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2019 RF GaN Patent Landscape, 2019 - American and Japanese Players Dominate the RF GaN-related IP LandscapeDUBLIN, April 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "RF GaN Patent Landscape" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. RF GaN intellectual property: domination of American and Japanese players, weak presence of Europeans, and numerous Chinese new entrants In recent years, the radiofrequency (RF) GaN market has grown impressively and has reshaped the RF power device industry landscape. The GaN RF industry continues to ramp up, driven by telecom and defense applications, and with 5G implementation coming, the RF GaN market is developing fast. The total RF GaN market size is expected to increase from $380M in 2017 to $1.3B by 2023. In this report, the author has thoroughly investigated the patent landscape related to GaN-based RF technologies and devices. We have selected and analyzed more than 3,750 patents published worldwide up to October 2018 and grouped into more than 1,700 patent families. These patents pertain to RF GaN epiwafers including GaN-on-SiC and GaN-on-Silicon, RF semiconductor devices, including HEMTs and HBTs, integrated circuits, including RFICs and MMICs, operating methods and packaging, for all functions, such as RF power amplifiers (PAs), RF switches and RF filters and from radio frequencies <_ghz to="to">6GHz and mm-waves >20GHz. Furthermore, Sumitomo Electric has been slowing down its patenting activity while other Japanese companies like Fujitsu, Toshiba and Mitsubishi Electric are increasing their patent filings and thus today have strong patent portfolios as well. Intel and MACOM are currently the most active patent applicants for RF GaN, both especially for GaN-on-Silicon technology, and are today the main IP challengers in the RF GaN patent landscape. Other companies involved in RF GaN market, such as Qorvo, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, NXP/Freescale, and Infineon, hold some key patents but do not necessarily have a strong IP position. CETC and Xidian University dominate the Chinese patent landscape with patents on GaN RF technologies targeting microwave and mm-wave applications. The emerging foundry HiWafer entered the IP landscape three years ago and is today the most serious Chinese IP challenger. The analysis of Cree's RF GaN patent portfolio shows it can effectively limit patenting activity in the field and control the freedom-to-operate of other firms in most key countries. Intel, which entered the GaN HEMT patent landscape later, is currently the most active patent applicant and it should strengthen its IP position in coming years, especially for GaN-on-Silicon technology. New entrants in the GaN RF HEMT related patent landscape are mainly Chinese players like HiWafer, Sanan IC and Beijing Huajin Chuangwei Electronics. Other noticeable new entrants are Taiwan's TSMC and Wavetek Microelectronics, Korea's Wavice and Gigalane, Japan's Advantest, and America's MACOM and ON Semiconductor. In the report, we detail both key patents and recent patents held by key IP players and new entrants. In the report we detail the patents claiming inventions to suppress the parasitic channel layer formed near the surface of the silicon substrate which adversely affects high-frequency characteristics, and we focus on patents related to packaging for GaN-on-Slicon devices and thermal management. GaN MMICs More than 30 entities have filed patents related to GaN MMICs, and Toshiba and Cree (Wolfspeed) have the most important patent portfolios. Cree has the strongest IP position in the field, but Toshiba, which entered the GaN MMIC patent landscape later, is currently the most active patent applicant and it should strengthen its IP position in coming years in view of its current patenting activity. Toshiba's recent patents pertain to packages for GaN MMICs, and MMICs that can enhance power resistance of a capacitor connection line, which is capable of maintaining and withstanding voltages necessary for each MIM capacitor and being downsized. The main new entrants in the GaN MMIC related patent landscape are Tiger Microwave and Beijing Huajin Chuangwei Electronics. In this report, we detail the key patents owned by companies like Cree (Wolfspeed), Toshiba, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, MACOM and Qorvo, and we focus on some patents claiming GaN-on-Silicon technology for MMICs. Toshiba, Fujitsu, Mitsubishi Electric, Qorvo, Raytheon and Sumitomo Electric are the other main IP players, and MACOM, which entered the GaN RF PA patent landscape later, stands out from other IP players with its increasing patenting activity. Intel is currently the most active player in terms of patent filings related to GaN RF switches, and Tagore Technology is the most notable new entrant to the field. More and more patents claim RF filters using III-nitride epitaxial layers, and currently, Intel is by far the main patent applicant for GaN RF filter. Key Topics Covered
2. Methodology
3. Executive Summary
5. GaN RF Semiconductor Devices
GaN HEMT for RF applications
6. RF GaN On Silicon Substrate
7. Integrated Circuits
8. Frequency Bands
9. Package For RF GaN
10. Functions
11. Conclusion
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ir1ue Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager
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