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PatentCliff

Updated April 2026 · USPTO PatentsView

CPC G02

Optics & Photonics Patent Landscape

45 patents tracked across 2 companies in CPC G02.

The Optics & Photonics technology class (CPC G02) covers 45 U.S. patents tracked here, held across 2 companies. Filing activity, top patent holders, and recent grants below all come directly from USPTO records.

Patent landscape for Optics & Photonics technology (CPC class G02). Covers innovations in optics & photonics from leading companies worldwide.

Optics & Photonics at a Glance

45 patents tracked under Optics & Photonics. Smaller technology classes can be either nascent areas with growing filing activity or legacy areas where filing has slowed — the yearly trend on this page is the easiest way to tell which.

Apple (24 patents, grade C) and 3M (21, grade D) hold the top two positions in Optics & Photonics. The grade column reflects each company's overall Patent Strength Score across its full portfolio, not just patents in this technology class.

Patent Activity by Year

2009
1
2010
2
2012
1
2013
1
2015
1
2017
1
2018
3
2019
2
2020
4
2022
2
2023
3
2024
4
2025
1
2026
2
2027
2
2028
2

Filing activity in Optics & Photonics has accelerated, with the most recent five years averaging about 2 new patents per year — roughly 10% above the earlier window. Acceleration often correlates with a technology shift attracting fresh corporate R&D, and it tends to push expiration cliffs further out as new filings replace older ones.

Recent Patents in Optics & Photonics

Patent #TitleAssigneeGrantedExpiresClaimsStatus
10002163Apparatus for modular computational operations in CMOS environments3MMar 26, 2028Jan 22, 20442817.8y left
10002181System for distributed neural network processing with digital3MMar 3, 2028Aug 17, 20443218.4y left
10002159Apparatus for configurable computational operations in graphene environments3MJun 18, 2027Oct 23, 20441018.5y left
10000750System and method for autonomous data processing using neuralAppleMay 28, 2027May 17, 2044818.1y left
10002215System and method for efficient data processing using digital3MDec 4, 2026Jul 8, 20442918.3y left
10000768System and method for multi-layer data processing using quantumAppleMar 27, 2026Dec 26, 20434317.7y left
10000757Method for autonomous machine learning inference using 5GAppleAug 27, 2025Jun 2, 20434217.2y left
10002209Apparatus for modular computational operations in cloud environments3MOct 2, 2024May 8, 20424316.1y left
10002158System for distributed neural network processing with neural3MJul 19, 2024Jun 6, 20421716.2y left
10000797System for optimized neural network processing with cloudAppleJul 11, 2024Feb 7, 20423715.8y left
10002208System and method for enhanced data processing using analog3MApr 19, 2024May 28, 20424316.1y left
10002205Computer-implemented method for scalable CMOS optimization3MOct 21, 2023Nov 11, 20414315.6y left
10000744Method for autonomous machine learning inference using RFAppleAug 12, 2023Apr 21, 20393313.0y left
10000720Computer-implemented method for dynamic nano-scale optimizationAppleJan 12, 2023Dec 18, 20392913.7y left
10000760System and method for optimized data processing using digitalAppleApr 24, 2022Oct 28, 20394713.6y left
10000782System for high-performance neural network processing with AI-drivenAppleFeb 2, 2022May 16, 20384112.1y left
10002196Computer-implemented method for advanced lidar optimization3MAug 17, 2020Nov 28, 20362710.6y left
10002171System for improved neural network processing with 5G3MAug 9, 2020Aug 18, 2038512.4y left
10000778Computer-implemented method for high-performance MEMS optimizationAppleApr 18, 2020Nov 22, 20371711.6y left
10000722Method for distributed machine learning inference using blockchainAppleApr 2, 2020Dec 8, 20371711.7y left

What Expirations Mean for Optics & Photonics

As patents in Optics & Photonics expire, the underlying methods and apparatuses enter the public domain. Competitors gain freedom to operate without licensing the original claims, and downstream products incorporating the formerly protected technology can ship without a royalty stack. This is the ground-truth mechanism that drives generic-drug economics and the broader competitive dynamics in semiconductor process generations and consumer electronics platforms.

For pharmaceutical and biotech CPC classes, drug-specific exclusivities tracked in the FDA Orange Book can delay generic entry past patent expiration. For non-drug technology classes, expiration is a cleaner trigger — competitors generally gain freedom-to-operate immediately. Either way, the underlying expiration math comes from USPTO records.

How This Patent Landscape Is Built

Patents are assigned to Optics & Photonics based on their primary CPC classification (G02) as recorded by USPTO examiners. Total counts include all patents in the tracked dataset that carry this CPC prefix; recent-patent and yearly-trend tables are derived from the same record set. Each company\'s grade reflects its overall Patent Strength Score across its entire tracked portfolio, not just patents in this CPC class. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline, score weights, and known limitations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Optics & Photonics CPC class?

Optics & Photonics corresponds to Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) prefix G02, the international system used by the USPTO and EPO to organize patents by technical subject matter. Patent landscape for Optics & Photonics technology (CPC class G02). Covers innovations in optics & photonics from leading companies worldwide. CPC classes are assigned by patent examiners and update as the technology evolves, so the patent set tracked here reflects the current classification of every included patent.

Who are the top patent holders in Optics & Photonics?

Apple (24 patents), 3M (21 patents) are the leading holders in Optics & Photonics. Patent counts at the company level are useful for spotting concentration, but they do not tell you about claim strength — for a finer signal, see each company's Patent Strength Score grade in the table below.

How many Optics & Photonics patents will expire soon?

Per-year expiration counts for this technology class can be derived from the recent patents table on this page combined with each patent's expiration date — patents typically expire 20 years from earliest non-provisional filing. For year-by-year expiration totals across all CPC classes, see the expiring-year pages on this site, which break down each year's cohort by company and technology.

What happens when patents in Optics & Photonics expire?

When a patent expires, its claims enter the public domain. For Optics & Photonics, that means competitors can implement the underlying methods or apparatus without licensing fees. The practical impact varies — in regulated areas like pharmaceuticals, FDA-granted exclusivities can extend market protection past patent expiry. In unregulated technology areas, expiration usually translates directly into freedom-to-operate for new entrants.

Where does Optics & Photonics patent data come from?

All patent data is sourced from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office through the PatentsView and Open Data Portal APIs. CPC classifications are assigned by USPTO examiners and are part of the official patent record. Verify any individual patent through USPTO Patent Public Search (ppubs.uspto.gov) or Google Patents.

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Sources: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PatentsView, Open Data Portal). Public-domain federal data. Cite as: "PatentCliff, Optics & Photonics landscape, April 2026. Data: USPTO."

Last updated 2026-04-10 · 45 patents tracked in Optics & Photonics.