Integrated Sensing and Communication Patent Landscape 2026
Integrated Sensing and Communication Patent Landscape in 2026
The integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) field is in a rapid-growth phase, with Huawei commanding a dominant lead and WIPO PCT filings serving as the primary global protection route. The competitive structure is highly concentrated among telecom equipment and chipset players, with several major entrants only appearing within the most recent filing window.
Huawei leads a highly concentrated ISAC field; five players control more than half of top-100 activity
Huawei Technologies holds the top position with 1,276 patent families, placing it well ahead of every other applicant. Vivo Mobile Communications ranks second with 339 patent families, followed by Nokia Technologies with 304, Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software with 252, and Qualcomm with 241.
The top five filers account for 55% of the combined total across the hundred largest filers — a concentration level that signals a field dominated by a small group of well-resourced telecom incumbents and chipset specialists. The gap between Huawei and the second-ranked applicant is roughly 3.8-to-one, indicating a distinct tier separation at the top.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | 1,276 | |
| 2 | Vivo Mobile Communications Co., Ltd. | 339 | |
| 3 | Nokia Technologies Oy | 304 | |
| 4 | Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. | 252 | |
| 5 | Qualcomm Incorporated | 241 | |
| 6 | LG Electronics Inc. | 173 | |
| 7 | ZTE Corporation | 172 | |
| 8 | NOKIA SOLUTIONS & NETWORKS OY | 163 | |
| 9 | Honor Device Co., Ltd. | 90 | |
| 10 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | 90 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | OPPO (Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corp., Ltd.) | 84 | |
| 12 | NEC Corporation | 66 | |
| 13 | Ericsson | 65 | |
| 14 | Datang Mobile Communications Equipment Co., Ltd. | 59 | |
| 15 | Sony Group Corporation | 59 | |
| 16 | Lenovo (Beijing) Limited | 57 | |
| 17 | InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. | 44 | |
| 18 | Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. | 36 | |
| 19 | Toyota Motor Corporation | 36 | |
| 20 | BEIJING UNIV OF POSTS & TELECOMM | 34 |
Huawei’s scale advantage implies that any entrant seeking to challenge on breadth of wireless protocol coverage faces a substantial filing deficit. Challengers such as Nokia and Qualcomm are differentiating on specific sub-routes — positioning that may offer more tractable entry points for focused R&D investment.
Filing counts for 2025 and 2026 are materially understated due to typical patent publication lags of 12–18 months; the apparent plateau in the most recent periods should not be interpreted as a slowdown. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Filing volume has surged since 2022, and wireless network protocols dominate the technology mix
Two charts together reveal both the pace of ISAC adoption and the technical sub-fields attracting the most IP activity. The filing trend shows a field that effectively did not exist before 2020 and has since grown explosively; the technology composition chart shows where that energy is concentrated.
Annual filing trend
Filings were negligible through 2021, then accelerated sharply from 2022 onward, reaching a recorded peak in 2024. The 2025 and 2026 bars are substantially understated due to publication lag and should not be read as indicative of a real slowdown; the lifecycle evidence confirms the field remains in growth.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H04W (Wireless communication networks) accounts for the largest share of patent records, reflecting the field’s core anchor in cellular and mobile standards. H04L (Digital information transmission) and H04B (Transmission, general) follow, confirming a strong signal-layer orientation. G01S (Radar, sonar and positioning) is the first branch outside pure communications, indicating meaningful but still secondary sensing-side activity. AI-related computing (G06N) and general digital data processing (G06F) appear at much lower volumes, suggesting these integration layers remain comparatively underdeveloped.
↗ 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.
Transmit method based on satellite massive MIMO in…
Disclosed is a transmit method based on satellite massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) integrated sensing and communication, where a satellite end is equipped with a massive MIMO array to implement an integrated sensing and communication system. The satellite end sends a communication signal to multiple user terminals based on statistical… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Systems, methods, and apparatus on wireless networ… | 167 |
| 2 | Method and apparatus for communication and sensing… | 84 |
| 3 | Integrated sensing and communication network | 61 |
| 4 | Integrated sensing and communication network | 60 |
| 5 | 定位感知方法、感知测量方法、装置、终端及网络侧设备 | 44 |
| 6 | Systems, methods, and apparatus on wireless networ… | 41 |
| 7 | Sensing systems, methods, and apparatus in wireles… | 37 |
| 8 | 目标定位感知方法、装置、通信设备和存储介质 | 31 |
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 ISAC patent structure means for R&D investment decisions
Reading the corpus across maturity, concentration, collaboration, and geography surfaces four actionable signals for teams assessing where to allocate development effort or where to seek freedom to operate.
