Solid-State Battery Testing Patent Landscape 2026
Solid-state battery testing is a fast-growing field with 181 patent families in scope, led by LG Energy Solution ahead of Samsung SDI and the University of California. The United States dominates filing activity and the top five filers account for 34% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, signalling meaningful but not extreme concentration at the top tier.
LG Energy Solution leads a Korean–US–academic competitive structure
LG Energy Solution holds the top position with 24 patent records, followed by Samsung SDI at 16 and the Regents of the University of California at 15. The top three slots are split between two Korean battery manufacturers and a major US research university, reflecting the dual-track nature of the field—industrial scale-up alongside academic materials science.
The top five filers together represent 34% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total. That share points to a moderately concentrated vanguard: the leaders hold a real positional advantage, but the gap is not so large as to foreclose entry by well-funded challengers or research institutions.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LG Energy Solution Ltd | 24 | |
| 2 | Samsung SDI Co Ltd | 16 | |
| 3 | The Regents of the University of California | 15 | |
| 4 | QuantumScape Battery Inc | 13 | |
| 5 | University of Liverpool | 9 | |
| 6 | Factorial Inc | 7 | |
| 7 | French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) | 6 | |
| 8 | Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC | 6 | |
| 9 | POSTECH Academy-Industry Foundation | 6 | |
| 10 | Zhejiang Intelligent Transportation Technology Innovation Center | 5 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Umicore Korea Ltd | 5 | |
| 12 | Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co Ltd | 5 | |
| 13 | Sakti3 Inc | 4 | |
| 14 | Fundacion Centro de Investigacion Cooperativa de Energias Alternativas (CIC EnergiGUNE) | 4 | |
| 15 | Battelle Memorial Institute | 4 | |
| 16 | SK On Co Ltd | 3 | |
| 17 | Umicore (Belgium) | 3 | |
| 18 | Friedrich Schiller University Jena | 3 | |
| 19 | Hyundai Motor Co Ltd | 3 | |
| 20 | Indian Institute of Science | 3 |
LG Energy Solution’s position, combined with its new-entrant momentum trend, suggests the company has recently accelerated its testing-related IP programme rather than built incrementally over many years. Samsung SDI and QuantumScape Battery show the same new-entrant pattern, indicating that much of the current field is being established now rather than consolidated from earlier decades.
Filing counts for 2025 and 2026 are understated because of publication lag; the apparent softening at the tail of the trend should not be read as a real slowdown. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Annual filings have risen sharply; H01M dominates but adjacent chemistry branches are emerging
Two charts frame the field’s dynamics: a year-by-year filing trend that captures the growth trajectory, and an IPC branch breakdown that shows how tightly activity clusters around battery-cell science versus adjacent disciplines.
Annual filing trend
Filings grew from 5 records in 2017 to a recent-window high of 43 in 2024, representing 158% growth over the period. The 2025 and 2026 data points are understated due to standard patent publication lag and should not be interpreted as a reversal of the growth trend.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H01M (batteries, cells and fuel cells) accounts for the entire corpus of 181 patent records, confirming that all filings are anchored in electrochemical cell technology. Secondary branches—C01G (compounds of other metals, 16 records), C01B (non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds, 12 records), and C01D (alkali-metal compounds, 8 records)—reflect materials-characterisation work that supports electrolyte and electrode testing. Coating, measurement, and polymer branches each carry fewer than 6 records, indicating that testing methodologies outside core battery chemistry remain thinly covered.
↗ 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.
Composite cathode active material for all-solid-st…
A composite cathode active material, a preparation method thereof, a cathode layer for an all-solid-state battery, and an all-solid-state battery including the cathode layer, the composite cathode active material for the all-solid-state battery including a secondary particle including a plurality of primary particles; and a buffer layer on a surface of the… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Solid-state lithium battery | 82 |
| 2 | Hybrid and solid-state battery architectures with … | 47 |
| 3 | Hybrid and solid-state battery architectures with … | 27 |
| 4 | Solid-state battery | 20 |
| 5 | Borohydride-sulfide interfacial layer in all solid… | 18 |
| 6 | Solid-State Lithium Battery | 17 |
| 7 | Gel composite cathode for solid-state batteries an… | 11 |
| 8 | Solid-state conductor materials | 9 |
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 readings—maturity, concentration, collaboration, and geography—translate the patent data into actionable framing for teams deciding where to build, partner, or monitor.
Growth stage: annual filings still rising
The lifecycle evidence places solid-state battery testing firmly in the Growth stage, with annual filings rising and the most recent years understated by publication lag. The 158% growth recorded across the filing window confirms the field has not yet entered a consolidation or maturity phase. Teams entering now can still shape foundational IP positions rather than designing around an entrenched prior-art wall.
Growth stageModerate top-tier concentration with a large open middle
The top five filers hold 34% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total. Below the top tier, applicants from rank 6 onward—Factorial Inc, CNRS, Microsoft Technology Licensing, POSTECH—each hold 6 or 7 patent records, showing a relatively flat mid-tier. This structure means a targeted programme of 10–15 patent families in a differentiated sub-domain could establish a credible position within the visible ranking.
Moderate concentrationIndustry–academia co-filing is the dominant partnership model
The most active co-filing pair is LG Energy Solution and the Regents of the University of California, with 9 joint filings—the single strongest collaboration link in the dataset. POSTECH co-files with both Umicore Belgium and Umicore Korea (5 filings each), indicating a materials-supplier–research-institute axis. CNRS co-files with Sorbonne University (3), Collège de France (3), Picardie Jules Verne University (1), and University of Nantes (1), forming a French public-research cluster. These patterns favour new entrants who can anchor a university partnership as a route to building filing velocity.
