Radiation Detector Patent Landscape 2026
Radiation Detector Patent Landscape in 2026
The radiation detector patent field spans 3,817 patent families and is led by a concentrated tier of established industrial players, with Toshiba and Philips holding the top two positions. Annual filing volume peaked in 2018 and has since eased, placing the field in a post-peak phase where incumbent portfolios dominate and differentiated positioning in adjacent branches offers the clearest path to white space.
Toshiba and Philips lead a moderately concentrated field
These two alone account for the bulk of the leading tier’s output, with Fujifilm (323), General Electric (293), and FARO Technologies (218) rounding out the top five.
The top five filers account for 22% of the combined total across the hundred largest filers, indicating moderate rather than extreme concentration. A meaningful second tier — Canon, Hamamatsu Photonics, Troxler Electronic Labs, Hitachi, and Optiscan Biomedical — sits within the 150–220 patent-record range, sustaining competitive pressure on the leaders.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toshiba Corporation | 572 | |
| 2 | Koninklijke Philips N.V. | 538 | |
| 3 | Fujifilm Corporation | 323 | |
| 4 | General Electric Company | 293 | |
| 5 | FARO Technologies Inc. | 218 | |
| 6 | Canon Inc. | 210 | |
| 7 | Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. | 207 | |
| 8 | Troxler Electronic Laboratories Inc. | 176 | |
| 9 | Hitachi, Ltd. | 174 | |
| 10 | Optiscan Biomedical Corporation | 164 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Siemens AG | 161 | |
| 12 | Rapiscan Systems Inc. | 155 | |
| 13 | The Regents of the University of California | 154 | |
| 14 | Shimadzu Corporation | 152 | |
| 15 | Shimadzu Corporation | 149 | |
| 16 | Toray Industries Inc. | 148 | |
| 17 | Singulex Inc. | 133 | |
| 18 | National Cancer Center Japan | 131 | |
| 19 | Honeywell International Inc. | 126 | |
| 20 | Kromek Group plc | 122 |
The incumbents’ positions reflect deep, multi-decade accumulation across material analysis, medical imaging, and nuclear measurement, making direct displacement difficult. Entrants are more likely to find traction in adjacent or application-specific branches where incumbent coverage is sparser.
Filing counts for 2024–2026 are subject to publication lag and will grow as applications are published; the apparent sharp drop in those years should not be read as a real demand collapse. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Post-peak volume with a broad material-analysis core
The annual filing trend and the IPC technology composition together describe a maturing field: activity peaked in 2018 and has eased since, while the technology mix reveals a dominant analytical-testing core surrounded by a wide range of application branches.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings reached their highest recorded level in 2018 (597 records) and have trended downward since, reaching 356 in 2023. Data for 2024–2026 are incomplete due to publication lag and should not be interpreted as a continuation of the decline; the true 2024–2025 totals will be higher once all applications are published.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
G01N (material analysis and testing) is the dominant IPC class by a wide margin, reflecting the broad use of radiation-based sensing in analytical instrumentation. A61B (diagnosis and surgery) and G01T (nuclear and X-radiation measurement) form a substantial secondary cluster, followed by G01S (radar, sonar, and positioning) and G01J (radiation and light measurement). The long tail of smaller branches — spanning geophysics, semiconductor devices, image processing, and flow measurement — signals that radiation detector technology cuts across many application domains.
↗ 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.
Ionizing radiation detector with reduced street wi…
An ionizing radiation detector, such as a photon counting computed tomography detector, includes a semiconductor material plate, a plurality of anodes located on a first side of the semiconductor material plate, where the gaps (i.e., streets) between adjacent anodes are less than 15 μm in width, and at least one cathode located on a second side of the… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physiological monitor and associated computation, … | 2,220 |
| 2 | Method and apparatus for performing optical measur… | 1,573 |
| 3 | Method and apparatus for imaging a sample on a dev… | 1,511 |
| 4 | Generation of spatially-averaged excitation-emissi… | 1,016 |
| 5 | Methods for differential image quality enhancement… | 1,007 |
| 6 | Component for a lidar sensor system, lidar sensor … | 990 |
| 7 | Fiber optic imaging endoscope interferometer with … | 957 |
| 8 | Moving microdroplets | 817 |
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
Four structural observations — maturity stage, concentration, collaboration patterns, and geographic coverage — define the investment calculus for any team entering or expanding in radiation detector technology.
