innovative approaches, based on existing MEMS/Semiconductor/Optical integration platforms and manufactured by micro-fabricating processes.
More than 1,050 patented inventions have been published worldwide up to August 2016 by more than 440 patent applicants. First patents on MEMS gas sensors was filed by Japanese companies in the early 1980’s (NEC), but patent activity really emerged between 1985 and 1994 with the apparition of European and American companies (Siemens, Fraunhofer, CEA, SRI, SPX…). Multiple start-ups have been created on the basis of CEA R&D results. A first wave of patent publications occurred between 1994 and 2003 induced by the emergence of IDMs (ST Microelectronics, Micronas, Honeywell, NGK, Bosch), American R&D labs (Caltech, University of Florida) and pure play gas sensor companies (CCMOS Sensors, Applied Sensor). Since then, patent publications have increased thanks to a high patent activity of Chinese universities (mainly in China) and European players (worldwide). The last 3 years newcomers started to file patents on MEMS gas sensors (AMS, Sensirion, APIX, NXP…). Currently, more than 760 patents are granted, mainly in China, Europe and USA, and more than 510 patent applications are pending, mainly in Europe, China and USA. We believe the significant ratio of patents in force and the high number of patent applications still in the pipeline worldwide is an indication of the technology maturity heralding a future ramp-up of the market of miniaturized gas sensors that could be used in consumer applications.
KNOW THE IP POSITION OF KEY PLAYERS
More than 440 patent applicants are involved in MEMS gas sensors patent landscape. Bosch is the main patent holder around the world and is still very active in this field. But according to our analysis, Caltech, General Electric (Amphenol), Honeywell and Siemens have the strongest patent portfolios with a real IP blocking potential. The report provides a ranking and analysis of the relative strength of the top patent holders derived from their portfolio size, patent citation networks, countries of patent filings and current legal status of patents. We reveal the IP strength of the key IP players involved in gas sensor technologies that could be used in consumer applications and we depict their competitive IP position.
In our analysis, we have identified 18 key players : AMS, APIX Analytics, Applied Sensor, Bosch, Caltech, Cambridge CMOS Sensors, CEA, ETRI, Figaro, Fraunhofer, General Electric, Honeywell, Micronas, NGK Spark Plugs, Sensirion, Siemens, SPEC Sensors, VTT. For each one, we provide a miniaturized gas sensors IP profile including dynamics and main countries of filing of their patent applications, key features of their patent portfolio, IP strength, collaboration network and key patents.
PATENTED TECHNOLOGY AND IP STRATEGY
The 1,050+ patented inventions selected for this study have been categorized by technology segments: electrical detection (FET, CMOS, MOS/MIS, chemical sensors, sensors with CNTs/graphene), optical detection, acoustic detection, thermal gas sensors, electro-mechanical gas sensors, electro-chemical gas sensors and gas chromatography.
For each segment, the report includes the description of the technology, its advantages and its drawbacks, the time evolution of patent applications, the main patent assignees and their filing countries, the key patents, the patents near expiration date and a comparison between main IP players and main market players.
We describe the recent patented technologies on miniaturized gas sensors and we reveal the IP strategy and the technical choices of the main patent assignees.
USEFUL PATENT DATABASE (2,400+ PATENT FAMILIES)
Our report also includes an Excel database containing the 2,400+ patents analyzed in the study. This useful patent database allows multi-criteria searches and includes patent publication number, hyperlinks to the original documents, priority date, title, abstract, patent assignees, technological segments and legal status for each member of the patent families.
COMPANIES MENTIONED IN THE REPORT (NON-EXHAUSTIVE)
Amphenol, AMS, APIX Analytics, Applied Sensors, Bosch, Caltech, Cambridge CMOS Sensors, CEA, Elster, ETRI, Figaro, Fraunhofer, General Electric, Hitachi, Honeywell, ITRI, KWJ Engineering, Micronas, New Cosmos Electric, NTK/NGK, NXP, Oriental Systems Technology, Sensirion, Siemens, SLS Technology, Spectral Engines, SPEC Sensors, ST Microelectronics, Suzhou LeanStar Electronic Technology, VTT…
Source:YOLE
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