Samsung Electronics is poised to achieve a milestone of 300,000 patents globally this year. As competition in the technology sector expands into the realm of patents amid the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), the company is accelerating its efforts to strengthen its technological leadership by building one of the world's largest patent portfolios through increased research and development (R&D) investments.
According to industry sources, Samsung plans to spend a record 16 trillion won on R&D in the second quarter, enhancing its patent competitiveness. In the first quarter alone, the company registered approximately 6,900 new patents, bringing its total to 288,770 by the end of the first quarter. Given that Samsung has secured between 10,000 and 20,000 new patents annually in recent years, it is highly likely that the cumulative total will surpass 300,000 by the end of this year.
Regionally, the United States leads with 107,531 registered patents, followed by South Korea, Europe, and China. Samsung is focusing on securing patents in the U.S. market, which is the most active in global patent disputes, to enhance its technological defenses.
Samsung has established itself as the leading company for patent registrations in the United States. According to patent information firm IFI Claims, Samsung registered 7,054 patents in the U.S. last year, ranking first among global companies. This figure represents an 11% increase from the previous year’s 6,377 patents, marking the fourth consecutive year that Samsung has held the top spot in U.S. patent registrations. Taiwan's TSMC and Qualcomm followed with around 4,000 patents each, while IBM, which held the top position for 29 consecutive years, fell to 11th place.
A recent agreement with U.S. memory company Netlist exemplifies Samsung's patent enhancement strategy. On August 6, the two companies signed a five-year strategic partnership agreement that includes cross-licensing of patent portfolios, memory product supply, and technology collaboration. As part of the agreement, Samsung will gain access to Netlist's entire patent portfolio, including server DIMMs and high-bandwidth memory (HBM), while Netlist will receive supplies of DRAM and NAND flash.
Under the contract, Samsung will initially pay a licensing fee of $239 million (approximately 340 billion won) and will make additional payments of up to $32.9 million (approximately 47 billion won) quarterly over the next five years, with a maximum total payment of about $897 million (approximately 1.2 trillion won). The two companies also agreed to settle all patent litigation that has been ongoing since 2021 and waive mutual legal liabilities and claims.
The company's patent competitiveness is bolstered by its substantial R&D investments. Samsung spent a record 38 trillion won on R&D last year, and in the first quarter of this year, it invested 11.3 trillion won, followed by 16 trillion won in the second quarter. This massive R&D investment is seen as creating a virtuous cycle that leads to the development of new technologies and the acquisition of patents, thereby enhancing market competitiveness.
An industry insider stated, "In the AI era, protecting developed technologies with patents is as important as the development itself. Patents serve as a shield against competitors and are a key weapon for enabling cross-licensing, technology collaboration, and revenue generation." The insider added, "Achieving 300,000 patents is a significant strategic asset for maintaining global technological leadership in the AI era."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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