What Did The Patent Landscape of General Motors Look Like?  

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General Motors Profile

General Motors (GM) is a multinational corporation based in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It was founded on September 16, 1908, by William C. Durant and Charles Stewart Mott. GM is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world and produces a wide range of vehicles, including cars, trucks, and SUVs, under various brands such as Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, and GMC. 

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Quantifying General Motors Patents

General Motors has a total of 4756 patent families globally. Out of 4756  patents, 2866 patents are active. As of april 2023, GM has a market capitalization of around $86 billion, making it one of the largest automotive companies in the world. The United States of America is where General Motors has filed the maximum number of patents, followed by Germany and China and it also seems reasonable as the biggest market for General Motors is USA & China. 

Have a look at some of the most well-known patents held by General Motors that we have covered in this article. You can also get information on General Motors patents, the global patent filing activity country-wise, its historical patent filing trends, and many more statistics regarding General Motors patent portfolio. 

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How Many Patents General Motors Have?

What Did The Patent Landscape of General motors Look Like?

This Pie Chart Shows the number of active, pending and dead patents.

General Motors have 2866 active, 1366 expired, and 533 pending patents families.

How Many Patents Did General Motors File Every Year?

What Did The Patent Landscape of General motors Look Like?

How Many Genral Motors Patents File in Different Countries? 

General Motors patents are filed in numerous countries, reflecting its international presence and the strategic importance of protecting its inventions across the globe. The General Motors countries list 2023 includes major markets where General Motors operates and maintains its technological leadership. 

What Did The Patent Landscape of General motors Look Like?

IPC Classification Wise Patent Trends by Technology Domain

IPC Classification 

Category 

Superstructure sub-units; Parts or details thereof not otherwise provided for  

(B62D25) 

Elements for body-finishing, identifying, or decorating; Arrangements or adaptations for advertising purposes  

(B60R13) 

Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles  

(B60N2) 

Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for; Arrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for  

(B60R16) 

Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor  

(H04W4) 

Heating, cooling or ventilating devices  

(B60H1) 

Stowing or holding appliances inside of vehicle primarily intended for personal property smaller than suit-cases, e.g. travelling articles, or maps  

(B60R7) 

Testing of vehicles  

(G01M17) 

Wheel guards; Radiator guards; Obstruction removers; Fittings damping bouncing force in collisions  

(B60R19) 

Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor  

(B60Q1)  

General Motors patents are diverse, covering a range of IPC classifications from Superstructure sub-units (B62D25) to Arrangement of optical signalling (B60Q1). General Motors stats reveal that the company not only focuses on current technological needs but also paves the way for future advancements.  

Emerging Trends in GM Technology: A Comparative View

Feature 

(B62D25) – Vehicle Bodywork 

(B60R16) – Electric Vehicle Accessories 

Focus of Innovation 

Materials science, lightweight construction, aerodynamics 

Battery technology, charging infrastructure, electric motors 

Key Technological Advancements 

Advanced materials, (carbon fiber, composites) for weight reduction, 3D printing for complex structures, Aerodynamic optimization for improved fuel efficiency 

Lithium-ion battery advancements (higher capacity, faster charging), Development of solid-state batteries, Wireless charging technologies, More efficient electric motors and powertrains 

Impact on Industries 

Automotive manufacturing, materials science, transportation 

Electric vehicle industry, battery production, energy sector 

Projected Future Trends 

Integration of new materials and manufacturing processes, Increasing focus on autonomous vehicle compatibility, Development of self-repairing bodywork materials 

Continued advancements in battery technology for longer range and faster charging, Expansion of charging infrastructure, Development of new electric vehicle applications (e.g., flying cars)  

Comparing different aspects of General Motors patents, such as  Vehicle Bodywork (B62D25) and Optical  Electric Vehicle Accessories (B60R16), highlights the company’s foresight in areas like machine learning and quantum computing. These trends are indicative of where General Motors inventions are steering the future of technology.  

Notable Publications and Citation Frequency

The Chart below depicts the patents with most number of forward citations. These patents are likely to be the source of advancement in the domain and can be considered as valuable and core inventions. 

What Did The Patent Landscape of General motors Look Like?

Conclusion

General Motors holds a vast patent portfolio with a focus on innovative automotive technologies. Their inventions range from vehicle bodywork materials to electric vehicle accessories, highlighting their commitment to both present and future advancements in the auto industry.  

Analysis of their patents reveals a strong focus on sustainable transportation solutions, including electric vehicle technology and lightweight materials. 

