The technology industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by the growing demand for versatile and customizable electronic devices, coupled with advancements in semiconductor technology, and growing importance of technologies such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), playing a significant role in the development and implementation of programmable shift registers. In the last three years alone, there have been over 4.1 million patents filed and granted in the technology industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Innovation in technology: programmable shift registers. 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 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.
190+ 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 1.5 million patents, there are 190+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, network-on-a-chip, in-memory computing, and aural exciters are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Electron beam lithography, OLED pixel compensation circuits, and PCI power management are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are capacitive touch panels and emergency communications network, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for the technology industry
Programmable shift registers is a key innovation area in technology
Programmable shift registers are electronic circuits designed to sequentially move data, either rightward or leftward, within a stream. They possess the capability to be customized for various operations, including the conversion of parallel data to serial data, and vice versa.
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 70+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established technology companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of programmable shift registers.
Key players in programmable 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 programmable shift registers
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2022) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| HannStar Display | 90 | Unlock Company Profile |
| AUO | 619 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Apple | 32 | Unlock Company Profile |
| LG Display | 756 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mitsubishi Electric | 28 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Panasonic | 48 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Beijing Electronics | 104 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sony Group | 32 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sharp | 603 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Innolux | 100 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Visionox Technology | 35 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Japan Display | 158 | Unlock Company Profile |
| JOLED | 24 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Semiconductor Energy Laboratory | 1633 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hkc | 37 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kunshan Govisionox Optoelectronics | 47 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Huike | 26 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Chongqing HKC Optoelectronics Technology | 25 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hkc | 55 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kunshan New Flat Panel Display Technology Center | 30 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kabushi Kaisha Limited Energy Kenkyusho | 170 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Wuhan Huaxing Optoelectronic Technology | 53 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shenzhen Huaxing Optoelectronics Technology | 87 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Among the companies innovating in programmable shift registers, Semiconductor Energy Laboratory is one of the leading patents filers. The company’s patent describes the semiconductor device that enables the manipulation of a low-level signal. It comprises various transistors and switches with different terminal connections to multiple wirings, serving the purpose of signal control. Some of the other prominent patent filers in the space include LG Display and AUO.
In terms of application diversity, Semiconductor Energy Laboratory leads the pack, while Kabushi Kaisha and Japan Display stood in second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, Semiconductor Energy Laboratory held the top position, followed by Japan Display and Kunshan New Flat Panel Display Technology.
Programmable shift registers play a vital role in digital electronics by enabling the sequential movement of data within a circuit. Their versatility allows for a wide range of applications, from data conversion to storage and retrieval, contributing to the efficient processing of information in electronic systems.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the technology industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Technology.
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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.