Growth stage: rapid expansion from a near-zero base
The lifecycle evidence classifies ISAC as a Growth-stage field. Annual filing volume was effectively zero through 2019, then accelerated dramatically from 2022, with 2024 representing the recorded peak year. Because publication lag understates recent-period counts, the growth trajectory remains intact. Early movers who filed in 2022–2023 are now establishing prior-art positions that will constrain later entrants.
Growth stageTop-heavy structure with a large gap between the leader and challengers
The top five filers hold 55% of activity among the hundred largest filers, and Huawei alone accounts for 1,276 patent families — nearly four times the second-ranked applicant. This degree of concentration means broad ISAC coverage is effectively controlled by a small tier. Mid-tier entrants (ranks 6–20 range from 66 to 173 patent families) have established footholds but remain far from parity with the leader.
High concentrationNokia’s internal entities are the most active co-filers; academia is a minor but present partner
The most frequent co-applicant pairs are all within the Nokia corporate family: Nokia Solutions & Networks with Nokia Communications (Shanghai) at 31 joint filings, Nokia Technologies with Nokia Communications (Shanghai) at 25, and Nokia Technologies with Nokia Solutions & Networks at 25. Outside corporate families, Huawei co-filed with Politecnico di Milano (3 joint filings) and ZTE co-filed with Southern University of Science and Technology (1 filing). Cross-industry and operator-led collaboration is sparse at this stage.
Intra-corporate co-filingWIPO PCT leads; China and Europe are the major national-phase destinations
WIPO PCT filings are the single largest jurisdiction by patent record count, reflecting applicants’ intent to preserve global optionality before committing to national phases. China and Europe (EPO) are the next largest destinations, followed by the United States. India appears as a notable mid-tier jurisdiction, ahead of Japan and South Korea. The breadth of national-phase filings signals that leading applicants view ISAC as a commercially relevant technology across multiple major markets.
PCT-first strategyGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy | Nokia Communications (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. | 31 |
| Nokia Technologies Oy | Nokia Communications (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. | 25 |
| Nokia Technologies Oy | Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy | 25 |
| Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | Politecnico di Milano | 3 |
| Nokia Technologies Oy | Nokia USA Inc. | 3 |
| Nokia Technologies Oy | NOKIA SOLUTIONS & NETWORKS INVESTMENT (CHINA) CO LTD | 1 |
| ZTE Corporation | Southern University of Science and Technology | 1 |
| Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy | Nokia USA Inc. | 1 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Samsung R&D Institute China – Beijing | 1 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | UI (UNIVERSITY IND FOUNDATION) YONSEI UNIVERSITY | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Huawei dominates on breadth; Vivo and Nokia challenge on wireless protocol depth
The top two players both show explosive recent-window momentum from a low prior base, while several other major telecoms entered the corpus as new filers within the most recent filing window. Technology emphasis differs meaningfully between the leader and challengers.
Huawei Technologies
Huawei leads with 1,276 patent families and a recent-window filing rate of 832 families — a 21× increase versus its prior three-year baseline. Technology focus is anchored in H04W 72 (resource allocation in wireless networks, 347 families), H04W 24 (quality of service and network monitoring, 241 families), and H04W 4 (mobile applications and services, 175 families). This coverage across scheduling, monitoring, and applications layers reflects a deliberate strategy to hold broad ISAC protocol positions.
patent families: 1,276Vivo Mobile Communications
Vivo ranks second with 339 patent families and a recent-window rate of 275 — a 20× increase versus its prior three-year baseline, suggesting the company mobilized its ISAC filing program at approximately the same time as Huawei. Its technology emphasis mirrors the leader’s structure (H04W 24, H04W 72, H04W 4) but at roughly one-quarter the scale, indicating parallel rather than differentiated positioning. Vivo’s momentum makes it the most credible near-term challenger if filing pace is sustained.
patent families: 339| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | 832 | ▲ 21× vs prior 3-yr |
| Vivo Mobile Communications Co., Ltd. | 275 | ▲ 20× vs prior 3-yr |
| Nokia Technologies Oy | 207 | ▲ new entrant |
| Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. | 236 | ▲ new entrant |
| Qualcomm Incorporated | 177 | ▲ new entrant |
| LG Electronics Inc. | 160 | ▲ new entrant |
| ZTE Corporation | 140 | ▲ new entrant |
| Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy | 113 | ▲ new entrant |
Radar/positioning and AI-model integration are under-served relative to the core wireless cluster
Three IPC branches sit at notably lower patent-record volumes relative to the dominant H04W cluster. Two have plausible technical value and realistic entry paths for teams with the right competencies; the third is more speculative.
