6G AI-Native Air Interface Patent Landscape 2026
Samsung Electronics holds a commanding position in the 6G AI-native air interface patent landscape, accounting for the vast majority of filings among the top hundred filers — a degree of concentration rarely seen in early-stage wireless technology fields. The field is still expanding on a multi-year basis, though annual volume has eased from its 2023 peak and the most recent filing years remain understated by publication lag.
Samsung’s dominance shapes a heavily concentrated competitive field
The Massengill Family Trust, Fractal Networks LLC, Newman David E, and Huawei Technologies — none of whom approach Samsung’s scale.
The top five filers collectively account for 88% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, signaling extreme first-mover concentration. The tier gap between rank one and the rest is structural rather than incremental: Samsung’s count is more than thirty times that of the second-ranked filer.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | 1,147 | |
| 2 | The Massengill Family Trust | 31 | |
| 3 | Fractal Networks LLC | 22 | |
| 4 | Newman David E. | 20 | |
| 5 | Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | 15 | |
| 6 | Intel Corporation | 14 | |
| 7 | Nokia Technologies Oy | 6 | |
| 8 | Jio Platforms Ltd. | 6 | |
| 9 | LG Electronics Inc. | 6 | |
| 10 | AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P | 5 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Infovista | 4 | |
| 12 | CHONGQING UNIV OF POSTS & TELECOMM | 4 | |
| 13 | AT&T MOBILITY II LLC | 4 | |
| 14 | CVR College of Engineering | 4 | |
| 15 | SR University | 4 | |
| 16 | Tejas Networks Ltd. | 4 | |
| 17 | Symbiosis International Deemed University | 3 | |
| 18 | Xidian University | 3 | |
| 19 | British Telecommunications PLC | 3 | |
| 20 | MediaTek Inc. | 3 |
Such concentration implies that any challenger entering this space will confront an extensive prior-art thicket in core wireless AI network management and resource scheduling, while adjacent technical sub-areas remain comparatively open.
The most recent filing years (2025–2026) are materially understated due to standard patent publication lag of 18–24 months; apparent slowdown in those years should not be interpreted as a real reduction in R&D activity. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Rapid multi-year growth, peaking in 2023, with AI and wireless networking as the dominant technology mix
Two lenses — the annual filing trend and the IPC technology composition — together reveal both the pace at which this field has mobilized and the technical sub-domains attracting the most patent activity.
Annual filing trend
Filings were negligible before 2020, then accelerated sharply through 2022 and peaked in 2023. The three-year recent window sits dramatically above the prior window, consistent with a field still in multi-year growth. 2025 and 2026 counts are understated by publication lag and should not be read as decline.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
Wireless communication networks (H04W) and digital information transmission (H04L) dominate the IPC mix, reflecting the air-interface and protocol-stack focus of the corpus. AI model computing (G06N) is a meaningful third branch, confirming the AI-native character of the filings. General transmission (H04B) adds further depth. Branches such as radar and positioning (G01S), antennas (H01Q), and multiplex communication (H04J) appear at much lower volumes, marking them as adjacent and comparatively underserved.
↗ 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 and device for reporting CSI based on ai mo…
The present disclosure relates to a fifth generation (5G) communication system or a sixth generation (6G) communication system for supporting higher data rates beyond a 4G communication system such as long term evolution (LTE). A method performed by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system may include transmitting, to a base station, an… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Method and apparatus for transceiving signal using… | 148 |
| 2 | 通信方法及装置 | 89 |
| 3 | Method and system for DSS between LTE cell and NR … | 88 |
| 4 | Cellular system | 33 |
| 5 | Policy enhancement to support group application fu… | 30 |
| 6 | Computing workload management in next generation c… | 25 |
| 7 | 一种意图驱动6G网络智能运维方法、系统、设备及应用 | 23 |
| 8 | Cellular system | 23 |
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 investment decisions
The competitive and technological structure of this corpus carries direct implications for IP strategy, partnership planning, and where differentiated R&D spend is most likely to yield defensible positions.
