Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers

Introduced: January 2016

Classification Context

Section:: MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Class:: LIGHTING
Subclass:: NON-ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES USING LUMINESCENCE; LIGHT SOURCES USING ELECTROCHEMILUMINESCENCE; LIGHT SOURCES USING CHARGES OF COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL; LIGHT SOURCES USING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES AS LIGHT-GENERATING ELEMENTS; LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

Filing statistics

IPC F21K 9/00 belongs to the parent subclass F21K, which recorded 53,788 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings declined from 4,776 in 2013 to 2,391 in 2023 (-50%), peaking at 8,647 applications in 2016. The most active applicants in class F21 are PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (3,883 applications), VALEO VISION (2,797 applications) and KOITO MANUFACTURING COMPANY (2,531 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

Additional Content

Electrical aspects of electric lamps using a combination of different types of light generation

3 direct subcodes

Child Classifications

Navigate with arrow keys, Enter to open

F21K 9/2 Light sources comprising attachment means
F21K 9/6 Optical arrangements integrated in the light source, e.g. for improving the colour rendering index or the light extraction
F21K 9/9 Methods of manufacture

Top Applicants

Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class F21, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 3,883
VALEO VISION FR 2,797
KOITO MANUFACTURING COMPANY 2,531
OPPLE LIGHTING COMPANY 2,343
SIGNIFY HOLDING NL 2,275
TOSHIBA LIGHTING & TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION 1,982
KOITO MANUFACTURING COMPANY JP 1,766
LG INNOTEK COMPANY KR 1,651
SUZHOU OPPLE LIGHTING COMPANY 1,633
MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION 1,591