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IPC Main Group
H04L 9/00

Arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols

Introduced: September 1968

Last revised: January 2022

Classification Context

Section:
ELECTRICITY
Class:
ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
Subclass:
TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION

Filing statistics

IPC H04L 9/00 belongs to the parent subclass H04L, which recorded 1,397,397 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings grew from 91,584 in 2013 to 136,803 in 2023 (+49%), peaking at 147,432 applications in 2022. The most active applicants in class H04 are QUALCOMM (97,396 applications), HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY (96,502 applications) and SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS COMPANY (86,981 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

Related Keywords

SECRET digital communication, e.g. in telegraph systems

12 direct subcodes

Child Classifications

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  • H04L 9/06 the encryption apparatus using shift registers or memories for blockwise coding, e.g. D.E.S. systems
  • H04L 9/08 Key distribution
  • H04L 9/1 with particular housing, physical features or manual controls
  • H04L 9/12 Transmitting and receiving encryption devices synchronised or initially set up in a particular manner
  • H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system
  • H04L 9/34 Bits, or blocks of bits, of the telegraphic message being interchanged in time
  • H04L 9/36 with means for detecting characters not meant for transmission
  • H04L 9/38 Encryption being effected by mechanical apparatus, e.g. rotating cams, switches, keytape punchers
  • H04L 9/4 Network security protocols

Top Applicants

Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class H04, 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