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General Motors (GM) is a multinational corporation based in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It was founded on September 16, 1908, by William C. Durant and Charles Stewart Mott. GM is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world and produces a wide range of vehicles, including cars, trucks, and SUVs, under various brands such as Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, and GMC. 

General Motors has a total of 41356 patents globally. Out of 41356 patents, 14426 patents are active. As of April 2023, GM has a market capitalization of around $86 billion, making it one of the largest automotive companies in the world. The United States of America is where General Motors has filed the maximum number of patents, followed by Germany and China and it also seems reasonable as the biggest market for General Motors is USA & China. 

Have a look at some of the most well-known patents held by General Motors that we have covered in this article. You can also get information on General Motors patents, the global patent filing activity country-wise, its historical patent filing trends, and many more statistics regarding General Motors patent portfolio. 

Patent-Application Success Trend Year Wise in General Motors

What Did The Patent Landscape of General Motors Look Like?  

This chart shows the number of applications filed and the number of grants from these applications. Grant rate is a good indicator to identify successful applications and the graph helps to understand the progress in the technology area. 

Detailed Patent Portfolio Of General Motors

Publication Type 

Simple Legal Status 

Legal State 

Count of Publications 

APPLICATION 

DEAD 

WITHDRAWN 

6294 

NON-PAYMENT 

2577 

DISCONTINUATION 

1751 

REJECTED 

1059 

EXPIRED 

687 

LAPSED 

398 

CEASED 

339 

ABANDONED 

228 

REVOKED 

228 

ACTIVE 

GRANTED 

5438 

PENDING 

EXAMINATION 

1454 

PUBLISHED 

228 

PATENT 

DEAD 

CEASED 

3114 

NON-PAYMENT 

3071 

EXPIRED 

2895 

WITHDRAWN 

606 

ABANDONED 

228 

REVOKED 

228 

ACTIVE 

GRANTED 

4792 

PENDING 

EXAMINATION 

228 

UTILITY MODEL 

ACTIVE 

GRANTED 

2363 

DEAD 

EXPIRED 

1352 

NON-PAYMENT 

581 

CEASED 

228 

DOUBLE 

228 

REVOKED 

228 

PENDING 

EXAMINATION 

228 

DESIGN 

ACTIVE 

GRANTED 

1605 

DEAD 

EXPIRED 

243 

OTHERS 

ACTIVE 

GRANTED 

228 

Technology Domain-wise Patent Trend in General Motors

What Did The Patent Landscape of General Motors Look Like?  

The chart above distributes patents filed till 2021 in General Motors on the basis of the technology protected in patents. This helps to understand the most frequently used concepts and the key focus areas in the technology space.

Top Publications In The Domain With Their Forward Citation Frequency

The table below depicts the patents with most number of forward citations. These patents are likely to be the source of advancement in the domain and can be considered as valuable and core inventions. 

Publication Number 

Year Wise Break Down 

Count of Citing Patents 

< 2006 

2006-2010 

2011-2015 

2016-2020 

>2020 

US-8060250-B2 

0 

1 

4 

475 

347 

827 

US-20100256852-A1 

0 

1 

88 

395 

189 

673 

US-5001558-A 

84 

97 

184 

227 

46 

638 

US-5931757-A 

91 

293 

94 

32 

31 

541 

US-20110190972-A1 

0 

0 

76 

261 

155 

492 

US-4987357-A 

32 

55 

150 

187 

43 

467 

US-6478705-B1 

26 

237 

84 

49 

31 

427 

US-6217474-B1 

121 

229 

43 

26 

0 

419 

US-20100104199-A1 

0 

16 

98 

213 

88 

415 

US-20030231550-A1 

14 

60 

140 

125 

52 

391 

Who Were The Leading Patent Filers Countries Till 2021 In General Motors? 

What Did The Patent Landscape of General Motors Look Like?  

IPC Classification Wise Patent Trend In General Motors

The table below represents the top 10 market domains according to their IPC classification where inventors believed it was critical to safeguard certain technical inventions. 

IPC Classification 

Number of Applications 

Number of Granted 

% Granted 

VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (B60R) 

4478 

1964 

44 

GEARING (F16H) 

2952 

1468 

50 

MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (B62D) 

2924 

1477 

51 

PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY (H01M) 

2126 

862 

41 

ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES (B60K) 

2051 

1013 

49 

CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (F02D) 

1895 

893 

47 

CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT (B60W) 

1855 

659 

36 

SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (B60N) 

1390 

598 

43 

ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (G06F) 

1373 

513 

37 

GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (F01N) 

1307 

597 

46 

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