FO Module & Draw-Solution Design Optimization Patent Snapshot
This is a highly concentrated, early-stage niche with 3 patent families on record, dominated by academic and research institutions rather than industrial players. Activity peaked in 2021 and has since eased, signaling a field where foundational IP positions are still formative and entry barriers remain low.
Nanyang Technological University leads a tightly held, research-driven niche
Nanyang Technological University holds the top position with 4 patent records, followed by the Regents of the University of California with 2 patent records. The remaining filers — Hydration Systems and the Director General Defence Research & Development Organisation — each hold 1 patent record.
The top five filers collectively account for 100% of the ranked applicants visible in this query’ combined total, indicating extreme concentration with no meaningful second tier. All active participants are universities or government research bodies, with no major industrial assignees visible in the ranking.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nanyang Technological University | 4 | |
| 2 | Regents of the University of California | 2 | |
| 3 | Hydration Systems | 1 | |
| 4 | DIRECTOR GENERAL DEFENCE RES & DEV ORG | 1 |
Nanyang Technological University’s lead, grounded in both separation-process and water-treatment classifications, reflects a strong membrane-science research program. The University of California’s presence adds a North American academic counterweight, but neither player has established a visible multi-family portfolio that would foreclose entry by industrial actors.
The most recent filing years should be interpreted cautiously given standard patent publication lag of 18–24 months; apparent inactivity in 2024–2026 likely understates actual recent filings. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
A brief 2021 pulse dominates an otherwise sparse filing timeline; separation science anchors the technology mix
The annual filing trend reveals a narrow window of activity, and the technology composition shows strong clustering in two IPC classes with one notably sparse adjacent branch.
Annual filing trend
Filing activity was zero from 2017 through 2020, spiked to 2 records in 2021, dropped to 1 in 2023, and shows no recorded activity in 2024–2026. The 2021 peak represents the field’s high-water mark; the subsequent quiet should be read alongside publication lag before concluding the field is inactive.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
B01D (Separation processes, including filtration and membrane technologies) and C02F (Water and wastewater treatment) are visible in the IPC distribution, reflecting the dual focus on membrane module design and draw-solute chemistry. C08L (Polymer compositions) appears with only 1 record, marking it as a structurally underserved adjacent branch.
↗ 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.
A draw solute and an improved forward osmosis method
A draw solute for forward osmosis comprising a semi-interpenetrating (semi-IPN) hydrogel which comprises a thermally responsive polymer and a hydrophilic polymer, such that the semi-IPN hydrogel is capable of switching between a hydrophilic and hydrophobic state in response to changes in temperature is provided. Also provided is a draw solute comprising a… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A draw solute and an improved forward osmosis method | 19 |
| 2 | A draw solute and an improved forward osmosis method | 10 |
| 3 | Systems and methods for water desalination using t… | 6 |
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.
Assignee snapshot from the current evidence set
The applicants below are visible in this query result. Because the evidence set is relatively small, read this section as a directional snapshot rather than a full competitive ranking.
Nanyang Technological University
Nanyang Technological University holds 4 patent records, all concentrated in B01D 61 (membrane separation processes) and C02F 1 (water treatment), with additional coverage in C02F 103. This dual anchor in both module and treatment classification suggests an integrated approach spanning draw-solution chemistry and membrane system design. No momentum signal is available from recent-versus-prior period data for this applicant.
patent records: 4Director General Defence Research & Development Organisation
The Director General Defence Research & Development Organisation holds 1 patent record and is flagged as a new entrant in the most recent period, with a trend of new entrant activity. Their technology focus spans B01D 61, C02F 1, and C02F 103, mirroring Nanyang Technological University’s classification profile. A defence-affiliated entrant in this space may indicate interest in forward osmosis for field-deployable water purification applications.
patent records: 1Frequently asked questions
The evidence covers 3 patent families in scope for FO module and draw-solution design optimization.
Nanyang Technological University is the leading filer with 4 patent records, focused on membrane separation processes (B01D 61) and water treatment (C02F 1).
The lifecycle is classified as Decline, with annual filings easing back from a 2021 peak. However, given the very small absolute volume, this reflects the end of a narrow pulse of activity rather than retreat from a large established field. Recent years should also be read with publication lag in mind.
The United States leads with 4 patent records, followed by WIPO PCT with 2, and India and Singapore each with 1.
No co-applicant relationships are detected in the available evidence. All four filers — Nanyang Technological University, the Regents of the University of California, Hydration Systems, and the Director General Defence Research & Development Organisation — have filed independently.
C08L (Polymer compositions) is the most sparsely represented IPC branch, appearing in only 1 patent record. Given that draw-solution polymer architecture is technically central to FO performance, this branch may represent an area where new filings would face limited prior-art density.
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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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