Section G: Physics
~16,035,253
Applications (2013–2023)
PATSTAT worldwide
15
Classes
87
Subclasses
918
Main Groups
9,601
IPC
38,254
CPC
Description
Section G encompasses inventions in physics and physical sciences, covering measurement, testing, navigation, timekeeping, and the detection or analysis of physical phenomena. This broad section includes technologies such as optical instruments, electrical measuring devices, timing mechanisms, and instruments for analyzing matter and energy. It serves as the foundational category for numerous specialized technical fields where physical principles are applied in measurement, control, and scientific instrumentation.
Visualizations
Size of each class by number of subgroups
| Class | Title | Descendants |
|---|---|---|
| G01 | MEASURING; TESTING | 9,901 |
| G02 | OPTICS | 2,355 |
| G03 | PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY | 3,288 |
| G04 | HOROLOGY | 998 |
| G05 | CONTROLLING; REGULATING | 9,363 |
| G06 | COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING | 5,380 |
| G07 | CHECKING-DEVICES | 786 |
| G08 | SIGNALLING | 587 |
| G09 | EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS | 1,151 |
| G10 | MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS | 1,302 |
| G11 | INFORMATION STORAGE | 2,565 |
| G12 | INSTRUMENT DETAILS | 31 |
| G16 | INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SPECIFIC APPLICATION FIELDS | 126 |
| G21 | NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING | 564 |
| G99 | SUBJECT MATTER NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR IN THIS SECTION | 2 |
Classification entries by hierarchy level
IPC and CPC are identically structured here. All 15 subcodes exist in both systems.
1 shared codes have differing titles between IPC and CPC.
Child Classifications
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- G03 PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- G16 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SPECIFIC APPLICATION FIELDS heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- G99 SUBJECT MATTER NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR IN THIS SECTION heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
Top Applicants
Top Applicants (IPC)
Section G,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS COMPANY KR 110,693
- SGCC(STATE GRID CORPORATION OF CHINA) 84,380
- IBM (INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION) US 69,497
- CANON 57,957
- BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP COMPANY 51,775
- HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY CN 48,763
- MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING US 43,834
- CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 43,518
- GOOGLE US 37,613
- INTEL CORPORATION US 32,962
Top Applicants (CPC)
Section G,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS COMPANY KR 148,195
- IBM (INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION) US 71,144
- BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP COMPANY CN 54,996
- HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY CN 54,066
- MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING US 47,160
- SAMSUNG DISPLAY KR 43,138
- SGCC(STATE GRID CORPORATION OF CHINA) 42,142
- GOOGLE US 41,164
- CANON JP 36,945
- INTEL CORPORATION US 35,961
Classes in section G
-
- 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
-
- G02B Optical Elements, Systems or Apparatus
- G02C Spectacles; Sunglasses or Goggles Insofar as They Have the Same Features as Spectacles; Contact Lenses
- G02F Optical Devices or Arrangements for the Control of Light by Modification of the Optical Properties of the Media of the Elements Involved Therein; Non-Linear Optics; Frequency-Changing of Light; Optical Logic Elements; Optical Analogue/digital Converters
-
- G03B Apparatus or Arrangements for Taking Photographs or for Projecting or Viewing Them; Apparatus or Arrangements Employing Analogous Techniques Using Waves Other Than Optical Waves; Accessories Therefor
- G03C Photosensitive Materials for Photographic Purposes; Photographic Processes, e.g. Cine, X-Ray, Colour or Stereo-Photographic Processes; Auxiliary Processes in Photography
- G03D Apparatus for Processing Exposed Photographic Materials; Accessories Therefor
- G03F Photomechanical Production of Textured or Patterned Surfaces, e.g. for Printing, for Processing of Semiconductor Devices; Materials Therefor; Originals Therefor; Apparatus Specially Adapted Therefor
- G03G Electrography; Electrophotography; Magnetography
- G03H Holographic Processes or Apparatus
-
- G04B Mechanically-Driven Clocks or Watches; Mechanical Parts of Clocks or Watches in General; Time-Pieces Using the Position of the Sun, Moon, or Stars
- G04C Electromechanical Clocks or Watches
- G04D Apparatus or Tools Specially Designed for Making or Maintaining Clocks or Watches
