Time-of-Flight Sensor Patent Landscape 2026
Time-of-Flight Sensor Patent Landscape in 2026
Sony Semiconductor Solutions dominates a moderately concentrated field, holding the largest single portfolio among the top hundred filers. Activity peaked in 2020 and has since eased, with the most recent filing years subject to publication lag.
Sony leads a field where the top five filers account for nearly a third of the largest-filer pool
Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp ranks first with 739 patent families, more than twice the second-ranked Samsung Electronics (322 patent families), establishing a clear tier-one lead in the time-of-flight sensor space.
The top five applicants — Sony Semiconductor Solutions, Samsung Electronics, Microsoft Technology Licensing, Innoviz Technologies, and Infineon Technologies — together represent 32% of the combined output of the hundred largest filers, signaling moderate-to-high concentration at the top with meaningful activity across a broad mid-tier.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp | 739 | |
| 2 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | 322 | |
| 3 | Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC | 230 | |
| 4 | Innoviz Technologies Ltd | 186 | |
| 5 | Infineon Technologies AG | 175 | |
| 6 | STMICROELECTRONICS (RES & DEV) LTD | 168 | |
| 7 | Sony DepthSensing Solutions SA/NV | 118 | |
| 8 | Sony Group Corp | 109 | |
| 9 | Magic Leap Inc | 107 | |
| 10 | Zoox Inc | 106 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS | 100 | |
| 12 | ams OSRAM Asia Pacific Pte Ltd | 98 | |
| 13 | Ricoh Co., Ltd. | 89 | |
| 14 | BlackBerry Ltd | 86 | |
| 15 | STMicroelectronics International NV | 82 | |
| 16 | ams AG (formerly austriamicrosystems AG) | 79 | |
| 17 | Qualcomm Inc | 68 | |
| 18 | ams International AG | 66 | |
| 19 | Canon Inc | 62 | |
| 20 | Shenzhen Goodix Technology Co., Ltd. | 61 |
Sony’s position is reinforced by its ecosystem of affiliated entities (Sony DepthSensing Solutions, Sony Group Corp), suggesting a deliberate platform strategy rather than isolated product filings. Challengers such as Innoviz Technologies (186 patent families) and STMicroelectronics entities collectively represent credible second-tier competition, particularly in LiDAR and sensor pixel design.
Filing counts for 2024–2026 are materially under-counted due to the 18–24 month patent publication lag; apparent declines in those years should not be interpreted as reduced R&D investment. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Filing activity peaked in 2020; G01S radar and positioning dominates the technology mix
Two lenses — annual filing volume and IPC technology composition — reveal both the maturity trajectory of the field and the relative depth of individual technical branches.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings climbed from 623 families in 2017 to a peak of 1,071 in 2020, then eased to 937 in 2022 before declining further through 2023. Counts for 2024 (492) and 2025 (294) are heavily suppressed by publication lag and should not be read as a continued structural decline.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
G01S (radar, sonar and positioning) overwhelmingly dominates, reflecting the core ranging and LiDAR function of ToF sensors. Secondary branches — H04N (video/imaging), G06T (image processing), G01N (material analysis), and H01L (semiconductor devices) — each hold meaningful but much smaller shares, pointing to application diversification beyond pure ranging.
↗ 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.
Single photon avalanche diodes based time-of-fligh…
The present invention relates to a single photon avalanche diodes-based time-of-flight sensor (<b>100</b>). The single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) based time-of-flight (ToF) sensor (<b>100</b>) includes an Nx N single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) photodetector (<b>101</b>), a front-end (FE) unit (<b>103</b>), a pulse shaping (PS) unit (<b>105</b>), a… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component for a lidar sensor system, lidar sensor … | 990 |
| 2 | Solid-state image sensor | 432 |
| 3 | Variable flux allocation within a lidar FOV to imp… | 379 |
| 4 | Time-of-flight radio location system | 293 |
| 5 | Method and apparatus for combining data to constru… | 243 |
| 6 | Remote distance estimation system and method | 217 |
| 7 | Method of determining range data in a time-of-flig… | 214 |
| 8 | Method for constructing a map while performing work | 205 |
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 patterns, and geographic coverage — frame the strategic context for teams evaluating entry or expansion in time-of-flight sensing.
