Solid-State Battery Electrode Coating Patent Landscape
LG Energy Solution holds a commanding lead in solid-state battery electrode coating, accounting for the largest single-applicant share among the top hundred filers, in a field that peaked around 2020 and has since eased from that high. The competitive structure is moderately concentrated, with the United States as the primary filing jurisdiction and H01M batteries dominating the technology composition.
LG Energy Solution leads a moderately concentrated field
LG Energy Solution Ltd ranks first among all applicants with 42 patent records, more than four times the count of the next-ranked filers. The Regents of the University of California and Hyundai Motor Company each occupy the second and third tiers, respectively, signalling that both industry and academia are active in this space.
The top five applicants together account for 47% of the combined patent records held by the hundred largest filers, indicating meaningful concentration without outright monopoly. A clear tier gap separates LG Energy Solution from all others, while positions two through five are closely bunched, suggesting the challenger tier is still contestable.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LG Energy Solution Ltd | 42 | |
| 2 | Regents of the University of California | 9 | |
| 3 | Hyundai Motor Company | 8 | |
| 4 | A123 Systems LLC | 8 | |
| 5 | Johnson Battery Technologies Inc | 7 | |
| 6 | LICAP Technologies Inc | 7 | |
| 7 | Samsung SDI Co Ltd | 5 | |
| 8 | Ionic Materials Inc | 4 | |
| 9 | Guangdong Lyric Robot Intelligent Automation Co Ltd | 4 | |
| 10 | Livent Lithium LLC | 3 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Johnson IP Holding LLC | 3 | |
| 12 | Robert Bosch GmbH | 2 | |
| 13 | Adriana A. Rojas | 2 | |
| 14 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 2 | |
| 15 | Korea Electronics Technology Institute | 2 | |
| 16 | Toyota Motor Corporation | 2 | |
| 17 | SHANGHAI INST OF CERAMIC CHEM & TECH CHINESE ACAD … | 2 | |
| 18 | David M. Laughman | 2 | |
| 19 | China FAW Co Ltd | 2 | |
| 20 | Corning Inc | 2 |
LG Energy Solution’s scale advantage implies deep process and materials know-how locked behind its portfolio; challengers seeking freedom-to-operate or licensing leverage will need to identify the specific sub-claims and coating chemistries that remain unaddressed by that portfolio.
Activity in the most recent 18–24 months is likely under-counted due to standard patent publication lag; treat recent-year figures as provisional minimums rather than final totals. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Filing activity peaked around 2020; battery cell IPC class dominates technology mix
Two charts together reveal both the temporal rhythm of investment and the technical scope of the corpus: the annual trend shows a field that expanded rapidly into 2020 then eased, while the IPC composition confirms that virtually all activity clusters in the H01M battery class.
Annual filing trend
Filings grew from near zero in 2017 to a peak of 26 records in 2020, then settled into the single-digit-to-low-teens range through 2022–2023, before a secondary rise toward 2024. The 2025–2026 bars are provisional and will grow as pending applications publish; the apparent dip at the tail end reflects publication lag, not a confirmed retreat.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H01M (batteries, cells and fuel cells) accounts for the overwhelming majority of IPC classifications, confirming that electrode coating innovation is almost entirely framed within battery-cell architecture rather than adjacent disciplines. Capacitors (H01G), additive manufacturing (B33Y), nanotechnology (B82Y), and press engineering (B30B) each appear in only one or two records, marking them as sparse but adjacent branches.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaHighly cited patent families surfaced by the query
Citation-heavy patent families returned by the query. Use this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents.
Method for manufacturing positive electrode for al…
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a positive electrode for an all-solid-state battery, a positive electrode for the all-solid-state battery, and an all-solid-state battery including the positive electrode. The method for manufacturing the positive electrode all-solid-state battery includes forming a unit active material layer… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一种一体化成型固态电池的制备方法 | 51 |
| 2 | Hybrid and solid-state battery architectures with … | 27 |
| 3 | Electrode body for all-solid-state battery and pro… | 22 |
| 4 | Systems and methods for a composite solid-state ba… | 21 |
| 5 | Apparatus for Manufacturing Electrode or Solid Ele… | 20 |
| 6 | Manufacturing method for all-solid-state battery a… | 19 |
| 7 | Solid-state batteries and methods of fabrication t… | 15 |
| 8 | Dry electrode manufacture for solid state energy s… | 14 |
Ranked by total forward citations. Citation counts favour older and broadly cited patent families, and broad or adjacent patents may appear when they match the search scope. Treat this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents. Some patent titles may be shown in their original, non-English language where an accurate translation could not be guaranteed.