- G04F Time-Interval Measuring
- G04G Electronic Time-Pieces
- G04R Radio-Controlled Time-Pieces
-
- G05B Control or Regulating Systems in General; Functional Elements of Such Systems; Monitoring or Testing Arrangements for Such Systems or Elements
- G05D Systems for Controlling or Regulating Non-Electric Variables
- G05F Systems for Regulating Electric or Magnetic Variables
- G05G Control Devices or Systems Insofar as Characterised by Mechanical Features Only
G06 Computing or Calculating; Counting
- G06C Digital Computers in Which All the Computation Is Effected Mechanically
- G06D Digital Fluid-Pressure Computing Devices
- G06E Optical Computing Devices
- G06F Electric Digital Data Processing
- G06G Analogue Computers
- G06J Hybrid Computing Arrangements
- G06K Graphical Data Reading; Presentation of Data; Record Carriers; Handling Record Carriers
- G06M Counting Mechanisms; Counting of Objects Not Otherwise Provided for
- G06N Computing Arrangements Based on Specific Computational Models
- 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
- G06T Image Data Processing or Generation, in General
- G06V Image or Video Recognition or Understanding
-
- G07B Ticket-Issuing Apparatus; Taximeters; Arrangements or Apparatus for Collecting Fares, Tolls or Entrance Fees at One or More Control Points; Franking Apparatus
- G07C Time or Attendance Registers; Registering or Indicating the Working of Machines; Generating Random Numbers; Voting or Lottery Apparatus; Arrangements, Systems or Apparatus for Checking Not Provided for Elsewhere
- G07D Handling of Coins or of Valuable Papers, e.g. Testing, Sorting by Denominations, Counting, Dispensing, Changing or Depositing
- G07F Coin-Freed or Like Apparatus
- G07G Registering the Receipt of Cash, Valuables, or Tokens
G09 Educating; Cryptography; Display; Advertising; Seals
- G09B Educational or Demonstration Appliances; Appliances for Teaching, or Communicating With, the Blind, Deaf or Mute; Models; Planetaria; Globes; Maps; Diagrams
- G09C Ciphering or Deciphering Apparatus for Cryptographic or Other Purposes Involving the Need for Secrecy
- G09G Arrangements or Circuits for Control of Indicating Devices Using Static Means to Present Variable Information
G10 Musical Instruments; Acoustics
- G10B Organs, Harmoniums or Similar Wind Musical Instruments With Associated Blowing Apparatus
- G10C Pianos, Harpsichords, Spinets or Similar Stringed Musical Instruments With One or More Keyboards
- G10D Stringed Musical Instruments; Wind Musical Instruments; Accordions or Concertinas; Percussion Musical Instruments; Aeolian Harps; Singing-Flame Musical Instruments; Musical Instruments Not Otherwise Provided for
- G10F Automatic Musical Instruments
- G10G Representation of Music; Recording Music in Notation Form; Accessories for Music or Musical Instruments Not Otherwise Provided For, e.g. Supports
- G10H Electrophonic Musical Instruments; Instruments in Which the Tones Are Generated by Electromechanical Means or Electronic Generators, or in Which the Tones Are Synthesised From a Data Store
- G10K Sound-Producing Devices; Methods or Devices for Protecting Against, or for Damping, Noise or Other Acoustic Waves in General; Acoustics Not Otherwise Provided for
- G10L Speech Analysis Techniques or Speech Synthesis; Speech Recognition; Speech or Voice Processing Techniques; Speech or Audio Coding or Decoding
G11 Information Storage
G16 Information and Communication Technology [ICT] Specially Adapted for Specific Application Fields
- G16B Bioinformatics, i.e. Information and Communication Technology [ICT] Specially Adapted for Genetic or Protein-Related Data Processing in Computational Molecular Biology
- G16C Computational Chemistry; Chemoinformatics; Computational Materials Science
- G16H Healthcare Informatics, i.e. Information and Communication Technology [ICT] Specially Adapted for the Handling or Processing of Medical or Healthcare Data
- G16Y Information and Communication Technology Specially Adapted for the Internet of Things [IoT]
- G16Z Information and Communication Technology [ICT] Specially Adapted for Specific Application Fields, Not Otherwise Provided for
G21 Nuclear Physics; Nuclear Engineering
- G21B Fusion Reactors
- G21C Nuclear Reactors
- G21D Nuclear Power Plant
- G21F Protection Against X-Radiation, Gamma Radiation, Corpuscular Radiation or Particle Bombardment; Treating Radioactively Contaminated Material; Decontamination Arrangements Therefor
- G21G Conversion of Chemical Elements; Radioactive Sources
- G21H Obtaining Energy From Radioactive Sources; Applications of Radiation From Radioactive Sources, Not Otherwise Provided for; Utilising Cosmic Radiation
- G21J Nuclear Explosives; Applications Thereof
- G21K Handling of Particles or Ionising Radiation Not Otherwise Provided for; Irradiation Devices; Gamma Ray or X-Ray Microscopes
G99 Subject Matter Not Otherwise Provided for in This Section