Post-peak field with consolidating core technology
The lifecycle stage is classified as Decline, with annual filings easing back from the 2020 peak of 1,071 families. Core G01S ranging claims are densely populated, meaning new entrants face a crowded prior-art landscape in the dominant branch. Adjacent application branches (medical, robotics, agriculture) remain comparatively sparse and may offer more accessible claim space.
Lifecycle: DeclineTwo-tier structure with a dominant platform player
Sony Semiconductor Solutions holds more than twice the portfolio of second-ranked Samsung Electronics, creating a distinct tier-one gap. The mid-tier — Innoviz, Infineon, STMicroelectronics entities, Magic Leap, Zoox — is active but fragmented, with individual players at 100–230 patent families. New entrants are unlikely to close the gap through volume alone; differentiation via novel application domains or device architectures is more tractable.
High concentration at topCo-filing concentrated within corporate families; limited cross-industry partnering
The most active co-filing pair is Sony Semiconductor Solutions and Sony DepthSensing Solutions (84 joint families), followed by STMicroelectronics R&D and STMicroelectronics Grenoble 2 (39 joint families) — both reflecting intra-group coordination rather than open ecosystem collaboration. The most notable cross-group pairing is Samsung Electronics and the University of Michigan Board of Regents (4 joint families), the only prominent academic linkage in the top collaboration list. Infineon and pmdtechnologies also co-file (7 joint families), reflecting Infineon’s acquisition-driven ToF strategy.
Intra-group dominantUS-centric filing with Europe as a strong secondary market
The United States leads patent filings by a wide margin, followed by Europe (EPO) and WIPO (PCT). China ranks fourth, notably below its typical share in other semiconductor fields, suggesting either deliberate market choice or export-control sensitivity among key filers. South Korea and Japan — home to Samsung and Canon respectively — show comparatively modest direct filing volumes, with protection likely routed through PCT and EPO channels.
US-led; China under-indexedGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp | Sony DepthSensing Solutions SA/NV | 84 |
| STMicroelectronics (R&D) Ltd | STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS | 39 |
| Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp | Sony Group Corp | 19 |
| Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp | Sony Europe BV | 16 |
| STMicroelectronics (R&D) Ltd | STMicroelectronics Inc | 15 |
| Infineon Technologies AG | pmdtechnologies GmbH | 7 |
| Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp | Sony Advanced Visual Sensing AG | 5 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | University of Michigan Board of Regents | 4 |
| STMicroelectronics (R&D) Ltd | STMicroelectronics SA (France) | 4 |
| Sony Group Corp | Sony Europe BV | 4 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Sony anchors the field; Sony DepthSensing is the standout momentum player
The top two ranked applicants share a focus on core G01S ranging and positioning IPC codes but differ markedly in recent filing trajectory, with Sony’s main entity contracting while its dedicated depth-sensing subsidiary accelerates.
Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp
Ranked first with 739 patent families, Sony Semiconductor Solutions focuses heavily on G01S17 and G01S7 (LiDAR ranging and signal processing) and H01L27 (semiconductor image sensors), reflecting a vertically integrated sensor platform strategy. Recent momentum shows a contraction of –43% versus the prior three-year window, consistent with the field’s post-peak consolidation phase.
patent families: 739Sony DepthSensing Solutions SA/NV
Ranked seventh with 118 patent families, Sony DepthSensing Solutions is the strongest momentum player in the ranked field, posting +42% recent filing growth versus its prior three-year window. Its technology emphasis mirrors the parent — G01S17 and G01S7 — but as a purpose-built depth-sensing subsidiary it represents a focused, accelerating bet on dedicated ToF solutions. It is also the top co-filing partner of Sony Semiconductor Solutions (84 joint families).
patent families: 118| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp | 214 | ▼ -43% |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | 122 | ▬ -4% |
| Infineon Technologies AG | 45 | ▼ -57% |
| Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC | 14 | ▼ -81% |
| Innoviz Technologies Ltd | 51 | ▼ -25% |
| STMicroelectronics (R&D) Ltd | 29 | ▼ -38% |
| Sony Group Corp | 29 | ▼ -40% |
| Sony DepthSensing Solutions SA/NV | 51 | ▲ +42% |
Under-served technical branches adjacent to the dominant G01S core
Several IPC branches capture ToF-relevant applications with materially lower patent density relative to the dominant G01S class, suggesting areas where claim space may be more accessible for targeted R&D.
G01N · Material Analysis & Testing
With 710 patent records — roughly 10% of the G01S count — G01N covers ToF applications in non-destructive material characterization, thickness gauging, and subsurface inspection. The technical value is plausible: ToF-based photon-counting and LIDAR backscatter are increasingly applied to food quality, pharmaceutical inspection, and industrial NDT. Entry paths exist via integration with existing G01S sensor hardware and application-specific signal processing, with limited dominant incumbents in this sub-domain visible in the corpus.
Search this in Eureka →A61B · Diagnosis & Surgery
The A61B branch holds 244 patent records, representing ToF use in clinical depth imaging, surgical navigation, wound measurement, and patient monitoring. Density is low relative to the core ranging branches, and no single applicant from the ranked top-20 appears to dominate this sub-space based on available data. The entry path is technically demanding — regulatory and biocompatibility requirements add barriers — but the combination of low patent density and high clinical value makes this an observation worth monitoring for teams with medtech adjacency.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ by IPC technology route
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | G01S 17 · Radar, sonar & positioning | G01S 7 · Radar, sonar & positioning | G06T 7 · Image data processing & generation | H04N 25 · Pictorial communication (video/TV) | H04N 5 · Pictorial communication (video/TV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp | Strong · 546 | Strong · 510 | Emerging · 33 | Moderate · 159 | Emerging · 106 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Strong · 201 | Strong · 163 | Emerging · 38 | Moderate · 67 | Moderate · 47 |
| Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC | Strong · 174 | Strong · 138 | Moderate · 42 | Emerging · 26 | Moderate · 45 |
| Innoviz Technologies Ltd | Strong · 178 | Strong · 172 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Infineon Technologies AG | Strong · 146 | Strong · 147 | Absent | Emerging · 20 | Emerging · 15 |
| STMicroelectronics (R&D) Ltd | Strong · 139 | Strong · 132 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Sony DepthSensing Solutions SA/NV | Strong · 97 | Strong · 83 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus covers 6,590 patent families globally. Note that filings from the most recent 18–24 months are under-counted due to publication lag, so the true active portfolio is somewhat larger than current counts indicate.
Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp leads with 739 patent families, more than double the second-ranked Samsung Electronics (322 patent families). Sony’s affiliated entities — Sony DepthSensing Solutions and Sony Group Corp — add further to the group’s overall position.
Annual filings peaked at 1,071 patent families in 2020. The lifecycle is classified as Decline, with annual volume easing since that peak. This suggests the core technology is maturing, though adjacent application domains (medical, material analysis, robotics) remain comparatively sparse.
The United States is the primary filing destination, followed by Europe (EPO) and WIPO (PCT). China ranks fourth but is notably below its typical share in adjacent semiconductor fields. Germany also features prominently, consistent with the presence of European industrial sensor players such as Infineon and STMicroelectronics.
G01S (radar, sonar and positioning) is overwhelmingly dominant, reflecting the core ranging and LiDAR function of ToF sensors. Secondary branches include H04N (pictorial communication / imaging), G06T (image data processing), G01N (material analysis), and H01L (semiconductor devices).
Co-filing is concentrated within corporate families: the largest pair is Sony Semiconductor Solutions and Sony DepthSensing Solutions (84 joint families), followed by STMicroelectronics R&D and STMicroelectronics Grenoble 2 (39 joint families). Cross-group academic collaboration is limited; the most notable external pairing is Samsung Electronics with the University of Michigan Board of Regents (4 joint families).
Map your own time-of-flight sensor landscape
Join 18,000+ innovators using PatSnap Eureka to map any technology landscape: search 2B+ patents and papers, surface key assignees, and generate a report like this in minutes.
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.