Vibration motors used in mobile devices are on a declining trend

Electric motors are widely used in home appliances familiar to our daily lives, such as fans, refrigerators, washing machines, and air conditioners. Furthermore, there is growing interest in their application in the fields of hybrid and electric vehicles.

Against this backdrop, it was found that while patent applications related to automobiles and home appliances—which have recently become hot topics in the electric motor field—are steadily increasing, applications for vibration motors used in mobile devices and linear motors used in trains and linear motion devices are decreasing.


▲ Status of patent applications related to vibration motors over the past 5 years

According to the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO, Commissioner Choi Dong-gyu), an analysis of patent applications regarding electric motors over the past five years (2009–2013) showed that while the number of patent applications filed domestically peaked at 996 in 2011 and has since shown a gradual downward trend, applications related to motors used in automobiles increased by 56% from 275 in 2009 to 429 in 2013, and applications related to home appliances and generators also increased by 46% and 25%, respectively, during the same period. This confirms that patent applications for electric motors used in next-generation automobiles and future home appliances have been steadily increasing recently.

In contrast, patent applications related to vibration motors for mobile devices decreased by 36% from 177 in 2009 to 114 in 2013, and applications related to linear motors used in trains and linear motion devices and traditional induction motors also decreased by 49% and 59%, respectively, during the same period. This indicates that electric motor-related technology applied in this field is already mature.


▲ Number of applications by top 10 frequent applicants in 2013

By applicant, in 2009, domestic applicants accounted for 744 cases (80%) and foreign applicants for 191 cases (20%), and in 2013, domestic applicants accounted for 630 cases (74%) and foreign applicants for 222 cases (26%), showing that domestic applications still held the advantage.

In addition, the ratio of applications by domestic applicant was found to be 12% for LG Innotek and 11% for Samsung Electro-Mechanics in 2009, and in 2013, LG Innotek was 5%, Samsung Electro-Mechanics 3%, Hyundai Mobis 3%, Hyundai Motor 2%, and Newmotec 2%. This is interpreted as showing that applicants in the electric motor field have recently become more diversified.


▲ Status of electric motor-related patent applications over the past 5 years

An official from the Korean Intellectual Property Office stated, “Electric motors are essential components applied not only in traditional fields but also in future growth engine industries such as next-generation automobiles, future home appliances, drones, and robots,” adding, “In order for these industries to secure competitiveness, it is important to develop technology for electric motors, which are core components, and to secure intellectual property rights accordingly.”