Active Suspension Systems - Competitor and Patent Landscape Report - Key players, innovators and industry analysis

With advancement in technology in automobiles, passive suspension systems are being replaced with active suspension systems. Active suspension basically consists of a suspension system (passive), an electronic control unit (ECU) which takes input from sensors, an electric or a hydraulic motor which actuates accordingly to the signals given by the ECU. Active suspension gives a better ride feel as it actuates accordingly with the road unevenness.

This report covers the technologies in the area of active suspension systems and an overview of patenting activity is presented.

As an initial step, a basic search is being done and control patents are obtained. Scientific literature is also identified to understand the technology. Control patents help in generating initial set of keywords and classes. Using this, relevant classes in US, IPC, ECLA, Japanese F terms and DEKLA are identified. Search in Thomson Innovation is done using a combination of English, French and German keywords and the identified classes. DEKLA class search is carried in DEPASINET, of the German national patent database. A total of 11573 patents (4926 families) are identified as relevant to the scope of the search from the search results. Key patents, patenting activity in different years, geographical activity are tabulated and shown in charts.

From the charts, it is observed that Toyota is the major assignee in this technology. The top cited patents were mostly of Ford. United States has the major share in the geographical distribution of patents. Major patenting activity is done during the years 2005 - 2010.

Table of Contents:

1. Executive summary
2. Introduction
2.1. Active suspension systems
2.2. Purpose of active suspension
2.3. Active and semi-active suspensions
2.3.1. Electromagnetically actuated
2.3.2. Hydraulically actuated
3. Taxonomy
4. Key insights
4.1. Top cited patents
4.2. Major players
4.3. Key patents
4.4. IP activity
4.4.1. IP activity based on publication year
4.4.2. IP activity based on priority year
4.5. Geographical activity
4.6. Top technologies
4.7. Technology and assignee graph
4.8. Average citation frequency
4.8.1. For assignees
4.8.2. For technologies
5. References
6. Appendix A: search strategy
6.1. Search strategy
6.1.1. Control patents
6.1.2. Classifications
6.1.3. Japanese F-term classes
6.1.4. Concept table
6.1.5. Thomson innovation search
6.1.6. Depasinet search query
6.1.7. Japanese f term search
7. Appendix B: sample analysis
7.1. Sample patent analysis

List of Tables
Table 1: Top cited patents
Table 2: Control patents
Table 3: Classifications
Table 4: Japanese F term classes
Table 5: Concept table - English
Table 6: Concept table - French
Table 7: Concept table - German
Table 8: Thomson innovation search
Table 9: DEPASINET search query
Table 10: Japanese F Term search
Table 11: Sample patent analysis

List of Figures
Figure 1: Active suspension
Figure 2: Schematic view of an electromagnetic active suspension
Figure 3 Schematic view of a hydraulic active suspension
Figure 4: Class based taxonomy
Figure 5: Major players
Figure 6: Key patents
Figure 7: IP activity based on publication year
Figure 8: IP Activity based on priority year
Figure 9: Geographical distribution of patents
Figure 10: Top technologies
Figure 11: Technology vs assignee
Figure 12: Assignee vs. Average citation frequency
Figure 13: Technology vs. Average citation frequency