5G Patents
There has been a bombardment of patent applications in regards to 5 Generation (5G) mobile communication candidate technology. 5G is 1000 times faster than 4 Generation (G4).
According to the Korean Intellectual Property Office on March 30, 321 patent applications have been filed regarding 5G candidate technology between 2010 and 2014, with the majority being filed since 2013.
5G provides real-time services by connecting people, things, and information at greater speeds, and is anticipated to become a core infrastructure that can revolutionize not only the information and communication industry but also other industries in general.
Among 5G mobile communication candidate technologies are “millimeter wave technology” that secures a broad bandwidth (over 1GHz) in th 30-300 GHz in band frequency and controls a short frequency to amplify the transmission capabilities. There is also a “large scale multi antenna” that achieves high transmission speeds and energy effectiveness by installing hundreds to thousands of antennas in base stations. Another type is a “microcell technology” that maximizes information transmission capacities by increasing the densities of small cells that transmit information.
According to patent application analysis, 50 percent of the applications came from major corporations and national research organizations. It turned out that domestic companies have a lead in research in large-scale multi-antenna and millimeter wave technologies.
The rise in patent applications seems to be the outcome reflecting the technological development strategies of companies that are trying to seize the lead in the 5G market that will be commercialized in 2020.
The Korean Intellectual Property Office predicted that considering 4G-related patents were reaching 11,000 cases, 5G-related patents will exceed 10,000 by 2020, the year when 5G will be commercialized.
The government, hoping to lead in 5G, is aiming to be number one in patent competitiveness by showcasing a 5G trial service during the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in 2018 and launching the first commercial service in 2020. With this goal in mind, the government, in conjunction with the private sector, is planning to invest 1.6 trillion won (US$1.5 billion) over the next 7 years.