Corning’s Number of Patents by Segment (2013-2022)

This statistic highlights Corning’s Number of Patents by Segment from 2013 onwards, split between Display Technologies, Environmental Technologies, Life Sciences, Optical Communications, and Specialty materials.

Corning’s Number of Patents by Segment

There has been an increase in the number of patents from 2016 to 2018 but it was followed by a downward trend. Patents increased approximately by 16.62% from 2016 to 2017. In 2017, Corning was granted around 560 patents in the US. The increase of 14.25% was witnessed in the number of patents as about 520 patents were granted in US and 1430 outside the US in 2018. There was a decrease from 10,020 patents in 2018 to 9990 patents in 2019. A large number of patents expired that is from 9,990 in 2019 to 9,147 in 2020 which is approximately about 8.43%.

Patents are necessary for the segment’s operation. The segment licenses some of its patents to a third party in exchange for royalty income. The company is also licensed to use the patent owned by others to conduct its operation.

Display Technologies

Corning is the largest producer of glass substrates for flat panel display glass providing glasses that are larger, thinner, and lighter with surface quality and without the use of heavy metals. The patent is related to the glass composition and method used to manufacture glass substrates for display application.

Initially, the patent increased from 1700 to 1900 in 2017 but due to a large number of patent expiration, the number of patents declined from 1,650 in 2019 to 1,075 in 2020 approximately by 34.84%.

Environmental Technologies

This segment includes an automotive ceramic substrate and filter products in the heavy and light-duty diesel vehicle market. Corning manufactures substrate and filter products in New York, China, Germany, South Africa, and Virginia. Most of the sales are made to emission control system manufacturers. The patent is related to cellular ceramic honeycomb products along with ceramic batch and binder compositions, honeycomb extrusion and firing processes, honeycomb extrusion dies and equipment for high-volume and low-cost manufacture of such products.

There has been an increasing trend in the number of the patent in this segment. The number of patents increased from 920 to 1200 in 2017 approximately by 30.43% followed by an increase of 33.33% in 2018. The number of patents also increased from 1,800 in 2019 to 1,943 in 2020 approximately by 7.94%.

Life Sciences

Life sciences segment works with researchers and drug manufacturers to provide innovative solutions to improve productivity and breakthrough traditional research for small molecule, or chemical, drugs, vaccines, and emerging cell and gene therapies. The patent is related to methods and apparatus for the manufacture of scientific laboratory equipment as well as equipment for cell and gene therapy research.

The number of patents declined in the year 2017 to 2018. In the year 2019, the segment witnessed an increase in the number of patents approximately by 14.28% but declined again from 640 in 2019 to 594 in 2020 approximately by 7.19%.

Optical Communication

This segment is divided into two product groups- Carrier Network and Enterprise Network. Carrier Network group consist of product and solutions for optical-based communication infrastructure such as video and voice communication. Enterprise Network group consist of optical-based communication sold to business, government, and individual for their purpose. The patent is related to:

• Multimode and single-mode optical fiber
• Optical Fibre ribbons and the process of making that ribbon
• Optical Fibre Connectors and factory-terminated assemblies, hardware and storage, and associated methods of manufacturing

The number of patents increased in the year 2017 to 2018. But, due to a large number of patents expiring, it declined approximately by 6.12% in 2019 followed by a decline from 4,750 in 2019 to 4,522 in 2020 approximately by 4.8%.

Specialty Materials

Specialty Materials segment offers more than 150 materials formulations for glass, glass ceramics, and crystals and software requirements for customer needs. The patent is related to:

• Protective cover glass materials and coating
• Ophthalmic glasses
• Polarizing dyes
• Semiconductor optics and blanks.

The number of patents increased in the year 2017 to 2019 but experienced a decline from 1,150 in 2019 to 1,013 in 2020 approximately by 11.92%.

About the Company

Corning Incorporated is an American multinational company headquartered in Corning, New York, and was founded in the year 1851. The company focuses on specialty glass, ceramics, and related materials and technologies for industrial and scientific application and is publicly traded in S&P 500. The company also manufactures Gorilla Glass which is used in smartphones and is one of the world’s biggest glassmakers. Corning won National Medal for Technology and Innovation for its innovation and products four times. It is also involved in two joint ventures- Dow Corning and Pittsburgh Corning and its operation is divided into five segments- Display Technologies, Environmental Technologies, Life Sciences, Optical Communications, and Specialty Materials and manufactures products in 122 plants located in 15 countries.

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