Gas Sensor Packaging Patents: Who Leads, Where the Gaps Are 2026
- Filing has cooled since a 2020 peak of 17. the 2022 midpoint sits at 12 and the trend line is flat-to-declining, not a growth story.
- One assignee anchors the field but isn't expanding. Honeywell shows the strongest co-assignee network yet filed just 1 family in the latest year, flat year-on-year.
- A 20-year-old patent still dominates citations. US6140144A on microsensor packaging carries 430 citations, more than four times the next most-cited record.
Filing growth compares 2021 (14 records) with 2024 (13) — a three-year span. 2024 is the most recent year we treat as complete: publication lags filing by roughly 18 months, so 2025 onwards are still filling in and any growth rate that ends there would understate the field. Top-5 share is the combined record count of the five largest assignees divided by all 149 records in scope (CR5), not by the ranked leaders only.
What the gas sensor packaging patent set covers
Gas sensor packaging sits at the intersection of material analysis, MEMS fabrication and mechanical protection: how a sensing element is sealed, filtered and mounted so it survives field conditions without losing sensitivity. The dataset behind this page spans 149 patent families filed between 2015 and mid-2026, drawn from filings that combine gas or chemiresistive sensor claims with packaging-specific language such as hermetic sealing or gas-permeable filter caps. G01N material analysis dominates the classification mix, but meaningful overlap with MEMS manufacturing (B81B/B81C) and printed circuit assembly (H05K) shows packaging claims are rarely filed in isolation from the sensing element itself.
Filing offices skew heavily toward the United States and China, with PCT and European filings a smaller but consistent share — a pattern consistent with a mature, globally distributed supply chain rather than a single regional cluster. Publication lags filing by roughly 18 months, so the 2025-2026 tail in any trend chart understates real filing activity.
Filing trend and technology composition
Annual filing counts and IPC distribution for the 149 families in this dataset, drawn directly from the underlying search.
A peak in 2020, not a ramp
Filings rose from 9 in 2017 to a peak of 17 in 2020, then eased to 12 by the 2022 midpoint. That shape — rise, peak, plateau — points to a technology whose core packaging approaches were largely staked out by the early 2020s, with newer filings refining rather than opening territory.
Packaging claims cluster around G01N, with MEMS and circuit overlap
G01N material analysis accounts for 95 of the classified records, by far the largest share. The next largest groups — A61B diagnostic applications, B81B/B81C MEMS structures and manufacture, and H05K circuit assembly — show that packaging innovation is usually claimed alongside a specific end application or fabrication method rather than as a standalone mechanical invention.
Shares are the percentage of the 149 records in scope. A patent can carry several IPC classes, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
Go deeper on Gas Sensor Packaging with Eureka
This page is one run against one query. Ask Eureka your own question about gas sensor packaging and every answer comes back with the patent numbers behind it.
Try EurekaThe records shaping this landscape
US20080206107A1 — Gas sensor apparatus for automotive exhaust gas applications
A gas sensor apparatus and method of forming the same generally includes a gas sensor element comprising a heater and a plurality of electrodes. A ceramic substrate can be provided for supporting the electrodes on one side of the ceramic substrate and the heater on the opposite side of the ceramic substrate. The gas sensor element is preferably embedded in the ceramic substrate. The ceramic substrate also possesses a substantially circular shape in order to prevent a breakage of the gas sensor element, avoid thermal loss, and permit the gas sensor apparatus to withstand mechanical shock and high vibrations while occupying a minimal package space.Filed by Honeywell International Inc., published 2008-08-28 — the circular embedded-substrate geometry recurs across later filings in this set.
| # | Publication no. | Patent title | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | US6140144A | Method for packaging microsensors | 430 |
| 2 | WO2001026708A1 | Reactive polymeric valve, dispensing devices and methods using same | 135 |
| 3 | WO1998005935A1 | Method for packaging microsensors | 94 |
| 4 | EP0351516A2 | Precalibrated, disposable, electrochemical sensors | 94 |
| 5 | US20170245806A1 | System and method for monitoring safety and productivity of physical tasks | 89 |
| 6 | US20190343429A1 | System and method for monitoring safety and productivity of physical tasks | 66 |
| 7 | US20040112764A1 | Sensor device for detection of dissolved hydrocarbon gases in oil filled high-voltage electrical equipment | 59 |
| 8 | US20080016946A1 | Gas sensor packaging for elevated temperature and harsh environment and related methods | 30 |
| 9 | US5492612A | Lean shift correction of potentiometric oxygen sensors | 30 |
| 10 | US20080229831A1 | Design and deposition of sensing layers for surface acoustic wave chemical sensors based on supra-molecular c… | 27 |
Citation counts are measured within this searched corpus and favour older filings; treat them as a signal of influence on later filers, not of current commercial relevance.
Each row carries its publication number; clicking a row searches Eureka by that number.
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Three patterns stand out once family counts, citation weight and office distribution are read together.
The growth phase has passed
Filings peaked in 2020 and have since eased toward the 2022 midpoint of 12. Combined with a 2026 count of just 2 (a partial, lagging year), the trajectory reads as flat-to-declining rather than an emerging area still attracting new entrants.
