'Impact of COVID-19' Indoor Air Quality Management Patent Applications Increase Over 18% Annually

Patent application status for indoor air quality management devices (air purifiers + ventilation systems) from 2010 to 2021. Provided by the Korean Intellectual Property Office

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Patent applications related to indoor air quality management devices have increased by an average of 15% annually over the past five years.

In particular, recently, the need for indoor ventilation has been highlighted due to the spread of COVID-19, resulting in a significant increase in related patent applications.

According to the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) on the 19th, indoor air quality management devices are classified into 'air purifiers,' which purify foreign substances in indoor air, and 'ventilation systems,' which circulate and exchange outdoor air indoors.

Among these, patent applications for air purifiers increased by an average of 18% annually from 2017 to 2021, while ventilation systems saw an average annual increase of 32% during the same period.

From 2017 to 2021, patent applications for indoor air quality management devices were recorded as 1,901 from small and medium-sized enterprises, 1,567 from individuals, 586 from large corporations, and 203 from research institutes and schools.

Regarding the status of frequent domestic applicants, LG Electronics led with 372 applications, followed by Coway with 72, Samsung Electronics with 52, Kyungdong Navien with 44, and Winia with 42 applications.

A recent characteristic of indoor air quality management devices is the disappearance of boundaries with existing air conditioning devices that managed indoor air temperature and humidity.

Patent applications for integrated air quality management devices that not only perform air purification but also exchange indoor and outdoor air and manage temperature and humidity are increasing.

KIPO expects this to play a role in overcoming the limitations of air purifiers or air conditioners that repeatedly circulate air in enclosed spaces.

Ryu Ho-gil, an examiner at KIPO's Construction Technology Examination Division, said, “Indoor air quality management is a key element for the healthy daily recovery of the public in the post-COVID-19 era. We will strengthen our patent administration capabilities so that our companies can secure strong patents and enhance global competitiveness in line with the government's scientific quarantine system.”