Samsung tops U.S. patents as Chinese firms rise

Samsung retained its top position for US patent grants in 2024, marking its third consecutive year at the summit. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) surpassed Qualcomm for second place, while Apple climbed to fourth. Huawei's patent grants surged by 47%, propelling it to fifth place. IBM's ranking dropped to eighth, reflecting a more selective patent filing strategy. US companies secured 56% of all US patent grants, followed by Japanese, Chinese, South Korean, and German entities. Chinese patent applications experienced a 32% increase. Growth in AI-related patents slowed, a trend attributed to previous rapid expansion in this area. The overall number of patent grants increased by 3.8% in 2024, reversing a four-year decline. Despite this increase, a substantial backlog of unexamined patent applications persists at the USPTO.