6G Air Interface Patent Landscape 2026
The 6G air interface patent field is highly concentrated, with Samsung Electronics commanding a commanding lead among all filers and the top five filers accounting for 95% of the hundred largest filers’ combined output. The field is still expanding on a multi-year basis — recent three-year growth stands at 2,645% over the prior window — though annual volume has eased from its 2023 peak, and Europe (EPO) is the primary filing destination.
Samsung leads an extreme-concentration field with a handful of challengers far behind
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd ranks first with 2,105 patent families, a position so dominant that the gap to every other applicant is structurally decisive. The Massengill Family Trust holds second place at 111 patent families, followed by Newman David E at 90 — both well below an order of magnitude of the leader.
The top five filers collectively account for 95% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, signalling extreme concentration at the apex of the ranking. Below the top three, counts fall sharply: AT&T Intellectual Property I L P holds 28 patent families, Intel Corp 18, and Nokia Technologies Oy 13, underscoring a steep drop-off from second tier to third.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | 2,105 | |
| 2 | The Massengill Family Trust | 111 | |
| 3 | NEWMAN DAVID E | 90 | |
| 4 | AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P | 28 | |
| 5 | Intel Corporation | 18 | |
| 6 | Nokia Technologies Oy | 13 | |
| 7 | AT&T MOBILITY II LLC | 11 | |
| 8 | Qualcomm Incorporated | 10 | |
| 9 | Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) | 8 | |
| 10 | Lenovo (United States) Inc. | 5 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Parallel Wireless Inc. | 4 | |
| 12 | BEIJING SAMSUNG TELECOM R&D CENT | 4 | |
| 13 | Yonsei University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation | 3 | |
| 14 | InterDigital Patent Holdings Inc. | 3 | |
| 15 | Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur | 2 | |
| 16 | National Yunlin University of Science and Technology | 2 | |
| 17 | MediaTek Inc. | 2 | |
| 18 | Oswego Technologies LLC | 2 | |
| 19 | LG Electronics Inc. | 2 | |
| 20 | Tasione Innovations Co., Ltd. | 1 |
Samsung’s position implies that any new entrant or challenger must either differentiate strongly by technology sub-branch or by geographic filing strategy to avoid direct overlap with a portfolio that spans H04L digital transmission, H04W wireless networks, and H04B general transmission simultaneously.
The most recent 18–24 months of filings are under-counted due to standard patent publication lag; apparent softness in 2024–2026 data should not be interpreted as a real decline in activity. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
A field that erupted in 2022 and remains structurally anchored in wireless and digital transmission
The annual filing trend reveals a near-zero baseline through 2021 before a sharp acceleration, while the technology composition shows that activity is overwhelmingly concentrated in two adjacent IPC classes with smaller adjacent branches representing potential differentiation space.
Annual filing trend
Filings were negligible through 2021, then surged to 537 records in 2022 and peaked at 844 in 2023. The 2024 count of 568 and 2025 count of 286 reflect publication lag and should not be read as demand contraction. The multi-year growth rate of 2,645% over the prior window confirms the field is still in expansion on a cumulative basis.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H04W (Wireless communication networks) and H04L (Digital information transmission) together account for the overwhelming majority of records, reflecting the air interface’s core focus on channel access and data transport. H04B (Transmission, general) forms a meaningful secondary cluster. Adjacent branches — G06N (AI models), G01S (Radar and positioning), and H04J (Multiplex communication) — each represent sparse but technically relevant subfields.
↗ 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 apparatus for indicating dynamic wavefo…
The disclosure relates to a fifth generation (5G) or sixth generation (6G) communication system for supporting higher data rates. Disclosed is a method performed by a terminal in a wireless communication system, including receiving downlink control information (DCI) from a base station, identifying whether the DCI includes a dynamic waveform indicator, and… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Facilitation of dynamic edge computations for 6g o… | 153 |
| 2 | Method and apparatus for transceiving signal using… | 148 |
| 3 | Facilitation of dynamic edge computations for 6g o… | 147 |
| 4 | Method and system for DSS between LTE cell and NR … | 88 |
| 5 | Method and device for header compression or decomp… | 20 |
| 6 | Methods and systems for AF control of network slic… | 20 |
| 7 | Low-complexity demodulation of 5G and 6G messages | 19 |
| 8 | Facilitation of dynamic edge computations for 6G o… | 19 |
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 patent structure means for R&D investment decisions
The combination of extreme concentration, rapid growth from a near-zero base, and sparse adjacent branches creates a clear strategic picture: the core wireless and digital transmission space is already staked out, while AI, radar, and multiplex branches remain open.