What the structure means for R&D strategy
The combination of a past-peak filing curve, a dominant incumbent, active industry-academia collaboration, and concentrated US-EPO geography defines the strategic context for any new entrant or incumbent seeking to extend its position.
Field has eased from its 2020 peak
The lifecycle evidence places this field in a post-peak phase: annual filings reached their highest point around 2020 and have since eased, though a secondary uptick toward 2024 suggests residual innovation activity rather than full saturation. New entrants should expect a maturing claims landscape where broad foundational positions are already held, making narrower, process-specific or materials-specific claims the more viable differentiation path. Publication lag means the true recent-year count is likely higher than raw data suggests.
Post-peak · maturingDominant leader; contestable challenger tier
LG Energy Solution’s 42 patent records give it roughly a four-to-one lead over the next-ranked applicant, creating a strong first-mover moat in core electrode coating methods. The 47% combined share of the top five filers among the hundred largest indicates meaningful but not absolute concentration, leaving room for challengers — particularly those targeting specific chemistries or deposition processes not yet claimed by the leader. A123 Systems, Hyundai Motor, and the University of California are the most credible near-term challengers based on current rankings.
Concentrated · leader moatHyundai-Kia axis and LG–UC Berkeley are the active co-filing pairs
The most active co-filing pair in the corpus is Kia Corporation and Hyundai Motor Company, with eight jointly filed records, reflecting tight intra-group coordination on solid-state electrode coating within the Hyundai Motor Group. LG Energy Solution and the Regents of the University of California follow with seven co-filed records, a notable industry-academia pairing that suggests LG is using university research to extend its materials science reach. LG Chem and the University of California add two further joint records, reinforcing that the UC system is a preferred academic partner for Korean battery majors.
Industry-academia linksUS-first strategy; EPO and China as secondary markets
The United States leads with 54 patent records, followed by Europe via the EPO with 34 and China with 24, indicating that applicants prioritize US market protection above all others. WIPO PCT filings number 13, suggesting selective global prosecution rather than blanket international coverage. India, Singapore, and several other markets appear with very low counts, pointing to meaningful geographic white space for applicants willing to pursue protection in emerging EV markets.
US · EPO · ChinaGo beyond the landscape: Eureka’s TRIZ Solution agent breaks down an R&D problem and returns patented concept solutions, each with a technical approach and cited patent & literature evidence.
| Applicant | Collaborator | Co-filings |
|---|---|---|
| Kia Corporation | Hyundai Motor Company | 8 |
| LG Energy Solution Ltd | Regents of the University of California | 7 |
| LG Chem Ltd | Regents of the University of California | 2 |
| Kia Corporation | Korea Electronics Technology Institute | 2 |
| Hyundai Motor Company | Korea Electronics Technology Institute | 2 |
| Kia Corporation | 庆尚大学校产学协力团 | 1 |
| Hyundai Motor Company | 庆尚大学校产学协力团 | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
LG Energy Solution leads; Hyundai Motor and University of California are the closest challengers
The top applicants differ both in filing volume and in the IPC sub-classes they emphasize, reflecting distinct strategic orientations from cell-architecture integration to materials chemistry to manufacturing process.
LG Energy Solution Ltd
LG Energy Solution holds 42 patent records — more than any other single applicant — concentrated across H01M 4 (electrode structures) and H01M 10 (secondary cells), with a minor presence in B30B 3 press-based fabrication. Momentum data classifies the entity as a new entrant in the most recent measurement window with 10 recent records, indicating its portfolio is still actively growing from a fresh filing base rather than coasting on legacy grants. Its collaboration with the University of California adds an academic materials-science dimension to an otherwise industrially focused portfolio.
