Cobot Motion Planning Patent Landscape 2026
Cobot motion planning is a nascent but fast-expanding field: 42 patent families have been filed globally, with activity surging from near-zero before 2023, and Lincoln Global holds the clearest lead with 6 patent families. China accounts for the dominant share of filing offices, while manipulator-and-robot mechanics (B25J) represents the overwhelming technical core, leaving AI-model and digital-data-processing branches comparatively sparse.
Lincoln Global leads a fragmented, early-stage field
Lincoln Global Inc holds the top position with 6 patent families, placing it well ahead of a second tier of applicants — Air Liquide entities, Intel, and the Electronics & Telecommunications Research Institute — each filing 2 patent families. The remainder of the top twenty each hold a single family.
The top five filers account for 30% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, a relatively low concentration figure consistent with a field that has attracted many first-time entrants rather than a consolidated oligopoly. No single player has built a dominant blocking position.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lincoln Global Inc | 6 | |
| 2 | LAIR LIQUIDE SA POUR LETUDE & LEXPLOITATION DES PR… | 2 | |
| 3 | Intel Corporation | 2 | |
| 4 | Air Liquide America Inc | 2 | |
| 5 | ELECTRONICS & TELECOMM RES INST | 2 | |
| 6 | Zhuhai Chuntian Technology Co Ltd | 1 | |
| 7 | Hunan Vocational College of Railway Technology | 1 | |
| 8 | UNIV OF SCI & TECH BEIJING | 1 | |
| 9 | Northeastern University China | 1 | |
| 10 | Shenzhen Hans Robot Co Ltd | 1 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences | 1 | |
| 12 | Shenyang Donglian Intelligent Technology Co Ltd | 1 | |
| 13 | Suzhou University | 1 | |
| 14 | Jiangsu ASK Technology Co Ltd | 1 | |
| 15 | BEIJING CHANGCHENG INST OF METROLOGY & MEASUREMENT… | 1 | |
| 16 | Shanghai Shuguan Technology Co Ltd | 1 | |
| 17 | Siasun Robot and Automation Co Ltd | 1 | |
| 18 | South China University of Technology | 1 | |
| 19 | Loca (Zibo) Robot Co Ltd | 1 | |
| 20 | NANJING UNIV OF AERONAUTICS & ASTRONAUTICS | 1 |
Lincoln Global’s lead, concentrated in manipulator mechanics and welding-integrated motion control, reflects a deliberate application focus rather than broad platform coverage. This leaves adjacent areas — particularly AI-model-driven planning and digital data processing — open to challengers seeking differentiated positions.
The most recent 18–24 months of filings are subject to publication lag and are likely undercounted; the 2025 and 2026 figures should be read as floor estimates rather than final totals. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
A 2023 filing surge defines the field’s trajectory; B25J overwhelmingly dominates the technology mix
Annual filing volume and technology-branch composition together reveal both the pace of market entry and the current technical emphasis of cobot motion planning innovation.
Annual filing trend
Filings were negligible from 2017 through 2022, then jumped sharply in 2023 — the field’s peak year — before easing in 2024 and 2025. The three-year recent window is 480% above the prior three-year window, confirming genuine expansion on a multi-year basis. The 2024–2026 bars should be treated as understated due to publication lag.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
B25J (Manipulators & robots) accounts for 41 patent records and is the dominant technical branch by a wide margin. Welding (B23K) and control systems (G05B) follow at 7 records each. AI-model computing (G06N), electric digital data processing (G06F), and image processing (G06T) each represent only 2–3 records, signalling that software-intensive planning approaches remain under-represented relative to mechanical implementation.
↗ 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.
Robot with smart path planning for multiple parts
A method of path planning via a collaborative robot system is provided. The method includes programming a first welding path along a first welding seam of a first part of a sequence of multiple identical parts to be welded by a user moving a welding torch along the first welding seam to define a first weld pattern. The user positions the welding torch at a… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 基于视觉的协作机器人安全控制方法 | 56 |
| 2 | 一种双臂自碰撞检测方法和计算机可读存储介质 | 38 |
| 3 | 一种智能协作机器人安全控制软件系统 | 13 |
| 4 | 一种协作机器人多步骤自主装配作业决策方法 | 12 |
| 5 | 一种协作机器人的运动规划与实时避障方法及系统 | 12 |
| 6 | 一种动态场景下协作机械臂自适应避障方法 | 10 |
| 7 | 基于视觉的协作机器人末端控制方法及其相关设备 | 9 |
| 8 | 基于多BCI与MR融合的人机协作交互操作系统及方法 | 8 |
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 cobot motion planning R&D strategy
The competitive and technical structure of this corpus points to specific strategic conclusions for teams evaluating where to invest in cobot motion planning.
Growth stage — multi-year expansion confirmed, annual volume easing from 2023 peak
The field is classified as Growth, driven by a 480% rise in recent three-year filings versus the prior window. Annual volume peaked in 2023 and has eased since, though publication lag means 2024–2025 totals are understated. Teams entering now face an early but increasingly active patent environment rather than a blank slate.
Growth stageLow concentration: no blocking position established
The top five filers hold 30% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total — low enough that no single entity controls a broad blocking portfolio. With most applicants holding only a single patent family, the field is fragmented across industrial players and academic institutions. This structure favours differentiated technical entry rather than design-around strategies.