Growth stage — multi-year expansion still positive, annual volume eased from 2023 peak
The lifecycle evidence classifies this field as Growth. The recent three-year filing window sits well above the prior three-year window at 2,645% cumulative growth, confirming that the field is still expanding on a multi-year basis. Annual volume peaked in 2023 and has eased since, though publication lag means the true 2024–2025 baseline is higher than current counts show. New entrants still have time to establish claims in adjacent sub-branches before standards consolidate.
Lifecycle: GrowthExtreme apex concentration — one filer commands the dominant share
Samsung Electronics alone holds 2,105 patent families, while the next-ranked filer holds 111 and the third holds 90. The top five filers’ share of the hundred largest filers’ combined total reaches 95%. This level of concentration means that licensing exposure and freedom-to-operate analysis must begin with Samsung’s portfolio. Challengers AT&T (28 patent families) and Intel (18 patent families) are active but operate at a fraction of Samsung’s scale.
Concentration: ExtremeCo-filing activity is modest and largely intra-group
The most active co-filing pair is AT&T Intellectual Property I L P with AT&T Mobility II LLC, sharing 11 joint filings — an intra-corporate relationship. Samsung Electronics co-files with Beijing Samsung Telecom R&D Center on 6 patent families and with Yonsei University on 2. Nokia Technologies Oy has one joint filing each with Nokia (Shanghai) and Nokia Solutions & Networks. Co-filing outside established corporate families is minimal, suggesting that open ecosystem collaboration has not yet taken hold in this field.
Collaboration: Intra-groupEurope (EPO) leads filings; India and WIPO are secondary nodes; China filings are sparse
Europe (EPO) is the top filing jurisdiction at 878 patent records, followed by WIPO (PCT) at 750 and the United States at 550. India ranks fourth at 112, unusually high for an emerging telecom market at this stage of a new generation cycle. China, despite being a major 6G R&D spender, accounts for only 23 records in this corpus — a gap that may reflect different search or classification boundaries rather than genuine absence. Japan and the United Kingdom each represent minor shares.
Geography: EPO-ledGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| AT&T知识产权一部有限合伙公司 | AT&T移动第二有限责任公司 | 11 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Beijing Samsung Telecom R&D Center | 6 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | 延世大学校产学协力团 | 2 |
| Nokia Technologies Oy | Nokia Shanghai Bell Co., Ltd. | 1 |
| Nokia Technologies Oy | Nokia Solutions & Networks Oy | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Samsung sets the pace; AT&T and Intel are the nearest traceable challengers at a fraction of scale
The applicant ranking is structurally two-tiered: Samsung Electronics stands in a category of its own, while a cluster of industry names occupies distant positions. Momentum data shows Samsung’s recent three-year filings running at 50 times its prior three-year base, confirming that the bulk of its position has been built in the current growth wave.
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd
Samsung holds 2,105 patent families and shows a momentum trend of 50 times its prior three-year period, meaning its portfolio was built almost entirely during the 2022–2024 surge. Technology focus spans H04L 5 (digital transmission, 1,598 records), H04W 72 (wireless networks, 1,264 records), and H04B 7 (general transmission, 513 records) — a broad cross-section that covers the core air interface stack. Beijing Samsung Telecom R&D Center co-files on 6 families, extending Samsung’s reach into China-based R&D.
patent families: 2,105AT&T Intellectual Property I L P
AT&T Intellectual Property I L P ranks fourth with 28 patent families and shows a declining momentum trend of –71% in recent filings versus the prior period, suggesting the group’s 6G air interface activity has contracted. Its technology focus centers on H04B 7 (transmission, general), H04L 5 (digital transmission), and H04W 28 (wireless networks), with joint filings alongside AT&T Mobility II LLC (11 co-filings). Intel Corp, fifth-ranked at 18 patent families, enters as a new entrant in the recent window and focuses on H04L 5 and H04W 72, signaling a fresh commitment to the field.
