Xiaomi released their inaugaural intellectual property white paper that highlights their achievements from past year, and their future plans ahead
The white paper highlights Xiaomi’s IP successes and its capacity for technological innovation. Currently, Xiaomi has entered 12 technological fields of research and development, including big data, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and 5G mobile communication technology, and has reached 98 sub-segments.
Xiaomi’s high level of globalization is primarily driven by technological innovation, with IP rights effectively supporting and protecting ongoing technological innovation. Xiaomi has made significant IP advancements in all of these areas.
The Group was ranked 13th globally in 5G self-declared patent families as of September 30, 2021. By September 30, 2022, Xiaomi had acquired over 29,000 patents worldwide, which spanned more than 60 nations and regions.
The IP value proposition of the Group was first introduced by Wang Xiang, Partner and President of Xiaomi Corporation. According to him, Xiaomi is committed to offering users best-in-class technological innovation, upholding IP rights, and offering a variety of solutions to resolve IP conflicts.
The Company wants to establish a long-lasting, mutually beneficial IP partnership that will ultimately advance technology inclusion for the good of a larger community. The white paper demonstrates the complex and varied IP environment that Chinese businesses with international aspirations must deal with.
Xiaomi has been able to grow its global presence by actively responding to lawsuits, expressing an openness to collaboration, and working to pursue a multilateral win-win strategy. Xiaomi has applied IP extensively over the years to advance both business and technology.
In order to empower the larger community and enable everyone in the world to enjoy a better life through innovative technology, Xiaomi is seeking to collaborate with international business partners to promote technology inclusion with IP rights in response to consumer demand.
Xiaomi’s IP = Business Innovation
After 12 years of development, Xiaomi has increased its market share to more than 100 countries thanks to its “Smartphone AIoT” core strategy. The Company’s businesses include wearables, internet services, smart TVs, smart large home appliances, and smartphones.
Its work in the fields of smart TV operating systems, AI, imaging, charging, and smartphone operating systems has been on display. Using MIUI as an illustration, robust patent protection encourages the MIUI system’s ongoing innovation.
On September 30, 2022, Xiaomi had more than 7,700 software and operating system patents in force across the globe. Additionally, the Group holds more than 700 patents in the field of smartphone charging, including but not restricted to the fundamental circuit architecture, safety administration, and transmission enhancement.
The imaging technology in Xiaomi smartphones is innovative, and patent protection encourages that innovation. Xiaomi held more than 1,000 imaging-related patents as of September 30, 2022.
Along with improving the user experience on Xiaomi’s smartphones, the company worked to increase the number of 5G patents in its portfolio. Xiaomi was ranked 13th in 5G self-declared patent families by the end of September 2021.
As of the end of September 2022, Xiaomi had led and taken part in the creation of more than 260 national, business, and group standards, and the industry had acknowledged its technical prowess.
In its ecosystem for smart homes, a variety of usage scenarios have been developed thanks to Xiaomi’s IP system. The Group held more than 1,200 AI-related patents globally after years of development. More than 60 products use Xiaomi’s AI call noise reduction technology, which is a key factor in the company’s expansion.
The motto of Xiaomi is “Technology for Good.” The Group’s technological prowess enabled Xiaomi to gradually incorporate accessibility features into its MIUI operating system. For those with visual, hearing, or speech impairment, Xiaomi’s haptic technology, ambient sound recognition, and text-to-speech technology are all designed with them in mind. This enables more underprivileged users to take advantage of technology’s convenience.
Xiaomi’s IP Empowers the Company’s Ambitions
In 2013, Xiaomi’s intellectual property system was still developing, with a primary focus on safeguarding its own technology and securing patents for its hardware and MIUI operating system. While concentrating on Mainland China, the Group also ventured into foreign markets like Europe.
The Group’s smartphone business had attracted the attention of patentees all over the world as it experienced rapid growth. From 2014 to 2019, Xiaomi accelerated the growth of its international markets. Starting in the markets of India and Southeast Asia, Xiaomi gradually expanded into those of Europe and Latin America.
With over 2,000 international patent applications during that time, Xiaomi’s intellectual property rights grew quickly. The average number of global patent applications per year starting in 2015 was close to 6,000.
Xiaomi had to deal with complicated IP disputes at the time. Five months after Xiaomi began selling smartphones in India in July 2014, the Group was involved in a patent dispute with Ericsson, a leading provider of global information and communication technology.
In September 2019, Xiaomi and Ericsson reached an amicable resolution to their five-year legal battle. Regarding claims made by a non-practicing entity, in 2013 BlueSpike, a non-practicing entity, charged Xiaomi with violating its patent rights on a number of smartphone models. The lawsuit came to an end when BlueSpike withdrew it, demonstrating how Xiaomi’s intellectual property rights shield its efforts to expand its business.
In addition, Xiaomi won court decisions against Sisvel, IPCom, and other parties, which helped establish the FRAND (“Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory”) principle in the field of international intellectual property.
Xiaomi has accumulated significant patent accomplishments through a variety of strategies, including acquisition, cross-licensing, and patent transfer. The global collaboration between Xiaomi and Microsoft was expanded in 2016.
Since 2020, Xiaomi has made remarkable strides toward IP globalization and accumulated significant intellectual property accomplishments. By the end of September 2022, Xiaomi had more than 29,000 patents in force across the globe, spanning more than 60 nations and regions.