One foundational packaging patent still anchors the field
US6140144A, "Method for packaging microsensors," carries more than three times the citations of any other record in the set, with WO1998005935A1 — a related microsensor packaging method — also appearing high in the ranking. New filers are building claims in the shadow of packaging methods staked out decades ago.
Collaboration is thin and concentrated around one firm
Only 9 co-assignee pairs appear across the dataset, and the three strongest all pair Honeywell with individual named inventors rather than with other corporate assignees. That suggests packaging IP here is built largely in-house rather than through joint filings.
Eureka can read the same corpus for gaps instead of for coverage: under-claimed branches adjacent to gas sensor packaging, with the prior art for and against each one.
Who holds the packaging claims, and where they are not filing
Honeywell's network is the densest in the dataset, but recent-year momentum across every tracked assignee is flat or zero — a sign the leading names are defending existing positions rather than expanding them.
Honeywell International
Honeywell anchors both the citation table (via its historic microsensor packaging patents) and the co-assignee network, pairing repeatedly with the same named inventors. Its latest-year filing count of 1 and flat year-on-year change suggest a mature, maintained portfolio rather than active expansion.
General Electric
General Electric appears among the ranked assignees but shows no filings in the most recent tracked year, consistent with a portfolio built earlier in the window rather than one still being actively added to.
Ohio State University
Academic assignees such as Ohio State University appear in the ranking but without recent-year activity, typical of research-driven filings that cluster around specific funded projects rather than sustained commercial programmes.
| Assignee | Recent year | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Honeywell International Inc. | 1 | 0% |
| ONE MILLION METRICS CORP | 0 | — |
| General Electric Company | 0 | — |
| Ohio State University | 0 | — |
| Lumileds | 0 | — |
| ALTERED CARBON LTD | 0 | — |
| Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) | 0 | — |
| Shouchuan Laser Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. | 0 | — |
Where to take this analysis
The filing and citation data point to specific next steps depending on whether the goal is freedom-to-operate, licensing, or new claim drafting.
Check freedom-to-operate against Honeywell's core claims
Given the concentration of citations and co-assignee activity around Honeywell's microsensor packaging methods, any new hermetic or embedded-substrate design should be checked against that lineage before drafting.
Run a claim comparison in EurekaMap the under-claimed packaging branches in detail
Filter cap materials, seal degradation testing and wafer-level packaging show thinner filing density than the core G01N cluster — worth a deeper claim-chart pass before assuming the space is open.
Explore white space in EurekaTrack dormant assignees for licensing opportunities
Several ranked assignees, including General Electric and Ohio State University, show no recent-year filings — a pattern worth revisiting if licensing-in is more attractive than building around active claims.
Monitor assignee activity in EurekaCommon questions about gas sensor packaging patents
Honeywell International has the strongest position in this dataset, both through its historic microsensor packaging patents that carry the highest citation counts and through the densest co-assignee network of any firm tracked. Other named assignees, including General Electric and Ohio State University, appear in the ranking but show no filings in the most recent tracked year. The overall picture is a concentrated top with a long tail of smaller and single-filing entrants rather than several actively competing large portfolios.
Filings peaked in 2020 at 17 and eased to 12 by the 2022 midpoint, with the trend flat to declining since. The 2026 figure of 2 looks like a steep drop but is a partial year — publication typically lags filing by around 18 months, so recent years always understate real activity. Taken together, the shape suggests the core packaging approaches were staked out by the early 2020s and current filings are refinements rather than a new growth wave.
US6140144A, "Method for packaging microsensors," is the most-cited record in this dataset at 430 citations, well ahead of any other filing. Its citation weight signals that a large share of later packaging methods trace their lineage to it, so any new hermetic or embedded-sensor packaging design should be checked against its claims during freedom-to-operate review. High citation count inside a searched corpus reflects age and influence rather than current enforceability, so the check should confirm status and scope rather than assume automatic relevance.
The classification data shows heavy concentration in G01N material analysis (95 of 149 records), with thinner coverage in coating-based selectivity layers (C09D, 6 records) and non-metallic compound integration (C01B, 6 records). Sub-areas like gas-permeable filter cap materials and wafer-level sensor packaging show less filing density than the core hermetic-seal cluster. These are starting points for a claim-chart review, not confirmed open territory — density alone does not prove novelty is available.
The United States leads with 54 filings by receiving office, followed by China at 37, then PCT (WIPO) filings at 18 and the European Patent Office at 15, with smaller counts in the UK and Germany. This distribution reflects a globally spread supply chain for sensor manufacturing rather than a single dominant filing jurisdiction, and any regional freedom-to-operate work should cover at least the US and China given their combined share of the dataset.
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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.
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.
Machine translation. Assignee and organisation names originally recorded in Chinese, Japanese or Korean have been rendered into English by an AI translation step so that the tables stay readable. These renderings are best-effort and may not match a company’s registered English name; the original name is what the underlying patent record carries, and it is what any Eureka query launched from this page uses.