Samsung was the 2nd biggest smart home patent applicant last year, and it holds hundreds upon hundreds of patents related to 5G technology alone. The company's patent portfolio continues growing every year, and according to the local media, Samsung has secured nearly 7,000 more patents since the beginning of the year.
Samsung Electronics reportedly holds more than 200,000 patents worldwide. They cover technologies for various segments, from semiconductors and System LSI solutions to smartphones and TVs.
According to Business Korea, Samsung owns a large majority of patents in the USA. There, the company is leveraging some 80,633 patents for various technologies. By region, South Korea is next with 44,271 patents, followed by Europe with 39,288 patents. In China and Japan, Samsung owns 18,879 and 9,584 patents, respectively. An additional 13,161 patents are being held by the company all around the world.
The company is amassing new patents as it develops new technologies — after all, it's one of the world's largest R&D spenders. And in the process, Samsung is protecting its intellectual properties from rival companies and so-called patent trolls, i.e., companies that don't manufacture anything but specialize in holding patents and suing other companies for using their non-existent technologies without a license.