Growth stage, with annual volume easing from the 2023 peak
The lifecycle evidence places this field firmly in a Growth stage: the recent three-year filing window sits well above the prior three-year window, reflecting a multi-year expansion. Annual volume peaked in 2023 and has moderated since, though publication lag means 2024–2026 counts are understated. Entrants should expect the patent thicket to continue deepening before any plateau is reached.
Growth stageExtreme first-mover concentration around a single incumbent
The top five filers hold 88% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, and Samsung alone dwarfs every other participant. This structure limits freedom to operate in core wireless AI resource management and scheduling sub-areas. Challengers are more likely to find differentiated filing room in adjacent branches — positioning, antenna design, and multiplex architectures — than in the dominant H04W and H04L core.
High concentrationSamsung-led co-filing with its own R&D subsidiaries and Sungkyunkwan University
The most active co-filing relationships documented in the evidence are between Samsung Electronics (Korea) and Beijing Samsung Telecom R&D Center (5 joint families), Samsung Electronics and Sungkyunkwan University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation (2 joint families), and Samsung Electronics and Yonsei University Industry Foundation (1 joint family). The collaboration network is narrow and internally oriented, with no evidence of broad cross-industry consortia at this stage.
Narrow ecosystemWIPO and EPO lead filing routes; India emerges as a notable secondary office
WIPO (PCT) and Europe (EPO) are the leading jurisdictions by patent record count, followed by the United States. India ranks fourth — ahead of China — reflecting a cluster of Indian academic and engineering college filers visible in the applicant ranking. China’s lower count relative to its 6G ambitions may indicate that domestic filings have not yet been fully captured or that Chinese applicants are filing primarily via WIPO. South Korea, Japan, and other offices trail significantly.
PCT/EPO dominantGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Beijing Samsung Telecom R&D Center | 5 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | 成均馆大学校产学协力团 | 2 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | UI (UNIVERSITY IND FOUNDATION) YONSEI UNIVERSITY | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Samsung leads by an exceptional margin; Huawei and Intel emerge as new entrants with wireless AI focus
The applicant ranking and momentum data together show a two-tier structure: one incumbent with dominant scale and a cohort of new entrants, each with a fraction of Samsung’s portfolio but accelerating filing rates.
Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics holds the top position with 1,147 patent families, more than thirty times the next-ranked filer. Its technology emphasis is concentrated in wireless network management (H04W 24), radio resource management (H04W 72), and digital transmission (H04L 5) — the core sub-areas of AI-native air interface design. Momentum data shows a trajectory of ▲ 66× vs the prior three-year period, indicating that almost the entire portfolio has been built in the current cycle. Its co-filing with Beijing Samsung Telecom R&D Center and Sungkyunkwan University reinforces a vertically integrated R&D strategy.
patent families: 1,147Huawei Technologies
Huawei Technologies ranks fifth in the applicant list with 15 patent families and is classified as a new entrant in the recent filing window, with 12 families in that period. Its technology focus spans wireless network management (H04W 24), AI model computing (G06N 3), and digital information transmission (H04L 41) — a broader technology mix than Samsung’s, reflecting Huawei’s dual emphasis on network intelligence and protocol innovation. As a well-resourced 5G incumbent now pivoting to 6G AI-native architectures, Huawei represents the most credible challenger from a technical capability standpoint, even if its current filing count remains modest.
patent families: 15| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | 926 | ▲ 66× vs prior 3-yr |
| Newman David E. | 30 | ▲ new entrant |
| MASSENGILL R KEMP | 30 | ▲ new entrant |
| Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | 12 | ▲ new entrant |
| Intel Corporation | 12 | ▲ new entrant |
| Nokia Technologies Oy | 6 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served adjacent branches in sensing, antenna design, and multiplex architectures
Several IPC classes appear at low absolute counts relative to the dominant wireless and AI branches, representing areas where the patent landscape is comparatively sparse. These are observations of relative sparsity; technical value and entry feasibility vary by branch.