G01S · Radar, sonar and positioning
With 459 patent records and a 7% share among the branches shown, G01S is the largest of the under-served adjacent classes, but it remains far below the H04W core. This branch directly addresses the sensing half of ISAC — target detection, localization, and environmental mapping using shared waveforms. Teams with radar signal-processing expertise (automotive, defense, or satellite background) hold a technical advantage here that pure cellular IP estates may not replicate easily. The realistic entry path is waveform design and sensing-communication tradeoff algorithms that sit at the H04B/G01S intersection.
Search this in Eureka →G06N · Computing based on AI models
G06N accounts for 106 patent records and roughly 2% of the branch distribution — a sparse presence for a topic where AI-driven beamforming, environment inference, and sensing-data fusion are active research areas. Most current ISAC patents concentrate at the protocol and waveform layers; the AI-model integration layer for closed-loop sensing-communication optimization is comparatively open. Teams with machine-learning competencies applied to channel estimation or scene reconstruction could find lower-density filing space here, though the technical coupling to H04W means any claims must be carefully scoped.
Search this in Eureka →How leading ISAC applicants differ by technology sub-route
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | H04W 72 · Wireless communication networks | H04W 24 · Wireless communication networks | H04W 4 · Wireless communication networks | H04B 7 · Transmission (general) | H04L 5 · Digital information transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | Strong · 347 | Strong · 241 | Strong · 175 | Moderate · 92 | Moderate · 149 |
| Vivo Mobile Communications Co., Ltd. | Strong · 85 | Strong · 126 | Strong · 70 | Moderate · 46 | Moderate · 28 |
| LG Electronics Inc. | Strong · 113 | Strong · 72 | Moderate · 50 | Moderate · 25 | Strong · 81 |
| Nokia Technologies Oy | Strong · 40 | Strong · 74 | Strong · 45 | Moderate · 30 | Moderate · 35 |
| Qualcomm Incorporated | Strong · 40 | Strong · 33 | Moderate · 19 | Strong · 63 | Strong · 51 |
| Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. | Strong · 73 | Strong · 53 | Moderate · 27 | Absent | Moderate · 22 |
| ZTE Corporation | Strong · 38 | Strong · 49 | Moderate · 21 | Absent | Moderate · 19 |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus covers 4,556 patent families. Filing activity was negligible before 2020 and has grown sharply since 2022, reflecting the field’s emergence as a 5G-Advanced and 6G standardization priority.
Huawei Technologies holds the top position with 1,276 patent families, accounting for a dominant share among the top-ranked applicants. Vivo Mobile Communications ranks second with 339 patent families, and Nokia Technologies third with 304.
WIPO PCT is the leading jurisdiction by patent record count, reflecting applicants’ preference for preserving international optionality. China and Europe (EPO) are the next largest national-phase destinations, followed by the United States and India.
The evidence classifies ISAC as a Growth-stage field. Annual filing volume has risen steeply since 2022, and the most recent periods are understated due to publication lag. The field is not yet showing signs of maturation or consolidation.
G01S (Radar, sonar and positioning) and G06N (Computing based on AI models) are the two most notable adjacent branches with comparatively low patent record counts — 459 and 106 respectively — relative to the dominant H04W wireless communications cluster. These branches correspond to the sensing-side and AI-integration layers of ISAC systems.
Most co-filing activity is intra-corporate rather than cross-industry. The Nokia family entities (Nokia Solutions & Networks, Nokia Technologies, Nokia Communications Shanghai) account for the most frequent co-applicant pairs. Outside corporate families, Huawei co-filed with Politecnico di Milano, and ZTE co-filed with Southern University of Science and Technology. Broad ecosystem collaboration remains limited at this stage.
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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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