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IPC Class
H04

ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE

Classification Context

Section:
ELECTRICITY
Class:
ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE

Description

H04 – ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE This class encompasses the technical and engineering aspects of electrical communication systems, including signal transmission, reception, and processing across various media and frequencies. It covers wire-based communication (telephony, telegraphy, data transmission), wireless communication (radio, microwave, satellite), optical communication, and associated infrastructure such as switching, routing, and network control systems. The class includes technologies for analog and digital signal modulation, coding, multiplexing, and error detection/correction, as well as the hardware and methods for establishing and maintaining communication links. Adjacent classes within the broader electrical field provide related coverage of power distribution (H02), lighting (H05B), and specific electronic components used in communication systems.

11 direct subcodes

Child Classifications

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Top Applicants

Top 10 applicants by patent filings, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

  1. QUALCOMM US 97,396
  2. HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY CN 96,502
  3. SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS COMPANY KR 86,981
  4. TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL) SE 55,869
  5. HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY 55,349
  6. LG ELECTRONICS KR 53,649
  7. CANON 33,341
  8. SONY CORPORATION JP 32,761
  9. ZTE CORPORATION CN 32,274
  10. GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION 28,327