Introduction 5

• Definitions
• 2017 IP landscape results

Scope & methodology 17

• Report scope
• Report’s key features
• Main assignees cited in this report
• Report objectives
• Methodology for patent search and selection
• Terminologies for patent analysis
• Definition for key patents

IP landscape overview 31

• General overview
  • Time evolution of patent publications
  • Main IP players
  • Geographic coverage
• SAW filters  35
  • Time evolution of patent publications
  • Main IP players
  • Legal status of patents
  • Geographic coverage of IP portfolios
  • Time evolution of patent publications, per assignee
  • IP position of main IP players
• BAW filters   46
  • Time evolution of patent publications
  • Main IP players
  • Legal status
  • Main IP players’ geographic coverage
  • Time evolution of patent publications, per assignee
  • IP position of main IP players

2017-2019: What happened? 57

• Main IP players
• Legal status of patents
• Geographic coverage of patent portfolios
• Time evolution of patent publications, per assignee
• IP position of main IP players

Corpus segmentation 67

For each segment: key players and description of noticeable patents

• Packaging
  • Flip-chip and die packaging
  • Wafer-level packaging
• Temperature-compensated acoustic wave filters
• Functions and modules
  • Duplexers
  • Diplexers and multiplexers

Litigation 104

Expiring granted patents 108

IP profile of key players 110

For each player: patent portfolio overview, key patents, and recent patenting activity

• Main IP players
  • Murata
  • Taiyo Yuden
  • TDK
  • Qualcomm
  • Skyworks
  • Broadcom
  • Qorvo
• IP newcomers
  • Samsung Electro-Mechanics
  • Akoustis
  • Resonant
  • Infineon Technology
  • CETC

Conclusion 163

KnowMade presentation 165

A second acceleration of AWF-related patenting activity

In 2017, Knowmade forecasted an acceleration of the patenting activity related to acoustic wave filters (AWF), whose growth is being driven mostly by the developments of bulk acoustic wave (BAW) filters due to the new opportunities offered by 5G. Indeed, while the SAW-related IP landscape was already well established, the battle to become the next main IP player related to BAW devices was intense. Players like Taiyo Yuden and Broadcom had an advantage thank to their strong former patenting activity, but many smaller IP players had entered the landscape (Akoustis, Resonant, JCAP, etc.) or increased their patenting activity (Qualcomm, RF 360, Qorvo), making them serious IP challengers.

Today, the previous trend is confirmed. Indeed, the SAW-related patent landscape is still dominated by Murata, which has maintained a very high level of patenting activity related to SAW filters and their integration in complex modules. Like in 2017, IP competition is limited, but Skyworks, Taiyo Yuden, TDK, and Qualcomm have perpetuated a fair level of patenting activity and constitute the group of IP challengers. Despite being well established, recent SAW-related patenting activity describes some new trends regarding manufacturing and design of SAW filters. Indeed, in the view of 5G, all IP players involved in the development of SAW filters have started filing patents related to a complex module with a high level of integration. Wafer-level packaging has become a major packaging technology investigated by players. At the same time, IP players have strongly accelerated their patenting activity related to multiplexers that could support carrier aggregation operations. To bolster the development of highly integrated modules, IP players have improved their SAW filter designs. One main solution is the use of thin-film SAW, which reduces the substrate losses and thus increases the resonant frequency while improving thermal stability. This solution, originally developed by Murata, is now also asserted in Kyocera, Qualcomm, and Skyworks patents.

For the BAW-related IP landscape, recent developments are related to device manufacturing. Indeed, to fulfill 5G’s requirements, players are working to improve the electro-mechanical coupling in order to reach high frequency, while keeping low losses and large bandwidth. Among all the players involved in BAW filter development, Broadcom remains the most important. However, these last two years have seen the rise of Qualcomm and the emergence of Samsung Electro Mechanics. These three players drive today’s IP activity related to BAW. However, some smaller IP players such as Akoustis, Infineon, and Resonant have refined their development and now hold interesting IP portfolios.

Analysis of recent dynamics: what has happened in the last two years?

In this report, Knowmade has manually selected more than 7,500 patent families (inventions) related to SAW and BAW filters. We provide a general overview of today’s IP landscape trends and dynamics, as well as specific analysis related to the patenting activity of the last two years. Via manual segmentation, Knowmade delivers an understanding and analysis of the current evolutions of the two key technologies (SAW and BAW). This analysis shows an important difference between SAW and BAW IP activity. Indeed, on one hand, the development of SAW filters has reached a high maturity level, and players have begun exploring module design and architectures in order to keep improving their technologies for 5G applications. On the other hand, the BAW IP landscape’s dynamic shows that there is still room for BAW manufacturers to improve their devices by developing new manufacturing processes and BAW designs.

Main IP players’ portfolio analysis

This report provides a detailed comparison of the seven main IP players: Murata, TDK, Taiyo Yuden, Skyworks, Qualcomm, Broadcom, and Qorvo.  For each player, Knowmade highlights their strength and weaknesses, and provides information regarding their recent and future technology developments. Also, a detailed description and analysis of key patents is provided. Finally, System Plus Consulting and Knowmade have joined forces to provide a mapping of the current links between the main players’ products and patents.

The same analysis has been done for five IP newcomers: Samsung Electro Mechanics, Akoustis, Resonant, Infineon, and CETC.

Analysis of main technology developments

5G’s arrival has mainly impacted the patenting activity of AWF-related IP players. Indeed, the need to develop modules that can manage carrier aggregation and multi-band operations has pushed the main IP players to file patents related to complex filter systems (duplexers, multiplexers, etc.) and their integration into one module. In this report, Knowmade has thoroughly analyzed the IP dynamics and trends related to packaging and modules in order to realize the current technological developments and understand how players are addressing the issues related to the integration of complex acoustic filters into small, cost-effective modules.