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Photo = Yonhap news |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] According to the patent application data on AI-based robots published by the Korea Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) on Sunday, covering the major patent offices of the world (IP5: Korea, U.S., China, European Union, and Japan), the number of patent applications related to AI robots has grown by an average of 58.5% annually over the last 10 years (2012-2021). In 2012, there were only 20 applications, but by 2021, that number had risen to 1,260.
By applicant nationality during this period, China had the largest share, accounting for 60% (3,313 patents), followed by South Korea with 24.7% (1,367 patents) in second place, and the U.S. with 8.1% (446 patents) in third.
Looking at the average annual growth rate over the last 10 years, China led with a 59.7% increase in AI robot patent applications, while South Korea closely followed with a 53.4% growth rate.
In terms of applied AI technology, the most common application was in robot control technologies for fields like education, entertainment, and healthcare, accounting for 53.6% (2,962 patents). This was followed by 33.8% (1,869 patents) related to interaction technologies between robots and external environments for tasks such as object recognition and manipulation, and 12.6% (694 patents) for driving control technologies that manage robot movement through learning.
Analyzing the major applicants, LG Electronics was the largest with 18.8% (1,038 patents). FANUC from Japan ranked second with 1.8% (97 patents), followed by Huazhong University of Science and Technology from China with 1.5% (83 patents), and Google from the U.S. with 1.3% (71 patents).
Notably, LG Electronics has actively pursued patent rights for AI technologies in robot applications such as cleaning robots, service robots, and logistics robots, incorporating technologies like object recognition and voice recognition. Samsung Electronics also ranked eighth (0.7%, 41 patents), indicating the significant growth potential of Korean companies in the AI robot sector.
LG Electronics has been intensifying its research and development (R&D) efforts since 2017 to secure patent rights and build a portfolio for new businesses in the robotics and AI fields.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
