The technology industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by the increasing demand for high-resolution displays in consumer electronics, as well as the proliferation of advanced display technologies in industries like automotive and healthcare, and growing importance of technologies such as low-power CMOS technology, thin-film transistor (TFT) technology, and the integration of advanced control algorithms. In the last three years alone, there have been over 1.5 million patents filed and granted in the technology industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Innovation in technology: display device shift registers. Buy the report here.
Smarter leaders trust GlobalData
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 stabilizing 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.
185+ 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 1.6 million patents, there are 185+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, non-volatile flash memory, neuromorphic computing, and haptic feedback interfaces are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. RAID transmission error detection, projector-camera system, and optimized vector processing are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are resistive touch displays and digital watermarking, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for the technology industry
Display device shift registers is a key innovation area in technology
Display device shift registers are circuits that produce consecutive outputs in response to a clock signal input. These generated signals are utilized to regulate the voltage levels of individual rows and columns of pixels within a display. This enables the display to refresh swiftly, ensuring smooth rendering of images and videos without any perceptible flicker.
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 135+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established technology companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of display device shift registers.
Key players in display device shift registers – a disruptive innovation in the technology industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to display device shift registers
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2022) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| HannStar Display | 95 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Synaptics | 26 | Unlock Company Profile |
| AUO | 621 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Apple | 40 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Novatek Microelectronics | 57 | Unlock Company Profile |
| LG Display | 1137 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mitsubishi Electric | 27 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Panasonic | 61 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Beijing Electronics | 131 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sony Group | 64 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sharp | 808 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Innolux | 169 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Seiko Epson | 35 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Japan Display | 231 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Semiconductor Energy Laboratory | 2183 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hkc | 66 | Unlock Company Profile |
| HKC Overseas | 31 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kunshan Govisionox Optoelectronics | 31 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Huike | 39 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Chongqing HKC Optoelectronics Technology | 55 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shenzhen Royole Technologies | 52 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hkc | 112 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kabushi Kaisha Limited Energy Kenkyusho | 222 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Wuhan Huaxing Optoelectronic Technology | 113 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shenzhen Huaxing Optoelectronics Technology | 163 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Among the companies innovating in display device shift registers, Semiconductor Energy Laboratory is one of the leading patents filers. The company’s patents are aimed at describing a semiconductor device that facilitates the shifting of a low-level signal. In one instance, it includes a first transistor with one terminal linked to a first wiring and another terminal connected to a second wiring. A second transistor is present with one terminal linked to a third wiring and the other terminal connected to the second wiring. Additionally, a third transistor is included, featuring a first terminal electrically connected to a fourth wiring and a second terminal connected to the second transistor's gate. A fourth transistor is part of the setup, its first terminal electrically connected to a fifth wiring, the second terminal linked to the third transistor's gate, and its gate tied to a sixth wiring. Finally, a first switch is incorporated with one terminal connected to the third wiring and the other terminal linked to the first transistor's gate. Some of the other prominent patent filers in the space include Beijing Electronics and TCL Technology.
In terms of application diversity, Beijing Electronics leads the pack, while Semiconductor Energy Laboratory and Samsung Group stood in second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, Semiconductor Energy Laboratory held the top position, followed by General Interface Solution and Huawei.
Display device shift registers facilitate precise and synchronized scanning of pixels, ensuring seamless image rendering. This technology is essential for maintaining high refresh rates, enabling displays to show images and videos without any perceptible flicker. Without efficient shift registers, the quality and performance of modern displays would be greatly compromised, emphasizing their pivotal role in visual technology.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the technology industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Technology.
Data Insights
From
The gold standard of business intelligence.
Blending expert knowledge with cutting-edge technology, GlobalData’s unrivalled proprietary data will enable you to decode what’s happening in your market. You can make better informed decisions and gain a future-proof advantage over your competitors.
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.
