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IPC Subclass
B63G

OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS

Introduced: September 1968

Classification Context

Section:
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Class:
SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
Subclass:
OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS

Description

B63G encompasses military and defensive systems installed on or integral to waterborne vessels, including weapons mountings, armor arrangements, and specialized vessel types designed for combat or defense. This subclass covers mine-laying and mine-sweeping equipment, submarine design and operation, and aircraft carrier configurations with their associated flight deck and hangar systems. The classification excludes general ship construction and hull design (covered in B63B) and focuses specifically on the offensive/defensive functional systems and specialized military vessel architectures rather than standard commercial vessel features.

Filing statistics

IPC subclass B63G recorded 13,273 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings grew from 693 in 2013 to 1,542 in 2023 (+123%). The most active applicants in class B63 are SAMSUNG HEAVY INDUSTRIES (5,719 applications), DAEWOO SHIPBUILDING & MARINE ENGINEERING COMPANY (4,684 applications) and HYUNDAI HEAVY INDUSTRIES COMPANY (3,015 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

In class comparison

B63G ranks 4th of 5 subclasses with filings in B63, with 13,273 applications between 2013 and 2023, 5.1% of the class. Annual filings grew 123% from 2013 to 2023, above the class as a whole (+85%).

Subclasses of class B63 by patent applications, 2013–2023
RankSubclassTitleApplicationsShare
1B63B, Ships or Other Waterborne Vessels; Equipment for ShippingShips or Other Waterborne Vessels; Equipment for Shipping152,46658.7%
2B63H, Marine Propulsion or SteeringMarine Propulsion or Steering46,73618.0%
3B63C, Launching, Hauling-Out, or Dry-Docking of Vessels; Life-Saving in Water; Equipment for Dwelling or Working Under Water; Means for Salvaging or Searching for Underwater ObjectsLaunching, Hauling-Out, or Dry-Docking of Vessels; Life-Saving in Water; Equipment for Dwelling or Working Under Water; Means for Salvaging or Searching for Underwater Objects34,32313.2%
4B63GOffensive or Defensive Arrangements on Vessels; Mine-Laying; Mine-Sweeping; Submarines; Aircraft Carriers13,2735.1%
5B63J, Auxiliaries on VesselsAuxiliaries on Vessels12,7594.9%

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

Related Keywords

offensive or defensive arrangements on SHIP(S)warshipsoffensive or defensive arrangements on water-borne vesselsWARFARE at seawarships

9 direct subcodes

Child Classifications

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  • B63G 1/00 Arrangements of guns or missile launchers; Vessels characterised thereby
  • B63G 11/00 Aircraft carriers, i.e. warships equipped with a flight deck on which airplanes can be launched and landed and with a hangar deck for servicing airplanes
  • B63G 5/00 Vessels characterised by adaptation to torpedo-launching
  • B63G 6/00 Laying of mines or depth charges; Vessels characterised thereby

Top Applicants

Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class B63, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

  1. SAMSUNG HEAVY INDUSTRIES KR 5,719
  2. DAEWOO SHIPBUILDING & MARINE ENGINEERING COMPANY KR 4,684
  3. HYUNDAI HEAVY INDUSTRIES COMPANY KR 3,015
  4. ZHEJIANG OCEAN UNIVERSITY 1,359
  5. HUDONG-ZHONGHUA SHIPBUILDING (GROUP) COMPANY 1,221
  6. HARBIN ENGINEERING UNIVERSITY 1,175
  7. SHANGHAI WAIGAOQIAO SHIPBUILDING COMPANY 1,129
  8. CSSC HUANGPU WENCHONG SHIPBUILDING COMPANY 1,113
  9. GUANGZHOU SHIPYARD INTERNATIONAL COMPANY 1,073
  10. JIANGSU UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 963