FragmentedTwo co-filing pairs identified; industry-academia link notable
Air Liquide America Inc and L’Air Liquide SA filed jointly on one family, reflecting coordinated IP strategy within the Air Liquide group. Changchun University of Technology and Jilin Hengchuang Intelligent Equipment co-filed one family, representing an industry-academia collaboration. Both pairings are isolated; no broader consortium or repeated co-filing network is evident at this scale.
Early ecosystemChina leads filing offices; US and PCT filings present but secondary
China accounts for 28 of 42 patent records at the filing-office level, making it the dominant jurisdiction. The United States follows with 7 records, WIPO PCT with 3, and Europe (EPO) with 2. Canada and India each show 1. The concentration in China reflects both local cobot manufacturing growth and a preference by Chinese academic and industrial filers to protect domestically first.
China-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 |
|---|---|---|
| Air Liquide America Inc | L’Air Liquide SA | 1 |
| Changchun University of Technology | Jilin Hengchuang Intelligent Equipment Co Ltd | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Lincoln Global anchors the field; welding-integration defines the front-runner’s route
All applicants with two or more patent families entered the corpus recently as new entrants, underscoring the field’s short history. Lincoln Global’s volume advantage and technical breadth set it apart from peers.
Lincoln Global Inc
Lincoln Global holds 6 patent families — three times the next-ranked applicants — with technical focus spanning manipulator mechanics (B25J 9), control and regulating systems (G05B 19), and welding integration (B23K 37). Its momentum is flagged as a new entrant, meaning all filings arrived in the recent window, suggesting a deliberate and rapid build-out of cobot motion planning IP anchored in its core welding automation business.
families: 6Electronics & Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI)
ETRI holds 2 patent families with technical focus concentrated in manipulator and robot subclasses (B25J 5 and B25J 9). Like all applicants in this tier, ETRI entered as a new entrant in the recent window. As a government-affiliated research institute, its filings signal public-sector investment in cobot planning fundamentals and a potential source of licensable technology.
families: 2| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Global Inc | 6 | ▲ new entrant |
| Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| Intel Corporation | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| Air Liquide America Inc | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| L’Air Liquide SA | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| Changchun University of Technology | 1 | ▲ new entrant |
| Suzhou University | 1 | ▲ new entrant |
| Suzhou Elite Robotics Co Ltd | 1 | ▲ new entrant |
AI-model planning and digital data processing are under-served adjacent branches
Several IPC branches appear in the corpus at low counts relative to the dominant B25J core, representing areas where patent density is sparse. These observations are noted for their technical adjacency; whether they constitute investable opportunities depends on commercial context beyond this corpus.
G06N · Computing based on AI models
Only 3 patent records fall under G06N, giving it a 4% share of branch coverage — sparse for a topic where machine-learning-driven trajectory optimisation, reinforcement learning for obstacle avoidance, and neural motion planners are active research areas. Applicants working in learned motion planning or data-driven cobot control would face limited prior art density here, though they would need to assess Freedom to Operate against the broader robotics AI corpus outside this specific topic cluster.
Search this in Eureka →G06T · Image data processing & generation
G06T holds only 2 patent records — a 3% share — despite vision-based cobot guidance being a central enabler of safe human-robot collaboration. The most-cited patent in this corpus addresses vision-based safety control, suggesting practical demand for this capability while formal patent coverage under G06T remains thin. Entries combining depth-camera perception with real-time motion re-planning could occupy a sparsely contested position.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ by technology route
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | B25J 9 · Manipulators & robots | G05B 19 · Control & regulating systems | B23K 37 · Welding, soldering & brazing | B23K 9 · Welding, soldering & brazing | B25J 11 · Manipulators & robots |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Global Inc | Strong · 6 | Strong · 4 | Moderate · 3 | Absent | Emerging · 1 |
| L’Air Liquide SA | Strong · 2 | Absent | Absent | Strong · 2 | Absent |
| Air Liquide America Inc | Strong · 2 | Absent | Moderate · 1 | Moderate · 1 | Absent |
| Intel Corporation | Strong · 2 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) | Strong · 2 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| China Three Gorges University | Strong · 1 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus contains 42 patent families in scope. This is a small corpus consistent with a field that saw negligible activity before 2023 and is still in an early growth stage.
Lincoln Global Inc leads with 6 patent families. The next-ranked applicants — including L’Air Liquide SA, Intel Corporation, Air Liquide America Inc, and the Electronics & Telecommunications Research Institute — each hold 2 patent families.
China is the leading filing office with 28 patent records, followed by the United States with 7, WIPO PCT with 3, Europe (EPO) with 2, and Canada and India with 1 each.
B25J (Manipulators & robots) dominates with 41 patent records. Welding (B23K) and control systems (G05B) each appear in 7 records. AI-model computing (G06N) and digital data processing (G06F) each cover only 3 records.
The field is in a Growth stage. Recent three-year filings are 480% above the prior three-year window. Annual volume peaked in 2023 and has eased since; 2024–2026 figures are likely understated due to publication lag and should be treated as floor estimates.
G06N (AI models) and G06T (image data processing) each have very low patent record counts — 3 and 2 respectively — relative to the dominant B25J core. G06F (electric digital data processing) also shows only 3 records. These branches are sparse within this corpus, though broader prior art outside the topic cluster should be assessed before treating them as open white space.
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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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