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THE 6G PATENT LANDSCAPE

Inside the Next Wireless Standard

Table of contents

As the world accelerates toward IMT-2030 and the first wave of 6G prototypes, global patenting activity has begun rising sharply.

This marks the most significant shift in wireless innovation since the arrival of 5G.

To understand this transition, it is essential to look at IMT-2030, the international framework created by the ITU to guide what 6G should ultimately achieve. Just as IMT-2020 outlined the vision for 5G, IMT-2030 serves as the global roadmap for 6G.

IMT-2030 defines performance expectations, including terabit-level data rates, near-zero latency, integrated sensing, intelligent multi-link connectivity, and sustainable network operation. It also identifies key enabling technologies for next generation communication, most notably AI-native networking, terahertz spectrum, satellite-terrestrial integration, and digital twin–based network management.

While previous generations treated AI as a useful enhancement, 6G integrates intelligence into the core fabric of the network. This shift is already reshaping patent portfolios, R&D priorities, and early positioning in the race toward next Standard Essential Patents (SEPs).

Using PatSeer’s patent intelligence platform, we analyzed global 6G-related filings. The results reveal not only rapid growth in activity, but also a clear transition toward AI-driven, autonomous, and ultra-intelligent network architectures.

AI-Native 6G: A Fundamental Redesign of Connectivity

AI-native 6G refers to a network architecture where artificial intelligence is embedded into the system’s fundamental design. Instead of assisting with specific tasks, AI governs decision-making across the entire network optimizing connections, predicting interference, scheduling resources, and adapting waveforms in real time.

In practice, AI-native 6G behaves like a self-learning organism. It continually senses its environment, analyzes context, and makes autonomous adjustments to deliver faster, more reliable, and more efficient communication. This approach aligns with the emerging demands of holographic communication, real-time XR, satellite-terrestrial hybrid networks, and ultra-dense IoT ecosystems.

As a result, innovation in AI-native network intelligence is becoming one of the most important early battlegrounds for companies seeking strategic IP positions in 6G. This transition also increases the complexity of patent filings, as innovations now span algorithms, data pipelines, signal processing, and network architecture raising new challenges for patent quality and essentiality evaluation.

Global Patenting Trends

Chart 1: Patenting Trends (Applications Filed and Grants Published). A partial dip in 2024 and 2025 is visible due to publication lag, as filings from these years are yet to be published.

Chart 1 shows a clear trajectory: from 2015 to 2019, 6G-related filings were sparse and exploratory. Activity centered on early terahertz experiments, initial AI-assisted wireless models, device architecture enhancements, and a handful of futuristic communication concepts.

Beginning around 2020, activity increased steadily as research groups and industry players began aligning with early 6G vision programs. This period marks the start of structured pre-standardization planning.

A dramatic surge occurred between 2022 and 2024. The release of IMT-2030, significant government investment (particularly in Asia), and intensified industry collaboration led to rapid growth across terahertz technologies, space-integrated networks, AI-native RAN (Radio Access Network), and core communication innovations.

Overall, the data indicates a clear shift from foundational research to coordinated innovation aimed at influencing 6G standardization.

Which Countries are spearheading innovation in 6G

Chart 2: Priority Country – Global Distribution of 6G Patent Families

The geopolitical dynamics of 6G innovation are clear and compelling. Chart 2 shows that the early 6G patent race is dominated by Asia. China leads with more than 2,000 priority filings, followed closely by South Korea. These two jurisdictions have made early investments in terahertz communication, AI-driven RAN, and device-level intelligence, supported by national R&D programs and strategic industrial initiatives.

The United States holds a strong position as well, especially in AI-native wireless, semiconductor architectures, and satellite-6G innovation. India’s rise is notable, reflecting the country’s growing investment in telecom R&D and its strengthening domestic IP ecosystem.

European jurisdictions including Germany, the United Kingdom, and EPO filings show lower filing volumes but high technical depth. Their contributions typically align closely with standardized communication architecture, protocol evolution, and network reliability with the types of innovations that often hold strong SEP potential.

It is important to note that priority filings indicate the origin of innovation but do not necessarily reflect the complete global protection strategy. Nevertheless, the pattern is clear: Asia leads in filing volume, while Europe and the United States contribute highly specialized innovations likely to influence future standards.

The Technology Pillars Defining Early 6G R&D

Early 6G research is concentrated on five major technology domains, each accelerating for distinct reasons.

