Shenzhen has the most patents in China involving 5G technology, graphene, robotics and blockchain, and is atop the international rankings in PCT patent applications in the four fields, the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported.
According to a statistical analysis report on intellectual property released by the city’s intellectual property bureau, Shenzhen companies applied for 163 patents on 5G technology in 2018, up 158.73 percent year on year and ranking first among major cities in the country.
In terms of the number of 5G patents, Huawei Technologies ranks first with 134 patents, followed by ZTE Corp. with 20 patents.
Shenzhen also took the first place in the number of PCT patent applications in 5G technology among major cities in China, key international innovation cities and countries in 2018.
The number of 5G patents applied for by Shenzhen companies in the United States grew by 23.33 percent year on year, and ranked first in Europe, Japan and South Korea.
Graphene possesses important application prospects in materials science, micro-nano processing, energy, biomedicine and drug delivery, and is considered a revolutionary material of the future.
In 2018, Shenzhen firms applied for 568 patents in graphene technology, ranking fourth among major cities in the country. Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology and Huawei took the first three spots among their Shenzhen counterparts.
The number of patents in robotics technology applied for by Shenzhen companies reached 2,302 last year, an increase of 40.54 percent over the previous year and ranking first in the country.
Shenzhen also submitted the most blockchain PCT patent applications in 2018, doubling the number in Silicon Valley and quadrupling that in Tokyo.