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<p>THE 'BIG 5' PATENTS REPORT Patent activity and trends across Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft The technology market intelligence platform. CB Insights software lets you predict, discuss and communicate emerging technology trends using data in ways that are beyond human cognition. www.cbinsights.com 2 www.cbinsights.com 3 See what other customers have to say at http://www.cbinsights.com/customer-love A FEW OF OUR HAPPY CUSTOMERS The most publicly reference-able customers of anyone in the industry Pat Grady Sequoia Capital, Partner "Think of the fundamental value chain of venture capital If we play the clock forward, the finding and assessing of investments will be almost entirely done by technology, not human beings. And the company that is today positioned to be the market leader in that evolution is CB Insights." 5 6 13 17 18 24 29 33 38 Executive summary Overall trends Aggregate themes Individual company analysis Amazon Apple Facebook Google Microsoft www.cbinsights.com 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY www.cbinsights.com 5 OVERALL PATENT ACTIVITY FROM BIG 5 COHORT ON THE RISE Applications trend upwards: Collectively, these IP powerhouses have applied for more than 52,000 patents since 2009. Total applications have steadily risen as each company diversifies its research activities, with annual combined applications nearing 10,000 in 2013. Microsoft leads, Facebook lags: Microsoft has filed for the most patents, applying for over 16,800 since 2009, with second-place Google applying for more than 14,500. Apple was in 3rd and Amazon 4th, with Facebook lagging significantly behind. Grants also rising: Although somewhat dependent on the USPTO approval process, annual grant publications for this cohort have also consistently grown. Google is now surpassing Microsoft for the top spot here in part thanks to the reversal of its anti-patent stance early in the decade. INDIVIDUAL PATENTS REVEAL BROAD INTERESTS IN AI, AR/VR, AND VEHICLES AI activity skyrockets: 2014 applications with AI-related keywords have already set an annual record, with more applications likely to be published. Microsoft leads with Google quickly rising in second, while Apple lags all of its peers thus far. Facebook picking up: Although behind the other four in overall filings, its activity is on the rise and recently published applications reveal its efforts to automate the removal of objectionable content using machine learning. Apple targets vehicles, wearables: Apple came in second behind Google in our keyword analysis of vehicle-related tech. Individual filings point to research in autonomous vehicles and AR/VR. Amazon broadens activities: The e-commerce company has moved from consumer devices like e-book readers and tablets to drones, cybersecurity, and potentially tech to support its Go stores. Overall Trends PATENT APPLICATIONS & GRANTS www.cbinsights.com 6 Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft have applied for over 52,000+ PATENTS since 2009 www.cbinsights.com 7 356551027031945798049230614022212009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Total applications (AAPL, AMZN, FB, GOOG, MSFT) to date PATENT APPLICATIONS MARCH UPWARD Collective patent applications from these technology giants has consistently risen on an annual basis, as each company broadens the scope of its research activities. Combined applications neared 10,000 in 2013; more recent years may exceed that threshold as more patents are published. www.cbinsights.com 8 OVERALL PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITY By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16) 245 535 659 954 1073 988 517 215 994 1378 1497 2391 2097 2468 1917 678 40 100 211 461 432 660 420 184 556 792 2165 3355 3371 2403 1365 589 1730 2297 2499 2296 2831 2711 1921 555 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Amazon Apple Facebook Google Microsoft to date MSFT, GOOG, AAPL AMONG MOST ACTIVE Microsoft began the decade with the most patent applications by a wide margin, but patent applications from Google and Apple have skyrocketed since. Google's activity dramatically increased from 2011-2013 as the company reversed its early anti-patent bias. www.cbinsights.com 9 PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITY BY COMPANY By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16) 16,840 14,596 13,420 5,186 2,508 By date of application, 2009 2016 YTD (12/12/16) CUMULATIVE APPLICATIONS BY COMPANY www.cbinsights.com 10 3769444837685500751990139679105492009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 YTD Total grants published (AAPL, AMZN, FB, GOOG, MSFT) GRANT COUNT RISE REFLECTS APPLICATION UPTICK The growing number of patents applications from this cohort is beginning to surface in publication of granted patents figures as well. Total grants published for the group has topped 10,000 for the first time in 2016 to date. www.cbinsights.com 11 OVERALL PATENT GRANT ACTIVITY By date of grant publication, 2010 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16) 65 139 193 306 550 757 1153 1635 399 721 805 1290 1951 2184 2130 2414 7 8 50 130 291 387 432 146 277 415 1060 1852 2638 3307 3248 3159 3304 2347 2794 3036 3143 2702 2820 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 YTD Amazon Apple Facebook Google Microsoft GOOGLE TAKES THE LEAD IN GRANTS PUBLISHED Google's flurry of early-to mid-decade application activity has led it to top Microsoft in grants published from 2015 on. With the exception of Microsoft, patent publications are trending upward across our big 5 cohort. www.cbinsights.com 12 GRANT PUBLICATION ACTIVITY BY COMPANY By date of grant publication, 2010 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16) Aggregate themes EXPLORING TRENDING TECH AREAS www.cbinsights.com 13 16 21 18 25 