Human-Machine Interface Patent Landscape 2026
Human-Machine Interface Patent Landscape in 2026
The HMI patent field is highly concentrated, with Rockwell Automation Tech Inc commanding a dominant position and the top five filers collectively holding 51% of the hundred largest filers’ combined output. Filing activity peaked in 2020 and has eased since, placing the field in a post-peak phase with pockets of under-served activity in AI, digital communication, and image processing.
Rockwell Automation leads a concentrated industrial-automation field
Rockwell Automation Tech Inc holds the top rank with 2,144 patent families, more than double the second-ranked Omron Corp at 968 patent families and third-ranked Siemens AG at 938 patent families — a structural gap that signals sustained, deep investment in programmable control and supervisory interfaces.
The top five filers — Rockwell Automation, Omron, Siemens, ABB (Schweiz), and Fisher Rosemount Systems — together account for 51% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, indicating a concentrated upper tier. A secondary tier comprising General Electric, Mitsubishi Electric, Honeywell International, Yokogawa Electric, and Toshiba Mitsubishi Electric Industrial Systems holds meaningful but considerably smaller positions.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rockwell Automation Technologies Inc | 2,144 | |
| 2 | Omron Corporation | 968 | |
| 3 | Siemens AG | 938 | |
| 4 | ABB (Schweiz) AG | 487 | |
| 5 | Fisher Rosemount Systems Inc | 266 | |
| 6 | General Electric Company | 233 | |
| 7 | Mitsubishi Electric Corporation | 217 | |
| 8 | Honeywell International Inc | 183 | |
| 9 | Yokogawa Electric Corporation | 175 | |
| 10 | Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation | 161 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Schneider Electric Systems USA Inc | 147 | |
| 12 | Schneider Electric Japan Holdings Ltd | 122 | |
| 13 | NVIDIA Corporation | 117 | |
| 14 | ABB Research Ltd | 115 | |
| 15 | Intelligrated Headquarters LLC | 114 | |
| 16 | Toshiba Corporation | 114 | |
| 17 | Schneider Electric Industries SAS | 99 | |
| 18 | Digital Electronics Corporation | 83 | |
| 19 | AVEVA Software LLC | 83 | |
| 20 | TMEIC Corporation | 77 |
The leaders’ positions reflect the dominance of established industrial-automation and process-control incumbents. Their depth in G05B (control and regulating systems) creates high barrier conditions for challengers seeking to compete on core PLC/SCADA-linked HMI technology, though adjacent branches remain comparatively open.
Filing counts for 2024 and 2025 are subject to publication lag and should be treated as under-counts; the apparent sharp drop in those years does not necessarily reflect real-world filing behavior. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Post-peak filing with a dominant G05B core and emerging adjacent branches
The annual trend chart shows how filing volume evolved from 2017 through the most recent available period, while the technology composition chart maps the IPC branch distribution across the corpus.
Annual filing trend
Filings grew from 992 in 2017 to a peak of 1,262 in 2020, then eased progressively through 2022 and 2023. Figures for 2024 and 2025 are materially incomplete due to publication lag and should not be read as reflecting actual filing intent for those years.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
G05B (Control & regulating systems) is the overwhelmingly dominant branch, reflecting the field’s roots in industrial PLC, SCADA, and process-control interfaces. G06F (Electric digital data processing) and B25J (Manipulators & robots) form a secondary tier, while H04L (Digital information transmission), G06Q (Business/admin data processing), and G06N (AI models) represent meaningful but comparatively sparse adjacent branches worth monitoring.
↗ 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.
Mensch-Maschine-Schnittstellenvorrichtung und Syst…
In accordance with the present invention, an automation system (1) comprising a plurality of human machine interface devices (2A-2I) connected to a network (4), includes at least a first human machine interface device (2B) having a messaging module triggerable directly or indirectly by an operator (8) proximate to said first human machine interface device… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | System and method for performing image directed ro… | 909 |
| 2 | Monitoring system for an industrial process using … | 770 |
| 3 | Mobile Robot Providing Environmental Mapping for H… | 764 |
| 4 | System for remotely accessing an industrial contro… | 739 |
| 5 | System and methodology providing automation securi… | 587 |
| 6 | Industrial plant asset management system: apparatu… | 436 |
| 7 | Control for an industrial process using one or mor… | 406 |
| 8 | Coordination of control commands in a medical devi… | 401 |
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 competitive structure means for R&D investment decisions
Four structural dimensions — lifecycle stage, concentration, collaboration activity, and geographic spread — shape where entering or expanding in HMI is most and least defensible.
