ANALOGUE COMPUTERS

Introduced: September 1968

Classification Context

Section:: PHYSICS
Class:: COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
Subclass:: ANALOGUE COMPUTERS

Description

G06G covers analogue computing devices and systems that process continuous physical quantities (such as voltage, current, mechanical displacement, or fluid pressure) to perform mathematical operations and solve problems. This subclass encompasses analogue computers using electronic circuits, mechanical components, or hybrid technologies for applications including differential equation solving, simulation, control systems, and scientific computation. The classification excludes digital computers (G06F) and hybrid systems primarily classified elsewhere, focusing instead on machines where the computation directly represents mathematical relationships through proportional physical phenomena.

Filing statistics

IPC subclass G06G recorded 5,173 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings declined from 842 in 2013 to 177 in 2023 (-79%). The most active applicants in class G06 are SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS COMPANY (66,669 applications), IBM (INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION) (62,313 applications) and MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING (41,918 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

In class comparison

G06G ranks 8th of 12 subclasses with filings in G06, with 5,173 applications between 2013 and 2023, 0.1% of the class. Annual filings declined 79% from 2013 to 2023, below the class as a whole (+191%).

Top 10 of 12 subclasses of class G06 by patent applications, 2013–2023
Rank	Subclass	Title	Applications	Share
1	G06F, Electric Digital Data Processing	Electric Digital Data Processing	2,990,091	46.1%
2	G06Q, Information and Communication Technology [ICT] Specially Adapted for Administrative, Commercial, Financial, Managerial or Supervisory Purposes; Systems or Methods Specially Adapted for Administrative, Commercial, Financial, Managerial or Supervisory Purposes, Not Otherwise Provided for	Information and Communication Technology [ICT] Specially Adapted for Administrative, Commercial, Financial, Managerial or Supervisory Purposes; Systems or Methods Specially Adapted for Administrative, Commercial, Financial, Managerial or Supervisory Purposes, Not Otherwise Provided for	1,187,966	18.3%
3	G06T, Image Data Processing or Generation, in General	Image Data Processing or Generation, in General	689,851	10.6%
4	G06N, Computing Arrangements Based on Specific Computational Models	Computing Arrangements Based on Specific Computational Models	613,242	9.5%
5	G06K, Graphical Data Reading; Presentation of Data; Record Carriers; Handling Record Carriers	Graphical Data Reading; Presentation of Data; Record Carriers; Handling Record Carriers	601,580	9.3%
6	G06V, Image or Video Recognition or Understanding	Image or Video Recognition or Understanding	380,096	5.9%
7	G06M, Counting Mechanisms; Counting of Objects Not Otherwise Provided for	Counting Mechanisms; Counting of Objects Not Otherwise Provided for	11,112	0.2%
8	G06G	Analogue Computers	5,173	0.1%
9	G06E, Optical Computing Devices	Optical Computing Devices	1,661	0.0%
10	G06C, Digital Computers in Which All the Computation Is Effected Mechanically	Digital Computers in Which All the Computation Is Effected Mechanically	1,283	0.0%

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

Additional Content

Analogue optical computing devices

Related Keywords

CIRCUITS for analogue computingCOMPUTING by mechanical means only, in analogue fashionCOMPUTING electrically in analogue fashionINPUT for analogue computersOUTPUT for analogue computerselectric analogue SIMULATORSSTORES for storage of data combined with analogue computers

5 direct subcodes

Child Classifications

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G06G 1/00 Hand-manipulated computing devices
G06G 3/00 Devices in which the computing operation is performed mechanically
G06G 5/00 Devices in which the computing operation is performed by means of fluid-pressure elements
G06G 7/00 Devices in which the computing operation is performed by varying electric or magnetic quantities
G06G 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Top Applicants

Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class G06, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS COMPANY KR 66,669
IBM (INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION) US 62,313
MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING US 41,918
GOOGLE US 32,969
SGCC(STATE GRID CORPORATION OF CHINA) 30,822
INTEL CORPORATION US 30,010
TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY 28,235
HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY CN 26,079
APPLE US 21,891
HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY 20,505