| In recent years, there has been an extensive | | | | patents. Hence, both design concepts and |
| boost in technological concepts related to | | | | hardware are protected by patents. In discharging |
| electronics and electrical domain. Electronic | | | | its patent-related duties, the United States Patent |
| engineering is a constantly changing and widening | | | | and Trademark Office (USPTO) examines patent |
| branch of technology. Electronics and | | | | applications and grants patents after establishing |
| semiconductor engineering is one of the largest | | | | the patenting class and patentability of an |
| and fastest growing industries. This growth has | | | | invention. The claims of a patent serve as a guide |
| entailed a wide range of patent filing, all through. | | | | in patent prosecution and infringement law suits. |
| Electronics and semiconductors covers a wide | | | | There has been a steady growth in electrical, |
| range of applications we use daily, such as | | | | electronics and semiconductor patents being filed |
| Television, Radio, computers, telecommunication | | | | and granted by U.S. patent office since 1996. |
| etc, which make our life easier and enjoyable. It | | | | About 8, 16,349 electrical patents are being |
| helps us see, hear and communicate over | | | | granted till December 31st 2004 and every year |
| enormous distances and accomplish tasks faster. | | | | approximately 60,000 electrical patents are |
| Electronics plays a major role in industries like oil, | | | | granted. U.S. Patent office has approximately |
| energy, agriculture and many other important | | | | granted 3, 70,000 semiconductor patents, 19,279 |
| sectors of economy. Electronics and | | | | global positioning system patents, 75,109 |
| semiconductor patents form a subclass of | | | | electronics and communication patents. |
| electrical patents. The electrical patenting class is | | | | Since its inception, the patent system has |
| broadly classified into many subclasses based on | | | | attempted to balance the tension between 2 |
| the area of nce. Some subclasses include Digital | | | | competing objectives. On one hand, the law |
| Electronics, Analog Electronics, Micro Electronics, | | | | rewards technical innovation by granting exclusive |
| Fuzzy Electronics, Application Specific Integrated | | | | rights to individuals for worthy inventions. On the |
| Circuit Design, Semiconductors and Semiconductor | | | | other hand, it also seeks to increase the welfare |
| devices, etc. | | | | of the society as a whole by providing it with the |
| Patents are further classified based on the | | | | benefits of innovation. Electronics and |
| development of their active elements involving | | | | semiconductor patents provide public with valuable |
| the design and testing of electronic circuits that | | | | information about how to use and implement new |
| use the electronic properties of components such | | | | technology once it enters public domain. |
| as resistors, capacitors, inductors, diodes , | | | | One way to trace the development of electronics |
| microcontrollers, microprocessors and transistors | | | | and semiconductor technology is to follow the |
| to achieve a particular functionality. For example, | | | | development of its active elements, the switches |
| 326 is the generic class for patents related to | | | | and valves of electronics systems. A more recent |
| electronic digital logic devices, circuitry and sub | | | | trend in circuit design is to build custom integrated |
| combinations thereof, wherein non-arithmetical | | | | circuits that include as much circuitry as possible, |
| operations are performed upon discrete electrical | | | | often combining both analog and digital circuitry on |
| signals representing a value normally described by | | | | a single substrate. This area is known as |
| numerical digits. It further has subclass 12 for | | | | application specific integrated circuits (ASIC); the |
| redundant logic having a flip flop and subclass 37 | | | | designers work with relatively small prefabricated |
| for a multifunctional or programmable logic having | | | | circuits commonly called macro cells. In recent |
| a flip flop. | | | | years there has been an increase in patent filing |
| Integrated circuits and processing architectures | | | | because in many industries and product |
| are other categories protected by patents. | | | | development companies a division of innovative |
| Different aspects of these technologies such as | | | | labor is emerging, resulting in the licensing of |
| architecture, applications or designs are protected | | | | existing and prospective technologies. Hewlett |
| by employing different intellectual property laws. | | | | Packard, Sanyo and Sony are some of the leading |
| As an invention, hardware architecture and their | | | | electronic companies in the world with a growing |
| applications are protected as utility patents while | | | | patent portfolio over the years. |
| Integrated circuit designs are protected as design | | | | |