Elon Musk, born on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa, is a renowned entrepreneur and inventor known for revolutionizing multiple industries. He moved to the U.S. to attend the University of Pennsylvania, earning degrees in economics and physics. Musk’s entrepreneurial journey includes founding Zip2, which he sold for nearly $300 million, and co-founding X.com, which became PayPal and was acquired by eBay for $1.5 billion.
Musk founded SpaceX in 2002 to reduce space transportation costs and enable Mars colonization. As CEO of Tesla, he transformed the automotive industry with electric vehicles and renewable energy solutions. Musk also founded The Boring Company, Neuralink, and co-founded OpenAI, reflecting his commitment to sustainability, space exploration, and technological advancement.
Elon Musk has a total of 28 patents originating from 9 distinct patent families. These patents cover a broad spectrum of technological advancements and innovations that reflect Musk’s diverse interests and contributions across multiple industries.Â
The following table provides a breakdown of these patents by their respective families and key details:
| S. No | Title | Publication Number | Assignee |
| 1 | Autonomous and user controlled vehicle summon to a target | US20230176593 | TESLA |
| 2 | Autonomous and user-controlled vehicle call to target | JP2022519710 | TESLA |
| 3 | Autonomous and user controlled vehicle summon to a target | EP3924692 | TESLA |
| 4 | Autonomous and user controlled vehicle summon to a target | CN113728210 | TESLA |
| 5 | Autonomous and user controlled vehicle summon to a target | SG11202108732S | TESLA |
| 6 | Autonomous and user controlled vehicle call on cross reference targets for related | KR10-2021-0121161 | TESLA |
| 7 | Autonomous and user controlled vehicle summon to a target | IL285462 | TESLA |
| 8 | Autonomous and user controlled vehicle summon to a target | CA3129725 | TESLA |
| 9 | Autonomous and user controlled vehicle summon to a target | AU2020221897 | TESLA |
| 10 | Autonomous and user controlled vehicle summon to a target | WO2020/167613 | TESLA |
| 11 | Autonomous and user controlled vehicle summon to a target | US11567514 | TESLA |
| 12 | Vehicle charge inlet | USD724031 | TESLA MOTORS |
| 13 | Vehicle charge connector | USD694188 | TESLA MOTORS |
| 14 | Funnel shaped charge inlet | US8579635 | TESLA MOTORS |
| 15 | Vehicle port door with wirelessly actuated unlatching assembly | US8539990 | TESLA MOTORS |
| 16 | Fuel coupler with wireless port door unlatching actuator | US8627860 | TESLA MOTORS |
| 17 | Charge port door with electromagnetic latching assembly | US8720968 | TESLA MOTORS |
| 18 | Vehicle | USD683268 | TESLA MOTORS |
| 19 | Vehicle door | USD678154 | TESLA MOTORS |
| 20 | Bi-directional facsimile mechanism using the internet | US20020018236 | GRBIC ALMIR/MUSK ELON |
| 21 | Method and apparatus for an accelerated radius search | WO00/11435 | ZIP2 |
| 22 | Method and apparatus for an accelerated radius search | EP1105695 | MYWAY COM |
| 23 | Method and apparatus for an accelerated radius search | CA2341415 | MYWAY COM |
| 24 | Method and apparatus for an accelerated radius search | AU5237099 | ZIP2 |
| 25 | Interactive network directory service with integrated maps and directions | US6148260 | ZIP2 |
| 26 | Method and apparatus for an accelerated radius search | US6108650 | MYWAY COM |
| 27 | System and method for initiating a telephone call utilizing internet initiation | US6185194 | ZIP2 |
| 28 | Interactive network directory service with integrated maps and directions | US5944769 | ZIP2 |
Elon Musk’s patent list includes inventions assigned to various companies he has been associated with throughout his career. The majority of the patents are assigned to Tesla, reflecting his significant role in the company’s innovations.Â
Some patents are also assigned to Tesla Motors, likely from earlier in the company’s history. A few patents are linked to Zip2 and MyWay.com, showcasing Musk’s earlier entrepreneurial ventures.
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This Pie Chart shows the number of active, pending and dead patents.
Elon Musk’s patent portfolio comprises 28 patents with varied legal statuses. Nine patents have been granted, ten are pending approval, and nine have lapsed. This distribution showcases the ongoing nature of Musk’s innovation efforts, balancing established intellectual property with new developments and strategic management of older patents.
Elon Musk’s patent filing activity shows distinct periods of innovation, with notable spikes in 1999, 2012, and 2019. These peak years saw 5, 8, and 9 patent filings respectively, while other active years typically had 1 filing each, reflecting cyclical bursts of inventive output throughout his career.
Elon Musk’s patent portfolio demonstrates a global reach, with the majority of his patents (10) protected in the United States. The distribution extends internationally, with 2 patents each in Australia, Canada, China, Europe, Israel, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore.Â
This diverse geographical protection strategy highlights the global significance of Musk’s innovations and his interest in securing IP rights across key markets worldwide.
Elon Musk’s most cited patents demonstrate significant impact across various technological domains. The top three patents, with citation counts of 202, 191, and 145 respectively, indicate their substantial influence on subsequent innovations and technological developments in their respective fields.
The patents cover a wide range of innovations, with a significant focus on Tesla’s automotive technology, including autonomous vehicle control, charging systems, and vehicle design. Other patents relate to earlier ventures like Zip2 and MyWay.com, demonstrating Musk’s long-standing involvement in technological innovation across various industries.
For more detailed insights on Elon Musk’s Tesla patent portfolio, visit:
Tesla Patent Insights: Innovations in Sustainable Technology
Elon Musk has been a prominent advocate for open innovation, particularly in the automotive and space industries. In 2014, he announced that Tesla would not initiate patent lawsuits against anyone who, in good faith, wanted to use their technology, effectively opening up Tesla’s electric vehicle patents.Â
This move was aimed at accelerating the development of sustainable transport solutions. Musk’s approach to open innovation reflects his belief that sharing knowledge can lead to faster technological advancements and societal benefits, challenging traditional notions of intellectual property protection in highly competitive industries.
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