Post-peak: annual volume has eased from its 2018 high
The field is classified as Decline, with annual filings easing back from the 2018 peak of 597 records. On a multi-year basis the corpus remains substantial at 3,817 patent families, but the rate of new disclosures has compressed. For R&D teams this signals a consolidation phase: core detection principles are well-claimed, and incremental improvement filings are thinning. Investment logic shifts toward application differentiation, integration with adjacent systems, or genuinely novel detection modalities rather than broad platform patents.
Post-peak · 2018 apexModerate concentration with a resilient second tier
The top five filers hold 22% of the combined output of the hundred largest filers, which is moderate — no single player has locked up the field. A dense second tier (Canon at 210, Hamamatsu at 207, Troxler at 176, Hitachi at 174) means challengers have meaningful footholds. The practical implication is that targeted investment in application-specific or underserved branches can yield competitive positioning without directly confronting the incumbents’ broadest claims.
22% top-5 shareIntra-group co-filing dominates the collaboration network
The most active co-filing pair is Toshiba and Toshiba Advanced Materials (41 joint filings), followed by Philips and Philips Intellectual Property & Standards (33 joint filings). Toshiba also co-files with Japan Atomic Energy Business (12) and Toshiba Medical Systems (12). Johnson Matthey and Tracerco are the most notable cross-group pairing (11 joint filings). Philips’ collaboration with Fraunhofer (5 joint filings) is the strongest link between a major industrial player and an independent research organization visible in the data, suggesting academic-industry co-development is relatively underexploited.
Intra-group dominantUS-centric protection with strong European secondary coverage
The United States is the leading filing jurisdiction by a large margin, followed by the EPO and WIPO PCT route, then Japan and the United Kingdom. Australia and Canada also see material coverage, suggesting commercially important markets beyond the core US–Europe axis. China’s relatively modest position may reflect the age of the corpus or portfolio strategy by incumbents. Teams planning freedom-to-operate analysis should prioritize US, EP, and JP coverage first, then AU, CA, and GB.
US-led · global reachGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Toshiba Corporation | Toshiba Advanced Materials Co., Ltd. | 41 |
| Koninklijke Philips N.V. | Philips Intellectual Property & Standards GmbH | 33 |
| Toshiba Corporation | Japan Atomic Energy Business Corporation | 12 |
| Toshiba Corporation | Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation | 12 |
| Johnson Matthey PLC | Tracerco Ltd. | 11 |
| Koninklijke Philips N.V. | PHILIPS ELECTRONICS UK LTD | 10 |
| Koninklijke Philips N.V. | PHILIPS PATENTVERWALTUNG GMBH | 9 |
| Koninklijke Philips N.V. | PHILIPS MEDICAL SYSTEMS CLEVELAND INC | 6 |
| Toshiba Corporation | Toshiba Electron Tubes & Devices Co., Ltd. | 6 |
| Koninklijke Philips N.V. | Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. | 5 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Toshiba and Philips lead with complementary technology emphases
The two top-ranked filers share a common core in material analysis and medical imaging but diverge in their third-priority branch, reflecting different strategic inheritances. Momentum data show contrasting recent trajectories.
Toshiba Corporation
Toshiba leads the ranking with 572 patent records and shows a ‘new entrant’ momentum signal in the most recent period, indicating a very low recent filing count from a large historical base — consistent with a portfolio in maintenance rather than active expansion. Its technology emphasis centers on G01N 23 (material analysis, 384 records), A61B 6 (medical diagnosis, 256 records), and G01T 1 (nuclear and X-radiation measurement, 173 records), reflecting deep coverage of the core radiation detection triad. Co-filing with Toshiba Advanced Materials (41 joint filings) and Japan Atomic Energy Business (12) underscores its industrial and nuclear heritage.
patent records: 572Koninklijke Philips N.V.