Post-peak field with core technology largely claimed
The lifecycle evidence places HMI in a decline stage, with annual filings easing back from the 2020 peak of 1,262 families. This signals that core G05B control-interface technology is maturing and that differentiation through incremental improvements to established PLC/SCADA HMI is increasingly difficult. New entrants and challengers are better positioned in adjacent branches such as AI-driven interfaces and image-based interaction than in the saturated core.
Post-peak · 2020 apexWide leader-to-challenger gap limits fast-follower strategies
Rockwell Automation’s 2,144-family position is more than twice that of any single competitor, and the top five account for 51% of the hundred largest filers’ total. This degree of concentration means that competing head-on in the dominant G05B core requires either very large portfolio investment or a differentiated technical angle. The second tier — ABB, Fisher Rosemount, GE, Mitsubishi Electric, Honeywell — holds defensible but substantially smaller positions that suggest narrower technical scope.
High concentrationSiemens is the most active co-filer; intra-group and supplier pairs dominate
The most frequent co-filing pair is Siemens AG with Siemens Corp at 16 joint families, reflecting intra-group coordination across geographic entities. Toshiba Mitsubishi Electric Industrial Systems and Toshiba Corp co-filed on 10 families, and Rockwell Automation co-filed with Sievert Larson Cyber Security and Automation (Sievert) on 7 families. ABB (Schweiz) and Hitachi Energy Switzerland co-filed on 3 families, while Omron and Chugai Pharmaceutical co-filed on 2 families — an unusual cross-industry pair suggesting healthcare robotics overlap. Mitsubishi Electric and Kobe University co-filed on 2 families, the only clear academic linkage in the top collaborations.
Intra-group dominantUS-centric with strong EPO presence; Asia filing is secondary
The United States leads with 4,839 patent records, followed by Europe (EPO) at 3,060 and China at 1,396. Japan and Germany each sit above 1,000 records, reflecting the home-market filing strength of Omron, Yokogawa, Siemens, and related incumbents. India at 566 records is the largest emerging-market jurisdiction. Coverage in South Korea at 123 records is relatively low given the presence of LS Electric and other Korean automation players, suggesting a potential filing gap for companies seeking Korea-market protection.
US + EPO dominantGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Siemens AG | Siemens Corporation | 16 |
| Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation | Toshiba Corporation | 10 |
| Rockwell Automation Technologies Inc | Sievert Larson Cyber Security and Automation | 7 |
| Siemens AG | DMG MORI DIGITAL GMBH | 6 |
| General Electric Company | GE Global Sourcing LLC | 6 |
| Siemens AG | Siemens Industry Inc | 5 |
| Siemens AG | Siemens (China) Co Ltd | 4 |
| ABB (Schweiz) AG | Hitachi Energy Switzerland AG | 3 |
| Omron Corporation | Chugai Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | 2 |
| Mitsubishi Electric Corporation | Kobe University | 2 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Rockwell Automation dominates; Fisher Rosemount is the fastest-rising challenger
The top applicants are exclusively industrial-automation incumbents with deep G05B roots. Recent-period momentum diverges sharply: most majors are filing at reduced rates from their peaks, while Fisher Rosemount Systems is the standout exception with accelerating output.
Rockwell Automation Tech Inc
Rockwell Automation holds 2,144 patent families — the largest position by a wide margin — concentrated in G05B 19 (programmable control systems, 1,964 records) and G05B 23 (condition monitoring, 284 records), with secondary coverage in G06F 9 (digital data processing, 199 records). Recent-period momentum is essentially flat at -1%, suggesting the portfolio is in a maintenance phase rather than active expansion, consistent with the post-peak lifecycle of the broader field.
families: 2,144Fisher Rosemount Systems Inc
Fisher Rosemount Systems holds 266 patent families, ranked fifth, with technology focus on G05B 19 (196 records), G05B 23 (100 records), and notably G06F 3 (human-computer interaction / digital data processing, 34 records) — the last suggesting investment in front-end interface design alongside back-end process control. With a recent-period momentum of +52%, Fisher Rosemount is the fastest-growing major filer in the corpus, a trend worth monitoring for signs of portfolio strategy shift toward richer HMI interfaces.