G01S · Radar, sonar & positioning
Positioning and sensing integration (G01S) appears at a low count relative to the dominant H04W and H04L branches. Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) is a recognized 6G architectural pillar, and the sparse patent footprint here suggests that AI-native approaches to joint radar-communication waveform design and positioning remain early-stage. Engineers with signal processing expertise in ISAC could find comparatively open filing room in this branch, though they would need to navigate Samsung’s broad H04W claims that may cover related scheduling aspects.
Search this in Eureka →H01Q · Antennas
Antenna design (H01Q) carries a low count despite being a foundational enabler of AI-driven beamforming and massive MIMO in 6G. The sparse filing activity here relative to the network-layer H04W dominance suggests that antenna-level AI optimization — including reconfigurable intelligent surface control and AI-assisted beam management at the hardware layer — is an adjacent area with plausible technical value and limited direct competition in the current corpus. Entry path complexity depends on how broadly Samsung’s H04W 72 resource scheduling claims read on physical-layer antenna control.
Search this in Eureka →How leading filers differ by technology route across wireless, AI, and transmission sub-classes
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | H04W 24 · Wireless communication networks | H04W 72 · Wireless communication networks | H04B 7 · Transmission (general) | H04L 5 · Digital information transmission | H04W 76 · Wireless communication networks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Strong · 1,025 | Moderate · 350 | Moderate · 283 | Moderate · 284 | Moderate · 241 |
| Massengill R. Kemp | Strong · 31 | Moderate · 11 | Moderate · 11 | Absent | Absent |
| Newman David E. | Strong · 31 | Moderate · 11 | Moderate · 11 | Absent | Absent |
| Intel Corporation | Strong · 13 | Moderate · 3 | Absent | Moderate · 4 | Moderate · 6 |
| Nokia Technologies Oy | Strong · 6 | Strong · 5 | Strong · 6 | Strong · 5 | Absent |
| Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | Strong · 9 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. | Strong · 5 | Absent | Strong · 4 | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus covers 1,389 patent families in scope. This total reflects the global patent landscape as analyzed; individual applicant counts come from the ranked list of the top hundred filers.
Samsung Electronics holds the top position with 1,147 patent families, which represents an exceptional lead over all other filers. The second-ranked entity, The Massengill Family Trust, holds 31 patent families.
The field is in a Growth stage. The recent three-year filing window sits well above the prior three-year window. Annual volume peaked in 2023 and has moderated since, but the most recent years are further understated by publication lag, so the moderation should not be interpreted as a real decline in R&D activity.
WIPO (PCT) leads with 478 patent records, followed by Europe (EPO) with 438 and the United States with 257. India ranks fourth with 133 records, ahead of China at 61, reflecting a notable cluster of Indian academic and engineering institution filers.
The documented co-filing activity is narrow and Samsung-centric: Samsung Electronics (Korea) co-filed with Beijing Samsung Telecom R&D Center (5 joint families), with Sungkyunkwan University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation (2 joint families), and with Yonsei University Industry Foundation (1 joint family). No broad cross-industry or multi-party consortia are evident in the current evidence.
Based on relative sparsity in the IPC analysis, the branches with the lowest filing counts adjacent to the dominant core include G01S (radar, sonar and positioning), H01Q (antennas), H04J (multiplex communication), and G10L (speech and audio analysis). These are observations of relative sparsity; whether they represent viable entry points depends on technical fit and freedom-to-operate analysis relative to Samsung’s broad H04W portfolio.
Built on Patsnap Open Platform
This report’s underlying patent dataset — filings, assignees, technology clusters — is open for developers via MCP and REST API. Free to start, 10,000 credits, no credit card required.
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.
Nothing on this page constitutes an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate, or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial, investment, or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Any patent, commercial, or strategic decision should be verified independently and reviewed with qualified patent, legal, and domain professionals. Patsnap makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose of the information presented.