Philips is ranked second with 538 patent records but carries a steep momentum decline of –93% in the most recent period, the sharpest pullback among the top filers. Its technology focus mirrors Toshiba’s top two branches — G01N 23 (269 records) and A61B 6 (192 records) — but its third priority is G01N 21 (optical material analysis, 105 records) rather than nuclear measurement, reflecting its broader photonics and optical sensing heritage. Co-filing with Fraunhofer (5 joint filings) distinguishes it as the leader with the most visible external research-institution collaboration.
patent records: 538| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Koninklijke Philips N.V. | 1 | ▼ -93% |
| Toshiba Corporation | 5 | ▲ new entrant |
| Fujifilm Corporation | 26 | ▼ -10% |
| FARO Technologies Inc. | 52 | ▼ -34% |
| Canon Inc. | 38 | ▲ +81% |
| Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| Johnson Matthey PLC | 2 | ▼ -80% |
| Troxler Electronic Laboratories Inc. | 5 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served adjacent branches worth watching
Several IPC classes appear in the corpus at lower relative shares despite clear technical adjacency to radiation detection; they represent areas where incremental investment may encounter less established prior art. These are observations of relative sparsity — not validated commercial opportunities — and should be assessed against specific technical feasibility and business context before committing R&D resources.
G21K · Particle & radiation handling
G21K covers beam collimation, focusing, and particle handling — foundational to advanced detector system design — yet accounts for only 720 patent records in the corpus, a comparatively sparse share relative to the dominant G01N class. Teams working on novel detector geometries, synchrotron-compatible sensors, or next-generation radiotherapy monitoring systems may find fewer blocking patents here. A realistic entry path involves coupling G21K beam-handling innovations with G01T or A61B application claims to build a defensible cross-branch position.
Search this in Eureka →G06N · AI-based computing for radiation detection
G06N (computing based on AI models) appears at only 49 patent records in the corpus, despite the growing role of machine learning in signal processing, anomaly detection, and dose estimation for radiation systems. The sparse coverage likely reflects the recency of deep-learning applications in detector hardware rather than lack of technical value. An entry path combining G06N inference methods with G01T or G01N detection apparatus claims could establish a differentiated position in intelligent detector systems, particularly relevant for real-time environmental monitoring and medical dosimetry.
Search this in Eureka →How leading filers differ by technology branch emphasis
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | G01N 23 · Material analysis & testing | G01N 21 · Material analysis & testing | G01N 33 · Material analysis & testing | G01T 1 · Nuclear & X-radiation measurement | A61B 6 · Diagnosis & surgery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toshiba Corporation | Strong · 384 | Absent | Absent | Moderate · 173 | Strong · 256 |
| Koninklijke Philips N.V. | Strong · 269 | Moderate · 105 | Absent | Moderate · 99 | Strong · 192 |
| Fujifilm Corporation | Strong · 177 | Absent | Absent | Strong · 109 | Strong · 125 |
| General Electric Company | Strong · 206 | Absent | Absent | Moderate · 73 | Strong · 109 |
| Siemens AG | Strong · 150 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Strong · 146 |
| Canon Inc. | Strong · 114 | Absent | Absent | Strong · 83 | Strong · 72 |
| Shimadzu Corporation | Strong · 108 | Absent | Absent | Strong · 76 | Strong · 69 |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus covers 3,817 patent families. This total reflects the scope of the analysis and is the baseline against which applicant rankings and trends are measured.
Toshiba holds the top position with 572 patent records, followed by Philips at 538 patent records. These two incumbents together represent the leading tier of the field.
Annual filings peaked in 2018 at 597 patent records. Since then, annual volume has eased, and the lifecycle stage is classified as Decline. Counts for 2024–2026 are incomplete due to publication lag and will increase as applications are published.
G01N (material analysis and testing) is the dominant IPC class by a wide margin. A61B (diagnosis and surgery) and G01T (nuclear and X-radiation measurement) form the substantial secondary cluster.
The United States is the leading jurisdiction, followed by the EPO, WIPO PCT, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Australia and Canada also show material coverage, indicating that protection extends well beyond the US–Europe core.
Canon shows the strongest upward momentum among active filers at +81% in the recent period. Fujifilm shows a modest decline of -10%, while Philips has pulled back sharply at -93%. Toshiba, Hamamatsu Photonics, and Troxler Electronic Labs each register as new entrants in the most recent window, indicating very low recent output from large historical bases.
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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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