OBTAINING ENERGY FROM RADIOACTIVE SOURCES; APPLICATIONS OF RADIATION FROM RADIOACTIVE SOURCES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; UTILISING COSMIC RADIATION (measurement of nuclear or X-radiation G01T; fusion reactors G21B; nuclear reactors G21C; lamps in which a gas filling is excited to luminescence by external corpuscular radiation or by radioactive material structurally associated with the lamp H01J65/04, H01J65/06)

Description

G21H covers energy extraction from radioactive decay and practical applications of radiation that do not fall within other nuclear engineering classifications. This includes radioisotope power systems (such as radioisotope thermoelectric generators and betavoltaic devices), radiation-based propulsion concepts, and direct utilization of cosmic radiation energy. The subclass also encompasses miscellaneous applications of radioactive sources not specifically addressed by companion classes G21B through G21G, serving as a catch-all for novel or unconventional energy conversion and radiation utilization technologies in the nuclear domain.

Filing statistics

CPC subclass G21H recorded 1,260 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings grew from 76 in 2013 to 117 in 2023 (+54%), peaking at 157 applications in 2021. The most active applicants in class G21 are CHINA GENERAL NUCLEAR POWER CORPORATION (1,383 applications), WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION (1,347 applications) and KOREA ATOMIC ENERGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE (1,303 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings