The technology industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by the increasing adoption of cloud-based services, the need for efficient resource utilisation, rising demand for scalable infrastructure, and growing importance of technologies such as virtualisation, containerisation, orchestration frameworks, and software-defined networking (SDN), which collectively enable the seamless deployment and management of applications in a highly dynamic and distributed environment. In the last three years alone, there have been over 3.6 million patents filed and granted in the technology industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Innovation in Cloud: Multiprogramming operating systems. Buy the report here.
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However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilising and reaching maturity.
Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
300+ innovations will shape the technology industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the technology industry using innovation intensity models built on over 2.5 million patents, there are 300+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, finite element simulation, deductive databases, and neural networks for data storage are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Multi-programming operating systems, AI assisted network management, and grid computing are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are software-defined wide area network (WAN) and fog computing, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for cloud in the technology industry
Multiprogramming operating systems is a key innovation area in cloud
Multiprogramming operating systems facilitate the concurrent execution of multiple programmes, enabling efficient resource sharing among them. These operating systems enable effective utilisation of computer resources, including CPU time, memory, and input/output, while accommodating multiple users and running multiple applications simultaneously. By supporting concurrent operations, multiprogramming operating systems enhance system efficiency and enable efficient multitasking capabilities.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 180+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established technology companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of multiprogramming operating systems.
Key players in multiprogramming operating systems – a disruptive innovation in the technology industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to multiprogramming operating systems
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
IBM is a leading patent filer in multiprogramming operating systems. The company’s patents are aimed at invention describing systems and methods for scheduling homogeneous workloads including batch jobs, and heterogeneous workloads including batch and dedicated jobs, with run-time elasticity wherein resource requirements for a given job can change during run-time execution of the job.
Other prominent patent filers in the space include Microsoft and Intel.
By geographic reach, Corizon leads the pack, followed by Ericsson and Thomson Licensing. In terms of application diversity, Dolby Laboratories holds the top position, followed by Canon and Sonos.
Multiprogramming operating systems have transformed the way computing resources are utilised and managed. Multiprogramming operating systems enable simultaneous execution of multiple programs, optimising resource allocation and enhancing overall system efficiency. With the cloud's flexibility and scalability, multiprogramming operating systems can handle diverse workloads, seamlessly share resources, and optimise resource utilisation.
To further understand how cloud is disrupting the technology industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Cloud Computing – Thematic Intelligence.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