21 70 27 6 2 2 14 17 41 25 39 16 4 3 11 18 4 1 4 3 1 15 7 6 5 6 3 1 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Microsoft Google Amazon Facebook Apple MICROSOFT, GOOGLE DOMINATE AI PATENTS Activity has sharply increased in the key battleground of AI and machine learning technologies. Microsoft leads the pack with over 200 related patent applications since 2009, while Google comes in second with over 150. Apple, criticized for being slow to the draw in this field, comes in last. www.cbinsights.com 14 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITY By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16) Analysis filters patent titles and abstracts for select relevant keywords, e.g. machine learning, deep learning, neural network, etc. Does not include pre-acquisition patent activity of purchased companies (e.g. DeepMind with Google) to date 1 9 22 87 81 101 36 28 4 1 3 12 15 9 13 8 7 4 10 12 5 12 7 6 2 2 1 4 12 8 3 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Google Apple Microsoft Amazon GOOGLE APPLYING FOR HUNDREDS OF VEHICLE PATENTS With the Google Self- Driving Car Project (recently launched as Waymo) long in gestation, it's not surprising that Google holds the crown. Apple comes in second, while Amazon has also applied for a handful of patents related to automated delivery drones and warehouse vehicles. www.cbinsights.com 15 VEHICLE TECH PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITY By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16) Analysis filters patent titles and abstracts for select relevant keywords, e.g. autonomous driving, self-driving vehicle, etc. Does not include pre-acquisition patent activity of purchased companies to date 6 8 17 33 23 22 19 13 4 7 9 6 4 9 6 4 5 7 4 5 2 2 2 1 4 1 2 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Microsoft Google Amazon Apple MICROSOFT ALSO TOPS AR/VR ACTIVITY Thus far, patent submission activity for AR/VR and related tech peaked in 2012. Microsoft again leads the way, driven by the development of the mixed reality HoloLens. Microsoft also has number of patents related to its Kinect motion sensing and gaming devices, which HoloLens traces its lineage to. www.cbinsights.com 16 AR/VR PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITY By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16) Analysis filters patent titles and abstracts for select relevant keywords, e.g. augmented reality, virtual reality, eye tracking, etc. Does not include pre-acquisition patent activity of purchased companies (e.g. Oculus with Facebook) to date Individual company analysis AREAS OF INTEREST & PATENTS OF NOTE www.cbinsights.com 17 www.cbinsights.com 18 Amazon 24553565995410739885172152009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Total applications to date AMAZON RISING CONSISTENTLY FROM 2009 ON The Seattle giant's patent activity has rocketed as it pushes beyond core e- commerce into cloud services, hardware, B&M retail, and so on. Amazon's annual patent applications more than quadrupled from 2009 to 2013. www.cbinsights.com 19 AMAZON PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITY By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16) AMAZON'S INTERESTS BROADEN BEYOND Amazon's top keywords represent a shift in focus from core e-commerce competencies like product recommendation to developing its Kindle line and other consumer devices (red) as well as delivery drones (orange). As AWS has risen in prominence, the frequency of cybersecurity keywords has also spiked (light blue). www.cbinsights.com 20 AMAZON TOP PHRASES BY SIGNIFICANCE By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16) 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 electronic reader resource resource resource resource inventory resource resource computer network node client client provider resource client authentication reader device user device network page image image image provider virtual machine phrase various embodiment provider provider client electronic device computer network provider reader client various embodiment user device node tablet various embodiment client node provider image component inventory fluid instance policy network site virtual machine electronic device various embodiment instance instance inventory various embodiment client network page user device recommendation server provider unmanned vehicle computer network virtual computer recommendation instance environment computing palette node replica adapter book inventory inventory various embodiment holder container service provider server electronic book server server environment client configuration execution environment instance digital work power object container component computing resource delivery content item element control virtual machine bin cryptographic key delivery catalog host object computer system color palette vehicle instance ISOLATING SPECIFIC USERS This filing relates to the identification of a specific user in a crowd by comparing a physiological conditions across individuals (e.g. heart rate). This patent describes a device use case, but similar technology could hypothetically be employed to track shoppers in Amazon's recently-announced, highly automated Go stores. www.cbinsights.com 21 AMAZON PATENTS OF INTEREST Example 1: "Detecting the primary user of a device" Application date: 6/7/2015 Publication date: 12/8/2016 AUTOMATING SHOPPING PROCESSES Regarding Amazon Go, the company also applied for a patent describing the identification and tracking of user-picked items from a "materials handling facility." Interpreted in the context of Amazon Go, this research could be used to track each shopper's shopping cart in an automated store. www.cbinsights.com 22 AMAZON PATENTS OF INTEREST Example 2: "Transitioning items from a materials handling facility " Application date: 9/24/2014 Publication date: 