patent records: 42Hyundai Motor Company
Hyundai Motor Company ranks third with 8 patent records, focused on H01M 4 and H01M 10 and with a single record in H01M 50 (constructional details). It co-files extensively with Kia Corporation — the group’s most active collaboration pair — and with the Korea Electronics Technology Institute, indicating a system-integration approach that extends beyond pure cell chemistry. Momentum data classifies Hyundai Motor as a new entrant with 1 recent record, suggesting it is an emerging rather than established presence in this specific coating sub-field.
patent records: 8| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| LG Energy Solution Ltd | 10 | ▲ new entrant |
| Regents of the University of California | 1 | ▲ new entrant |
| Hyundai Motor Company | 1 | ▲ new entrant |
| LICAP Technologies Inc | 4 | ▲ new entrant |
| A123 Systems LLC | 1 | ▲ new entrant |
Additive manufacturing and nanotechnology are under-served adjacent branches
Several IPC classes appear in only one patent record each within this corpus, signalling that the connection between electrode coating and these adjacent disciplines has barely been articulated in the patent literature — which may reflect either a genuine technical gap or early-stage work that has not yet been filed.
B33Y · Additive manufacturing (3D printing) for electrode coatings
Only one patent record in this corpus carries a B33Y classification, despite the known potential of layer-by-layer deposition techniques to achieve precise coating thickness and composition control on solid-state electrodes. 3D printing methods could enable gradient coating architectures that are difficult to achieve with conventional slurry or vapor deposition. An entrant with expertise in ceramic or polymer additive manufacturing could plausibly establish early patent positions by framing claims around solid electrolyte coating deposition via additive routes, an area where the existing corpus offers minimal blocking prior art.
Search this in Eureka →B82Y · Nanotechnology applications in electrode coating
B82Y appears in only one patent record, indicating that nanotechnology-enabled coating approaches — such as atomic layer deposition of nanometric solid electrolyte films, nanoparticle surface treatments, or nano-structured interfacial layers — are largely unclaimed within this specific corpus. Given the well-documented role of nanoscale interfacial engineering in suppressing lithium dendrite growth and improving ionic conductivity at electrode-electrolyte interfaces, this sparsity is technically noteworthy. Researchers or companies with ALD or nanoparticle expertise could find a relatively open field for differentiated claims at the intersection of nanotechnology and solid-state electrode coating.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ by technology route
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | H01M 4 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | H01M 10 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | H01M 50 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | H01M 2 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | H01G 11 · Capacitors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LG Energy Solution Ltd | Strong · 26 | Strong · 24 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| LG Chem Ltd | Strong · 16 | Strong · 16 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Regents of the University of California | Strong · 9 | Strong · 9 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Hyundai Motor Company | Strong · 8 | Strong · 5 | Emerging · 1 | Absent | Absent |
| LICAP Technologies Inc | Strong · 7 | Strong · 7 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| A123 Systems LLC | Strong · 6 | Strong · 6 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus covers 123 patent families in scope globally. The applicant ranking is based on patent records, which can exceed the family count because a single family may be counted across multiple filing offices.
LG Energy Solution Ltd is the top filer with 42 patent records, giving it a roughly four-to-one lead over the next-ranked applicants — the Regents of the University of California and Hyundai Motor Company, each with around 8–9 patent records.
The United States is the primary filing jurisdiction with 54 patent records, followed by Europe via the EPO with 34 and China with 24. WIPO PCT filings number 13, indicating selective rather than blanket global prosecution.
The field is classified as post-peak: annual filings reached their highest point around 2020 and have since eased. A secondary uptick toward 2024 suggests ongoing but reduced innovation activity. The most recent 18–24 months remain under-counted due to publication lag.
Kia Corporation and Hyundai Motor Company are the most active co-filing pair with 8 jointly filed records. LG Energy Solution and the Regents of the University of California follow with 7 co-filed records, representing the most prominent industry-academia pairing in the corpus.
Additive manufacturing (B33Y) and nanotechnology applications (B82Y) each appear in only one patent record within the corpus, making them the most sparsely covered adjacent branches. Capacitors (H01G) and inorganic compound precursors (C01B) are similarly sparse. These areas have plausible technical relevance to electrode coating but minimal existing claim coverage in this corpus.
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Disclaimer. This page is generated from PatSnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent and scientific-literature records, and is provided for general information and reference only.
Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
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