U.S. Semiconductor Patents Granted (Quarterly)

## What this measures

The number of U.S. utility patents granted in a quarter that carry any CPC symbol in H01L (semiconductor devices) or H10 (the class created in 2023 for semiconductor and other solid-state devices, which took over many H01L groups). Every applicant counts.

## Why it matters

Chip patents mark where device and process know-how is being protected, and by whom, years before products ship.

## How to read it

The series starts in 2010 Q1 at 4,360. The latest reading, for 2026 Q3, is 7,216. The high is 8,148 (2019 Q4) and the low 4,360 (2010 Q1).

## What it does not say

H01L also covers some devices that are not chips (for example certain LEDs and solar cells). Grants reflect filings from years earlier and the patent office's backlog. A patent counts once however many symbols it carries. CPC is the current classification, so older patents count where they sit today. Counts come from the Open Data Portal, which matches USPTO's published annual totals to within 0.5% from 2010.

## Source

Source: United States Patent and Trademark Office, www.uspto.gov (Open Data Portal, patent file wrapper search counts). Public domain.