1/8/2015 WAREHOUSING AUTOMATION ALSO A FOCUS Amazon is known for its drive to maximize efficiency in its warehouses and fulfillment centers, often leveraging automation (e.g. with its acquisition of Kiva Systems). The company has applied for a number of robotic packaging and inventory management systems. www.cbinsights.com 23 AMAZON PATENTS OF INTEREST Application date: 12/16/2014 Publication date: 6/16/2016 Example 3: "Generating robotic grasping instructions for inventory items " www.cbinsights.com 24 Apple 9941378149723912097246819176782009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Total applications to date APPLE'S APPLICATIONS RISING AFTER DIP IN 2013 Cupertino's annual application count fell in 2013 but seems poised to resume an upward trend as the company continues pushing into new fields such as wearables and vehicles. www.cbinsights.com 25 APPLE PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITY By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16) APPLE WEARABLE PUSH EVIDENT Many of Apple's top phrases reflect its core device and hardware businesses. However, more recent years reveal Apple's emphasis on wearable development (orange), especially as the Apple Watch has come to market. www.cbinsights.com 26 APPLE TOP PHRASES BY SIGNIFICANCE By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16) 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 electronic device electronic device electronic device electronic device electronic device electronic device electronic device electronic device medium device display screen medium device display screen display screen graphical user wearable device layer portable computer screen packaging screen screen display screen display screen adapter image graphical user memory graphical user graphical user screen screen mobile device connector icon image image connector wearable device band attachment screen dock insert packaging station connector housing connector graphical user substrate power housing keyboard structure layer layer attachment housing stand cover graphical user cover image component layer wireless circuit station connector power memory housing connector cover keyboard power circuit circuit thereof with icon power component component packaging image screen thereof with icon signal circuit structure communication dock portable display display screen adapter circuit packaging power circuit APPLE'S VEHICLE RESEARCH Though Apple has lagged somewhat in overall AI research, recent reports have detailed the expansion of its machine learning efforts. Apple's long-rumored automotive project has said to have shifted focus from developing an actual vehicle to developing a self-driving system instead. www.cbinsights.com 27 APPLE PATENTS OF INTEREST Example 1: "Collision avoidance of arbitrary polygonal obstacles" Application date: 6/7/2015 Publication date: 12/8/2016 INDOOR NAVIGATION FOR POTENTIAL AR/VR USE CASES Another recently published Apple patent involves precisely mapping and navigation indoor environments. As the patent's description notes, such capabilities would be useful not just for smartphones, but also "smart glasses and other devices." www.cbinsights.com 28 APPLE PATENTS OF INTEREST Example 2: "Visual-based inertial navigation" Application date: 8/12/2016 Publication date: 12/1/2016 www.cbinsights.com 29 Facebook 401002114614326604201842009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Total applications to date FACEBOOK PATENT ACTIVITY BEGINNING TO PICK UP Of this cohort, Facebook is notably less active from an intellectual property standpoint. However, it has recently begun to submit more applications, with its 2014 applications already marking an annual record, even with more patents (likely) awaiting publication. www.cbinsights.com 30 FACEBOOK PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITY By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16) TACKLING SUSPECT CONTENT: FAKE NEWS? Since the 2016 US presidential election, Facebook has faced increasing criticism for "fake news" on it platform. Recently published patents reveal efforts to leverage machine learning to automate the flagging and removal of objectionable content dating back to 2015. www.cbinsights.com 31 FACEBOOK PATENTS OF INTEREST Example 1: "Systems and methods to identify objectionable content" Application date: 6/1/2015 Publication date: 12/1/2016 OCULUS FORGING AHEAD Oculus' VR patents are still filed under the Facebook subsidiary itself rather than the corporate parent. A number of recently published documents reveal work in hand-held VR controllers, likely for the development of Oculus' just-launched Touch controllers. www.cbinsights.com 32 FACEBOOK PATENTS OF INTEREST Example 2: "Hand-held controllers for virtual reality system" Application date: 6/3/2015 Publication date: 12/8/2016 www.cbinsights.com 33 Google 556792216533553371240313655892009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Total applications to date GOOGLE BECOMES IP POWERHOUSE Google executives (up to Larry Page and Sergey Brin) were once infamous for opposing excessive patenting as a threat to innovation. However, as the threat of smartphone litigation intensified in the early 2010s, Google began applying for patents at a blistering pace. www.cbinsights.com 34 GOOGLE PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITY By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16) 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 image document search image image image display device search document query document search search wearable display image image search search query document query vehicle search vehicle query image image query content item display device query balloon score server server server document search glass query server score client wearable display computing device content item graphical user content item