G01 MEASURING; TESTING
Classification Context
- Section:
- PHYSICS
- Class:
- MEASURING; TESTING
Description
Class G01 encompasses instruments, apparatus, and methods for measuring and testing physical quantities and phenomena across diverse domains. This broadly inclusive classification covers measurement devices ranging from simple scales and thermometers to sophisticated optical, electrical, and mechanical instruments for quantifying properties such as length, mass, temperature, pressure, velocity, and radiation. The class also includes testing equipment and methodologies for determining material properties, performance characteristics, and conformance to standards. Adjacent classes G02 (Optics) and G03 (Photography) handle specialized optical and photographic measurement systems, while G04 covers timing instruments specifically.
Filing statistics
IPC G01 recorded 4,700,762 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 18 subclasses. Annual filings grew from 241,761 in 2013 to 575,056 in 2023 (+138%), peaking at 579,038 applications in 2020. The most active applicants in class G01 are SGCC(STATE GRID CORPORATION OF CHINA) (41,447 applications), CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (32,952 applications) and ROBERT BOSCH (16,470 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
In class comparison
G01 comprises 18 subclasses with filings; the largest is G01N with 34.9% of the class's 4,700,762 applications between 2013 and 2023.
| Rank | Subclass | Title | Applications | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G01N, Investigating or Analysing Materials by Determining Their Chemical or Physical Properties | Investigating or Analysing Materials by Determining Their Chemical or Physical Properties | 1,640,918 | 34.9% |
| 2 | G01R, Measuring Electric Variables; Measuring Magnetic Variables | Measuring Electric Variables; Measuring Magnetic Variables | 598,083 | 12.7% |
| 3 | G01B, Measuring Length, Thickness or Similar Linear Dimensions; Measuring Angles; Measuring Areas; Measuring Irregularities of Surfaces or Contours | Measuring Length, Thickness or Similar Linear Dimensions; Measuring Angles; Measuring Areas; Measuring Irregularities of Surfaces or Contours | 395,662 | 8.4% |
| 4 | G01S, Radio Direction-Finding; Radio Navigation; Determining Distance or Velocity by Use of Radio Waves; Locating or Presence-Detecting by Use of the Reflection or Reradiation of Radio Waves; Analogous Arrangements Using Other Waves | Radio Direction-Finding; Radio Navigation; Determining Distance or Velocity by Use of Radio Waves; Locating or Presence-Detecting by Use of the Reflection or Reradiation of Radio Waves; Analogous Arrangements Using Other Waves | 358,214 | 7.6% |
| 5 | G01M, Testing Static or Dynamic Balance of Machines or Structures; Testing of Structures or Apparatus, Not Otherwise Provided for | Testing Static or Dynamic Balance of Machines or Structures; Testing of Structures or Apparatus, Not Otherwise Provided for | 339,843 | 7.2% |
| 6 | G01C, Measuring Distances, Levels or Bearings; Surveying; Navigation; Gyroscopic Instruments; Photogrammetry or Videogrammetry | Measuring Distances, Levels or Bearings; Surveying; Navigation; Gyroscopic Instruments; Photogrammetry or Videogrammetry | 271,474 | 5.8% |
| 7 | G01D, Measuring Not Specially Adapted for a Specific Variable; Arrangements for Measuring Two or More Variables Not Covered by a Single Other Subclass; Tariff Metering Apparatus; Transferring or Transducing Arrangements Not Specially Adapted for a Specific Variable; Measuring or Testing Not Otherwise Provided for | Measuring Not Specially Adapted for a Specific Variable; Arrangements for Measuring Two or More Variables Not Covered by a Single Other Subclass; Tariff Metering Apparatus; Transferring or Transducing Arrangements Not Specially Adapted for a Specific Variable; Measuring or Testing Not Otherwise Provided for | 207,395 | 4.4% |
| 8 | G01F, Measuring Volume, Volume Flow, Mass Flow, or Liquid Level; Metering by Volume | Measuring Volume, Volume Flow, Mass Flow, or Liquid Level; Metering by Volume | 157,084 | 3.3% |
| 9 | G01L, Measuring Force, Stress, Torque, Work, Mechanical Power, Mechanical Efficiency, or Fluid Pressure | Measuring Force, Stress, Torque, Work, Mechanical Power, Mechanical Efficiency, or Fluid Pressure | 145,069 | 3.1% |
| 10 | G01K, Measuring Temperature; Measuring Quantity of Heat; Thermally-Sensitive Elements Not Otherwise Provided for | Measuring Temperature; Measuring Quantity of Heat; Thermally-Sensitive Elements Not Otherwise Provided for | 118,108 | 2.5% |
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
Related Keywords
18 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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- G01B MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
- G01C MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY
- G01D MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED BY A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; TRANSFERRING OR TRANSDUCING ARRANGEMENTS NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G01F MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW, OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
- G01G WEIGHING
- G01H MEASUREMENT OF MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OR ULTRASONIC, SONIC OR INFRASONIC WAVES
- G01J MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY
- G01K MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G01L MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE
- G01M TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G01N INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01P MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF MOVEMENT; INDICATING DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT
- G01Q SCANNING-PROBE TECHNIQUES OR APPARATUS; APPLICATIONS OF SCANNING-PROBE TECHNIQUES, e.g. SCANNING-PROBE MICROSCOPY [SPM]
- G01R MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
- G01S RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G01T MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION
- G01V GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS
- G01W METEOROLOGY
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filings, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- SGCC(STATE GRID CORPORATION OF CHINA) 41,447
- CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 32,952
- ROBERT BOSCH DE 16,470
- SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS COMPANY KR 10,052
- SINOPEC (CHINA PETROCHEMICAL CORPORATION) 9,573
- ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY 9,529
- GUANGDONG POWER GRID CORPORATION 8,615
- TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY 7,805
- HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES GROUP US 7,796
- QUALCOMM US 7,171