H04M TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
Introduced: September 1968
Classification Context
- Section:
- ELECTRICITY
- Class:
- ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- Subclass:
- TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
Description
H04M covers telephonic communication systems and equipment, encompassing the technical means for transmitting voice and related signals over telecommunication networks. This includes telephone handsets, switching systems, transmission apparatus, signaling methods, and network infrastructure for establishing and maintaining voice calls. The classification extends to both wired and wireless telephone technologies, such as conventional landline systems, mobile phones, and voice-over-internet protocols, as well as associated features like call routing, billing, and subscriber management. Adjacent classes H04L (digital information transmission) and H04W (wireless communication networks) address data transmission and radio-based aspects respectively, while H04M focuses specifically on the telephonic communication function itself.
Filing statistics
IPC subclass H04M recorded 292,116 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings declined from 26,112 in 2013 to 15,773 in 2023 (-40%), peaking at 34,745 applications in 2017. 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
In class comparison
H04M ranks 5th of 11 subclasses with filings in H04, with 292,116 applications between 2013 and 2023, 6.3% of the class. Annual filings declined 40% from 2013 to 2023, below the class as a whole (+25%).
| Rank | Subclass | Title | Applications | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | H04L, Transmission of Digital Information, e.g. Telegraphic Communication | Transmission of Digital Information, e.g. Telegraphic Communication | 1,397,397 | 30.0% |
| 2 | H04W, Wireless Communication Networks | Wireless Communication Networks | 1,086,704 | 23.3% |
| 3 | H04N, Pictorial Communication, e.g. Television | Pictorial Communication, e.g. Television | 1,015,361 | 21.8% |
| 4 | H04B, Transmission | Transmission | 440,404 | 9.4% |
| 5 | H04M | Telephonic Communication | 292,116 | 6.3% |
| 6 | H04R, Loudspeakers, Microphones, Gramophone Pick-Ups or Like Acoustic Electromechanical Transducers; Electric Hearing Aids; Public Address Systems | Loudspeakers, Microphones, Gramophone Pick-Ups or Like Acoustic Electromechanical Transducers; Electric Hearing Aids; Public Address Systems | 244,714 | 5.3% |
| 7 | H04Q, Selecting | Selecting | 75,265 | 1.6% |
| 8 | H04J, Multiplex Communication | Multiplex Communication | 58,468 | 1.3% |
| 9 | H04S, Stereophonic Systems | Stereophonic Systems | 22,505 | 0.5% |
| 10 | H04H, Broadcast Communication | Broadcast Communication | 20,919 | 0.4% |
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
Additional Content
Glossary
Subscriber subscribers General term for a user of terminal equipment, e.g. for the user of a telephone set, or for any equipment used by subscribers, e.g. telephones for public use. Substation substations Subscriber or monitoring equipment which may connect a single subscriber to a line without choice as to subscriber. Satellite satellites A kind of exchange the operation of which depends upon control signals received from a supervisory exchange. Switching centres switching centre Include exchanges and satellites. Exchange exchanges Synonym for telephone switch Voice mail system Voice mail systems A centralised system for managing telephone messages for a large group of users.
Limiting references
Circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus , ,
Related Keywords
11 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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- H04M 1/00 Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
- H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
- H04M 13/00 Party-line systems
- H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time-indication
- H04M 17/00 Prepayment telephone systems
- H04M 19/00 Current supply arrangements for telephone systems
- H04M 3/00 Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
- H04M 5/00 Manual exchanges
- H04M 7/00 Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
- H04M 9/00 Arrangements for interconnection not involving centralised switching
- H04M 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class H04, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- QUALCOMM US 97,396
- HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY CN 96,502
- SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS COMPANY KR 86,981
- TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL) SE 55,869
- HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY 55,349
- LG ELECTRONICS KR 53,649
- CANON 33,341
- SONY CORPORATION JP 32,761
- ZTE CORPORATION CN 32,274
- GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION 28,327