Industry–academia linksUS-centric with European and PCT channels active
The United States leads with 66 patent records, followed by Europe via the EPO at 41 and WIPO PCT at 35. China holds 18 records and India 17, with Canada, Taiwan, Australia, the UK, and Mexico each carrying fewer than 4. The US–EPO–PCT triad covers the primary commercial markets and suggests that applicants are pursuing broad multi-jurisdictional protection rather than concentrating solely in one region. Teams not yet active in PCT or EPO channels face relatively open space in those filings.
US-led, globally filedGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| LG Energy Solution Ltd | The Regents of the University of California | 9 |
| POSTECH Academy-Industry Foundation | Umicore (Belgium) | 5 |
| POSTECH Academy-Industry Foundation | Umicore Korea Ltd | 5 |
| French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) | Sorbonne University | 3 |
| French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) | Collège de France | 3 |
| LG Energy Solution Ltd | Kyung Hee University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation | 1 |
| French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) | University of Picardie Jules Verne | 1 |
| French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) | University of Nantes | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
LG Energy Solution and Samsung SDI lead; both are recent accelerators in this sub-field
The top two positions are held by Korean battery manufacturers who have entered the solid-state battery testing IP space with new-entrant momentum, concentrating their filings tightly on H01M battery-cell and electrode classes.
LG Energy Solution
LG Energy Solution leads the field with 24 patent records and a new-entrant momentum trend, with 13 of those records filed in the most recent period. Its technology emphasis is concentrated on H01M 10 (battery and cell systems, 24 records) and H01M 4 (electrodes, 19 records), with a single record in B30B 3 (pressing processes), suggesting a focus on cell-level testing and electrode characterisation. The company’s leading collaboration with the University of California (9 joint filings) reinforces an industry–academia strategy for building foundational testing IP.
patent records: 24Samsung SDI
Samsung SDI holds 16 patent records with a new-entrant momentum trend, placing 9 records in the most recent period. Like LG Energy Solution, its portfolio is anchored in H01M 10 (16 records) and H01M 4 (15 records), but it also extends into C01G 23 (compounds of other metals, 2 records), pointing to some attention to cathode-material characterisation. The two Korean leaders share nearly identical IPC emphases, making their head-to-head competition tightly focused on cell-level and electrode testing methods.
patent records: 16| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| LG Energy Solution Ltd | 13 | ▲ new entrant |
| Samsung SDI Co Ltd | 9 | ▲ new entrant |
| The Regents of the University of California | 7 | ▲ new entrant |
| University of Liverpool | 6 | ▲ new entrant |
| QuantumScape Battery Inc | 7 | ▲ new entrant |
| Factorial Inc | 3 | ▲ new entrant |
| French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC | 5 | ▲ new entrant |
Coating, measurement, and alkali-metal chemistry are under-served adjacent branches
Several IPC classes appear at low record counts relative to H01M, identifying areas where solid-state battery testing intersects with other technical disciplines but has attracted limited dedicated filing activity.
G01R · Electric and magnetic measurement
With only 4 patent records, electric and magnetic measurement methods applied to solid-state battery testing represent the sparsest of the identified adjacent branches. Impedance spectroscopy, in-situ magnetic resonance, and electrochemical measurement under stack pressure are technically central to solid-state cell qualification yet appear minimally covered here. Teams with measurement-instrumentation or diagnostic-hardware capabilities could find relatively open ground, provided their claims are anchored to solid-state cell characterisation rather than general electrical measurement.
Search this in Eureka →C23C · Coating and surface deposition
Coating and surface deposition (C23C) carries 5 patent records, despite the fact that thin-film electrolyte deposition and interfacial coating processes are directly relevant to solid-state battery fabrication and the testing of coating integrity. The low count suggests that testing protocols specific to coated solid-electrolyte layers—such as adhesion measurement, pin-hole detection, and ionic conductivity verification post-deposition—have not yet attracted dense IP activity. Organisations already active in atomic-layer deposition or physical vapour deposition for battery applications may have a plausible entry path here.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ by technology route
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | H01M 10 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | H01M 4 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | H01M 50 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | C01G 25 · Compounds of other metals | C01D 15 · Alkali-metal compounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LG Energy Solution Ltd | Strong · 24 | Strong · 19 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| The Regents of the University of California | Strong · 15 | Strong · 15 | Absent | Absent | Emerging · 2 |
| Samsung SDI Co Ltd | Strong · 16 | Strong · 15 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| QuantumScape Battery Inc | Strong · 8 | Strong · 7 | Moderate · 2 | Absent | Absent |
| QuantumScape Corporation | Strong · 7 | Strong · 6 | Moderate · 2 | Absent | Absent |
| University of Liverpool | Strong · 9 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Moderate · 3 |
| POSTECH Academy-Industry Foundation | Strong · 6 | Strong · 6 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The evidence covers 181 patent families in scope across all jurisdictions in the dataset.
LG Energy Solution leads with 24 patent records, ahead of Samsung SDI at 16 and the Regents of the University of California at 15.
The United States leads with 66 patent records, followed by Europe via the EPO at 41 and WIPO PCT filings at 35.
The evidence records 158% growth across the filing window, with annual records rising from 5 in 2017 to 43 in 2024. The 2025 and 2026 figures are understated due to publication lag.
LG Energy Solution and the University of California are the most active co-filers with 9 joint records. POSTECH co-files with both Umicore Belgium and Umicore Korea at 5 records each. CNRS co-files with Sorbonne University and Collège de France at 3 records each.
The sparsest adjacent branches identified are G01R (electric and magnetic measurement, 4 records) and C23C (coating and surface deposition, 5 records). C01D (alkali-metal compounds, 8 records) and C01B (non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds, 12 records) are also relatively thin compared to the dominant H01M class.
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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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