families: 266| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Rockwell Automation Technologies Inc | 493 | ▬ -1% |
| Omron Corporation | 97 | ▼ -77% |
| Siemens AG | 69 | ▼ -67% |
| ABB (Schweiz) AG | 83 | ▼ -48% |
| General Electric Company | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| Fisher Rosemount Systems Inc | 67 | ▲ +52% |
| Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation | 56 | ▼ -36% |
| Mitsubishi Electric Corporation | 21 | ▼ -75% |
Under-served branches adjacent to the dominant G05B core
Several IPC branches appear in the HMI corpus at materially lower share than the dominant G05B class. These are observations of relative sparsity; the branches below also carry plausible technical value and realistic entry paths for companies already active in the core.
G06N · AI-based computing models
G06N accounts for 479 patent records — just 2% of the top branch — despite the evident relevance of machine learning and neural-network inference to adaptive HMI, anomaly detection, and operator-assist features. The sparse coverage relative to the G05B core suggests that the integration of AI model layers into industrial HMI workflows remains under-patented. Companies with existing G05B portfolios and AI capabilities could pursue this adjacency through filings that combine trained-model inference with real-time control visualization or predictive alerting.
Search this in Eureka →G06T · Image data processing and generation
G06T (image data processing and generation) holds 350 patent records — 1% of the leading branch — despite increasing deployment of augmented-reality overlays, digital-twin visualizations, and camera-based operator-guidance systems in industrial settings. The low count relative to the size of the B25J robot-manipulation branch (2,412 records) suggests that the vision-and-rendering layer connecting robotic perception to human operators is comparatively open. Entry paths include AR/XR-assisted maintenance guidance, 3-D process visualization, and real-time image-based quality feedback at the operator console.
Search this in Eureka →How top HMI filers differ across technology routes
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | G05B 19 · Control & regulating systems | G05B 23 · Control & regulating systems | B25J 9 · Manipulators & robots | G06F 3 · Electric digital data processing | G06F 9 · Electric digital data processing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockwell Automation Technologies Inc | Strong · 1,964 | Emerging · 284 | Emerging · 37 | Emerging · 118 | Emerging · 199 |
| Omron Corporation | Strong · 833 | Moderate · 184 | Emerging · 31 | Emerging · 55 | Emerging · 37 |
| Siemens AG | Strong · 782 | Emerging · 152 | Emerging · 40 | Emerging · 39 | Emerging · 80 |
| ABB (Schweiz) AG | Strong · 263 | Moderate · 120 | Emerging · 47 | Absent | Emerging · 13 |
| General Electric Company | Strong · 230 | Strong · 149 | Absent | Emerging · 30 | Emerging · 27 |
| Fisher Rosemount Systems Inc | Strong · 196 | Strong · 100 | Absent | Emerging · 34 | Emerging · 24 |
| Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation | Strong · 140 | Strong · 160 | Absent | Emerging · 30 | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
Rockwell Automation Tech Inc leads with 2,144 patent families, more than double the second-ranked Omron Corp at 968 patent families. The gap reflects decades of sustained investment in programmable-control and supervisory-interface technology.
Annual filings peaked in 2020 at 1,262 patent families and have eased progressively since. The lifecycle evidence characterizes the field as post-peak. Figures for 2024 and 2025 are incomplete due to publication lag and understate actual filing activity for those years.
G05B (Control and regulating systems) is the dominant branch by a wide margin, reflecting the field’s origins in PLC, SCADA, and process-control interface technology. G06F (Electric digital data processing) and B25J (Manipulators and robots) form a secondary tier.
The United States leads with 4,839 patent records, followed by Europe (EPO) at 3,060 and China at 1,396. Japan and Germany each exceed 1,000 records, reflecting the home-market filing intensity of major Japanese and German automation incumbents.
Fisher Rosemount Systems Inc shows a recent-period momentum of +52%, making it the fastest-growing major filer among the top-ranked applicants. Most other leading applicants, including Omron (-77%), Siemens (-67%), and Mitsubishi Electric (-75%), show substantially reduced recent-period filing rates relative to their prior three-year baselines.
G06N (AI-based computing models) at 479 patent records and G06T (Image data processing and generation) at 350 patent records are the most technically relevant adjacent branches with comparatively sparse coverage. Both intersect directly with emerging HMI use cases — AI-assisted operator guidance and AR/XR-based visualization — and remain under-represented relative to the dominant G05B core.
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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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