program program program computing device vehicle computer icon content item notification client client web content item computing message vehicle graphical user computer program computer program mobile device score score document computing device computing device communication message object vehicle mobile device computing device computing user device content item resource value client graphical user query communication communication advertisement advertisement computing computing server display panel screen hotword TOP GOOGLE KEYWORDS HIGHLIGHT X PROJECTS Advertising (light blue) has fallen off the top keyword list as Mountain View seeks to diversify. Highly visible are keywords related to X "moonshot" projects, including self-driving cars (red), Google Glass and wearables (orange), and Project Loon's internet delivery balloons (blue). www.cbinsights.com 35 GOOGLE TOP PHRASES BY SIGNIFICANCE By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16) SELF-DRIVING CAR PROJECT MATURING Google's Self-Driving Car Project has "graduated" from beta and become the new full-fledged Alphabet company Waymo. This just-published application describes the mechanisms to both initiate a ride and trigger an emergency stop, either through input buttons in an autonomous car or other devices. www.cbinsights.com 36 GOOGLE PATENTS OF INTEREST Example 1: "Autonomous vehicles" Application date: 6/8/2016 Publication date: 12/1/2016 AR/VR RESEARCH REMAINS STRONG AS WELL Despite the failure of Google Glass to generate significant traction, the company's patent outputs reflect the various augmented and virtual reality projects that it is still pushing forward. www.cbinsights.com 37 GOOGLE PATENTS OF INTEREST Example 2: "See-through eyepiece for head wearable display" Application date: 8/17/2016 Publication date: 12/8/2016 www.cbinsights.com 38 Microsoft 17302297249922962831271119215552009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Total applications to date MICROSOFT HOLDING STEADY Out of this tech cohort, Microsoft's patent application totals have been the least volatile. Despite a corporate restructuring in 2013 and an executive transition in 2014, the company's overall research activity has remained strong. www.cbinsights.com 39 MICROSOFT PATENT APPLICATION ACTIVITY By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16) NEW MICROSOFT HARDWARE COMES INTO FOCUS Microsoft's patent keywords provide an early glimpse into the development of the Surface tablet lines (orange). The "headset" and "visor" patents (light blue) highlight the ramp-up of Microsoft's efforts in the AR/VR space seen earlier, specifically its HoloLens headset. www.cbinsights.com 40 MICROSOFT TOP PHRASES BY SIGNIFICANCE By date of application, 2009 - 2016 YTD (12/12/16) 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 display screen display screen display screen display screen display screen display screen display screen message screen screen screen screen screen screen screen communication icon icon graphical user graphical user graphical user graphical user graphical user component image image icon screen with icon screen with icon handset controller document keyboard electronic mouse screen with icon icon icon image screen with icon server object document image image handset document icon environment avatar query object electronic camera image screen with icon headset query component search query object search communication visor object client electronic camera search electronic mouse type font client document file server mouse electronic mouse search headset icon client computing file message server input device electronic tablet environment communication peer gesture resource controller document client computing element computing device player component headset electronic tablet document resource message resource resource value resource environment controller module headset with visor gesture MICROSOFT CONTINUES NATURAL LANGUAGE WORK One new patent application details Redmond's efforts to facilitate natural language conversations by personalizing virtual assistant responses. This would bolster Microsoft's Cortana assistant and potentially chatbots for its productivity software. www.cbinsights.com 41 MICROSOFT PATENTS OF INTEREST Example 1: "Crafting feedback dialogue with a virtual assistant" Application date: 5/20/2016 Publication date: 11/24/2016 WEARABLES STILL ON THE RADAR Microsoft may still be interested in wearables and smartwatches despite the discontinuation of its Band fitness wearable, as the company recently filed a patent detailing a new wearable device and corresponding dock. www.cbinsights.com 42 MICROSOFT PATENTS OF INTEREST Example 2: "Wearable personal information system" Application date: 7/11/2016 Publication date: 11/3/2016 A word on the nature of patents analysis www.cbinsights.com 43 The patent filing and grant process involves several key dates with significant time lags in between (see the graphic to the right). After an application is submitted, there is a delay before it is published. This lag is typically 12-18 months but can range from several months to over two years. The delay before the publication of granted (approved) patents is even more variable; occasionally decades can pass before grants are published. Applications and grants cannot be captured for analysis until they are published, so these time lags are important to keep in mind. Note: Our analysis focuses on patents filed or granted directly under each company's name, although this may still include a small number of patents from acquired companies attributed to their parent. Application filed (Application date) Application published (App publication date) Grant published (Grant publication date) typically 12-18 months typically several years, but can take decades TYPICAL PATENT PROCESS CBINSIGHTS.COM @ cbinsights +1(212)292-3148 </p>
