IoT-Based Safety Management Technology Patent Applications Increase by 10.8% Yearly

The market size of public safety based on the Internet of Things (IoT) is rapidly expanding. It is forecasted that the global market size in this field will grow from 4.4 trillion KRW (3.05 billion USD) this year to 7.6 trillion KRW (5.73 billion USD) by 2027. Recently, fueled by the market expansion trend, patent applications related to the development of IoT-based safety management technologies have also become active.

Provided by the Korean Intellectual Property Office

According to the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) on the 17th, patent applications in the field of IoT-based accident prevention technologies filed at major global patent offices (Korea, United States, China, European Union, Japan - IP5) increased from 1,348 cases in 2012 to 3,406 cases in 2021, showing an average annual growth rate of 10.8%.

By type, the industrial safety sector accounted for the largest share at 39.9% of the total, followed by child care (29.5%), elderly care (23.6%), and school safety (11.6%).

The industrial safety sector recorded an average annual patent application growth rate of 16.8% from 2012 to 2021, far surpassing the average growth rate of other sectors, which was in the 7% range.

This is analyzed as a result of the application of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) to sensors, leading to the spread of low-cost, miniaturized sensors, and the development of broadband IoT communication transmission technology enabling high-quality services.

The number of patent applications in the field of IoT-based accident prevention technologies filed at the IP5 patent offices was highest in the United States with 11,076 cases (45.1%), followed by Korea with 6,301 cases (25.7%), China with 4,340 cases (17.7%), and Japan with 1,648 cases (6.7%).

However, when looking at the average annual growth rate, China leads with 33.7%, followed by Korea at 15.5%. This suggests that while the United States has the largest market size for IoT-based accident prevention technologies, China and Korea are leading in terms of growth speed.

Global Patent Application Status Data in the Field of IoT-Based Safety Accident Prevention Technology Filed with the IP5 Patent Offices. Provided by the Korean Intellectual Property Office

It is also noteworthy that many domestic applicants occupy the list of the top 10 global applicants in the field of IoT-based accident prevention technologies.

IBM ranked first globally with 231 applications, followed by Philips (159 applications) and Google (108 applications) in second and third place, respectively. Korean applicants such as Samsung Electronics (85 applications), LG Electronics (84 applications), Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) (80 applications), and the Government of the Republic of Korea (75 applications) ranked 4th to 7th, showing a prominent presence.

Song Dae-jong, head of the IoT Examination Division at the Korean Intellectual Property Office, said, “Patent applications for IoT-based accident prevention are expected to become more active to eliminate safety blind spots in workplaces, schools, and homes.” He added, “The Patent Office will spare no effort to support domestic companies in quickly securing patent rights along with technology development to strengthen their competitiveness on the global stage.”