The automotive industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by continuous monitoring of battery parameters such as temperature, gas level, voltage, and current, which can warn the system of any anomalous, or even emergency, conditions. Early detection of faults or malfunctions will help prevent explosions and fires in the battery pack. The activity is also driven by the growing importance of technologies such as reset circuits and power management systems. In the last three years alone, there have been over 720,000 patents filed and granted in the automotive industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Batteries in automotive: battery emergency protective circuits.   Buy the report here.

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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over one million patents to analyze innovation intensity for the automotive industry, there are 300+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry. 

Battery emergency protective circuits is a key innovation area in batteries  

When the battery voltage falls below the lockout threshold, the circuit monitors the voltage of a Li-Ion battery and disconnects the load to prevent deep discharge. A vehicle that runs on batteries runs the risk of being completely discharged if it is stored in a semi-discharged state. 

GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies.  According to GlobalData, there are 220+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established automotive companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of battery emergency protective circuits. 

Key players in battery emergency protective circuits – a disruptive innovation in the automotive industry 

‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators. 

‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.

Patent volumes related to battery emergency protective circuits

Company Total patents (2021 - 2023) Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies
Toyota Motor 36 Unlock Company Profile
Johnson Controls International 54 Unlock Company Profile
SK Innovation 32 Unlock Company Profile
Samsung SDI 234 Unlock Company Profile
Robert Bosch Stiftung 79 Unlock Company Profile
MinebeaMitsumi 158 Unlock Company Profile
Hyundai Motor 63 Unlock Company Profile
Bourns 27 Unlock Company Profile
O2Micro International 28 Unlock Company Profile
Murata Manufacturing 31 Unlock Company Profile
Philip Morris International 22 Unlock Company Profile
GS Yuasa 102 Unlock Company Profile
Panasonic 141 Unlock Company Profile
Porsche Automobil 24 Unlock Company Profile
Bayerische Motoren Werke 28 Unlock Company Profile
LG 235 Unlock Company Profile
Yazaki 26 Unlock Company Profile
Brookfield 70 Unlock Company Profile
Microchip Technology 23 Unlock Company Profile
Toshiba 70 Unlock Company Profile
Kia 44 Unlock Company Profile
Quanta Computer 22 Unlock Company Profile
Sumitomo Electric Industries 90 Unlock Company Profile
Stihl 27 Unlock Company Profile
SZ DJI Technology 39 Unlock Company Profile
Dexerials 95 Unlock Company Profile
Guangdong Oppo Mobile Telecommunications 113 Unlock Company Profile
ITM Semiconductor 34 Unlock Company Profile
Samsung Group 39 Unlock Company Profile
HK 22 Unlock Company Profile
Xiaomi 41 Unlock Company Profile

Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics

LG and Samsung SDI are among the leading patent filers in battery emergency protective circuits. Some of the other key players include MinebeaMitsumi, Panasonic, Guangdong Oppo Mobile Telecommunications, GS Yuasa, and Dexerials.

In terms of application diversity, MinebeaMitsumi held the top position, while Guangdong Oppo Mobile Telecommunications and SZ DJI Technology stood in second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, Microchip Technology leads the pack, followed by Brookfield and Johnson Controls International.

To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the automotive industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Automotive.

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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article. 

GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.