patent families: 28| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | 1,782 | ▲ 50× vs prior 3-yr |
| NEWMAN DAVID E | 108 | ▲ new entrant |
| MASSENGILL R KEMP | 108 | ▲ new entrant |
| AT&T知识产权一部有限合伙公司 | 6 | ▼ -71% |
| Intel Corporation | 12 | ▲ new entrant |
| Nokia Technologies Oy | 9 | ▲ new entrant |
| AT&T移动第二有限责任公司 | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| Qualcomm Incorporated | 4 | ▲ new entrant |
AI models, radar/positioning, and multiplex communication are sparsely filed adjacent branches
Three IPC branches sit at the edge of the dominant H04W/H04L cluster with notably low filing counts, making them observable as under-served areas relative to the core. Each has plausible technical relevance to 6G air interface design, though entry paths and commercial readiness vary.
G06N · Computing based on AI models
With 58 patent records, G06N is sparse relative to the H04W and H04L branches that each exceed 2,000 records. AI-native air interface design — including learned channel estimation, AI-driven beam management, and neural network-based codecs — is a recognized technical direction in 6G standardization discussions. The low count suggests that most filers are currently classifying AI-related 6G work under the core wireless classes rather than explicitly under G06N, creating potential differentiation space for applicants who frame claims around the AI model architecture itself.
Search this in Eureka →G01S · Radar, sonar & positioning
G01S holds 43 patent records, reflecting the integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) use case that is a defining architectural feature of 6G relative to 5G. The sparse count relative to the core wireless classes indicates that ISAC-specific air interface claims remain an under-occupied area. Applicants with radar signal processing or positioning expertise — particularly those not currently ranked in the top tier — may find a realistic entry path by targeting waveform design and resource-sharing claims that bridge H04W and G01S.
Search this in Eureka →How leading filers differ by IPC technology route
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | H04L 5 · Digital information transmission | H04W 72 · Wireless communication networks | H04B 7 · Transmission (general) | H04W 28 · Wireless communication networks | H04L 1 · Digital information transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Strong · 1,598 | Strong · 1,264 | Moderate · 513 | Moderate · 441 | Moderate · 344 |
| MASSENGILL R KEMP | Strong · 71 | Strong · 40 | Emerging · 7 | Strong · 46 | Strong · 56 |
| NEWMAN DAVID E | Strong · 71 | Strong · 40 | Emerging · 7 | Strong · 46 | Strong · 56 |
| AT&T Intellectual Property I L P | Strong · 14 | Strong · 14 | Strong · 19 | Strong · 14 | Moderate · 6 |
| Intel Corporation | Strong · 9 | Strong · 8 | Moderate · 4 | Moderate · 3 | Moderate · 2 |
| Nokia Technologies Oy | Strong · 9 | Strong · 7 | Strong · 5 | Moderate · 3 | Absent |
| AT&T Mobility II LLC | Absent | Absent | Strong · 10 | Strong · 11 | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus covers 2,332 patent families in scope across the global landscape.
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd ranks first with 2,105 patent families — far ahead of all other applicants. The Massengill Family Trust is second at 111 and Newman David E is third at 90.
Europe (EPO) leads at 878 patent records, followed by WIPO (PCT) at 750 and the United States at 550. India ranks fourth at 112 records, while China accounts for 23 records in this corpus.
Annual filings were negligible through 2021, then accelerated sharply to 537 records in 2022 and reached a peak of 844 records in 2023. The recent three-year window reflects growth of 2,645% over the prior three-year window.
H04W (Wireless communication networks) and H04L (Digital information transmission) each exceed 2,000 patent records and together represent the core of the corpus. H04B (Transmission, general) is a meaningful secondary cluster at 657 records.
G06N (Computing based on AI models) at 58 records, G01S (Radar, sonar and positioning) at 43 records, and H04J (Multiplex communication) at 37 records are the sparsest branches adjacent to the dominant core — each with plausible technical relevance to 6G design.
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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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