AI-Native Communication:

The fastest-growing area, covering neural network–driven signal processing, predictive scheduling, adaptive air-interface control, digital twin–based RAN management, and context-aware mobility functions. These technologies form the backbone of the “intelligent RAN” vision for 6G.

Terahertz and Sub-THz Communication:

A core enabler of Tbps data rates. Research spans THz transceivers, photonic antennas, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces, and ultra-wideband sensing.

XR and Holographic Media:

Real-time holographic calls, immersive XR, and multisensory communication require massive bandwidth and near-zero latency, pushing innovation in compression, rendering, and AI-enhanced media transport.

Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN):

6G is expected to blend terrestrial and satellite systems seamlessly. Early patents explore hybrid NTN-TN access schemes, handover logic, constellation coordination, and shared spectrum usage.

Network Autonomy and Control:

This includes self-optimizing networks (SON), AI-based resource control, multi-connectivity intelligence, and autonomous interference mitigation.

These pillars align closely with the technological domains seen in Chart 3.

How Core 6G Technologies Are Taking Shape

Chart 3: Innovation Timeline (CPC Main Class – Earliest Priority Date). Bubble size represents the number of patent families by the earliest priority year.

Chart 3 illustrates how innovation across key CPC main classes has evolved over time based on earliest priority dates, offering a clear view into when different technology domains began gaining momentum in the transition from 5G to 6G. This timeline highlights the sequencing and acceleration of innovation relevant for understanding early SEP positioning.

The data shows that H04W (Wireless Communication Networks) and H04L (Transmission of Digital Information) form the backbone of early 6G innovation. Both classes exhibit limited activity prior to 2019, followed by a sharp rise beginning in 2020 and accelerating rapidly through 2022 and 2023. This pattern reflects intensified work on radio access networks, mobility management, resource allocation, and protocol-level intelligence, technologies that are central to the 6G standardization effort.

Closely following these core communication classes is H04B (Transmission), which captures advances in physical-layer technologies such as high-frequency radio transmission, modulation, and terahertz communication. The steady growth in this class highlights the parallel push to unlock extreme data rates and new spectrum bands required for 6G performance targets.

A notable trend emerges in G06N (Computing Arrangements Based on Specific Computational Models), which represents AL and ML. While initially modest, activity in this class increases meaningfully from 2020 onward, mirroring the industry’s shift toward AI-native network architectures. The timing underscores how intelligence is being embedded alongside, rather than after, core wireless innovation.

Supporting domains such as G06F (Electric Digital Data Processing) and Y02D (Energy-Efficient ICT Technologies) also show steady growth, reflecting increasing emphasis on cloud-native processing, energy efficiency, and sustainable network operation key requirements outlined in the IMT-2030 vision.

Hardware-centric and sensing-related classes, including H01Q (Antennas) and G01S (Radio Navigation and Sensing), demonstrate gradual but consistent expansion. These technologies underpin advanced beamforming, massive MIMO, localization, and integrated sensing capabilities expected to play an important role in future 6G deployments.

Overall, the innovation timeline reveals a clear progression: early exploratory research gives way to rapid, structured innovation centered on wireless networks, digital transmission, and AI-driven intelligence.

What These Trends Signal for the 6G SEP Landscape

The early contours of the 6G SEP landscape are already visible. Technologies showing high portfolio value and broad industry activity, particularly AI-native resource management, connection optimization, multi-link control, and advanced error correction are strong candidates for essentiality within the evolving 6G standard.

Organizations investing heavily in these areas will likely hold early SEP advantages. At the same time, regions focusing on architectural and protocol innovation may gain strategic leverage, even with smaller filing volumes. As 6G moves toward standardization post-2028, competitive interactions among these portfolios are likely to influence licensing ecosystems, cross-licensing opportunities, and negotiation dynamics.

However, SEP landscapes often change significantly during standardization. Early positioning is influential but not conclusive.

The 6G Innovation Story Has Already Begun

6G is still several years away from full commercialization, but the patent landscape offers a powerful preview of what is coming:

The world has entered the acceleration phase of 6G research.

AI-native design is emerging as the defining characteristic of next-gen networks.

Technology benchmarks point toward resource management, connection intelligence, and multi-link systems as the engines of future SEPs.

In short, 6G will not simply be faster; it will be smarter, merging wireless communication with autonomous intelligence at every layer. The patents filed today will shape the competitive, commercial, and geopolitical landscape of tomorrow’s hyper-connected world.