Forward Osmosis Monitoring Patent Snapshot 2026
Forward osmosis monitoring is a highly concentrated, early-stage niche with only two active applicants on record, both from academic institutions. Activity peaked in 2019 and has since eased, signalling that the field remains largely open for industrial entrants willing to build on a thin foundational base.
Two academic institutions hold the entire visible Snapshot
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology leads the applicant ranking with 6 patent records, followed by the Research and Business Foundation of Sungkyunkwan University with 2 patent records. Together these two institutions account for all activity among the top-ranked filers.
The top five filers hold 100% of the combined total of the ranked applicants visible in this query — in practice just two entrants — indicating extreme concentration with no meaningful second tier.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KING ABDULLAH UNIV OF SCI & TECH | 6 | |
| 2 | RES & BUSINESS FOUND SUNGKYUNKWAN UNIV | 2 |
The dominance of two university-affiliated bodies, rather than industrial players, suggests the technology is still in a pre-commercial research phase. Any corporate entrant would face a relatively uncontested filing environment.
The corpus covers a small number of patent families; filings from the most recent period may not yet be fully published, so the apparent absence of very recent activity should be interpreted cautiously. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
A single cohort of filings in 2019 defines the field’s history
The annual filing trend and IPC class breakdown together show a field that generated its entire visible output in one year and is anchored in two closely adjacent technology classes.
Annual filing trend
All recorded activity clusters around 2019, with no filings visible in surrounding years. Years after 2022 are subject to publication lag and should not be read as confirming zero activity; nonetheless the pattern points to a narrow, punctuated burst rather than sustained growth.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
The IPC mix is split between B01D (Separation processes, including filtration) and G01N (Material analysis and testing), reflecting the dual focus on membrane operation and in-line sensing. The separation-process class carries the larger share, indicating that monitoring is primarily framed as a membrane-management function rather than a standalone analytical discipline.
↗ 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.
Device and method for real-time membrane fouling m…
The present invention relates to the technical field of water treatment and, more specifically, provides monitoring device and method for detecting real-time the degree of membrane fouling of a forward osmosis membrane vessel in a forward osmosis membrane treatment device. To this end, the present invention comprises an FO treatment simulation unit which… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | In-line quantification and characterization of mem… | 15 |
| 2 | In-line quantification and characterization of mem… | 5 |
| 3 | In-line quantification and characterization of mem… | 5 |
| 4 | Device and method for real-time membrane fouling m… | 2 |
| 5 | A assembly and method of real-time fouling monitor… | 2 |
| 6 | In-line quantification and characterization of mem… | 1 |
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.
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology holds 6 patent records and is the visible force in this niche. Its technical focus spans B01D 61 and B01D 65 (membrane separation processes) and G01N 17 (corrosion and environmental material testing), reflecting a comprehensive approach that couples operational membrane monitoring with analytical characterisation. Applicant momentum data is not available in the current evidence set.
patent records: 6Research and Business Foundation of Sungkyunkwan University
The Research and Business Foundation of Sungkyunkwan University holds 2 patent records. Its technical focus is concentrated in B01D 61 and B01D 65, covering membrane separation processes, without the G01N analytical-testing dimension seen in the leader’s portfolio. This narrower scope suggests an emphasis on membrane performance rather than broader in-line sensing. Applicant momentum data is not available in the current evidence set.
patent records: 2Frequently asked questions
The current evidence captures 2 patent families in scope for this specific topic.
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology leads with 6 patent records, making it the visible filer by a significant margin over the only other recorded applicant.
Filing activity peaked in 2019 based on the annual trend data. Annual volume has eased from that peak and no filings are recorded in subsequent years, though publication lag means very recent filings may not yet be visible.
The United States carries the largest share of patent records, followed by WIPO PCT filings. Single records appear in Europe via the EPO and in South Korea.
Based on the current evidence, both active applicants are university-affiliated institutions. No industrial or corporate filers appear in the applicant ranking.
The two most prominent IPC classes are B01D (Separation processes, including filtration) and G01N (Material analysis and testing), reflecting the dual focus on membrane operation and in-line analytical sensing.
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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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