Description
To identify Sony’s patents related to Wi-Fi 6, we employed Wi-Fi 6 relevant keywords such as Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), Target Wake Time (TWT), Basic Service Set (BSS) Color, High-Efficiency (HE), 802.11ax, 160 MHz, beamforming, spatial streams, 78.125 kHz, 1024-QAM, spatial reuse, Resource Unit (RU) allocation, etc. The CPCs used for filtering included H04W, H04W 84/12, H04W 72/04, H04W 72/12, H04W 52/02, H04W 52/36, H04W 88/08, H04B, H04B 7/06, etc.
To assess a patent’s essentiality, each claim is manually analysed by our technical expert team with respect to the Wi-Fi 6 standard to verify whether all claim elements are present. We have classified a patent as potentially essential, potentially non-essential, or medium based on the following criteria:
- A patent is classified as potentially essential if claim elements align with the Wi-Fi 6 specifications.
- Conversely, the patent is classified as potentially non-essential if any element is missing or conflicts with the standard, such as contradictory requirements or descriptions.
- A patent is marked as medium if the main technical aspects are present in the Wi-Fi 6 standard, but some elements are not explicitly defined and can only be reasonably inferred from the identified sections.
Frequently asked questions
What does this report tell me about Sony’s Wi-Fi 6 patents?
It reviews the scope, relevance, and potential essentiality of Sony’s portfolio in relation to Wi-Fi 6. A total of 25 unique and active patent families were identified. The analysis is organised around the technologies that define the standard, including OFDMA, MU-MIMO, beamforming, BSS color, spatial streams, and target wake time. Each claim is read manually by the technical team against the Wi-Fi 6 standard to check whether all claim elements are present, and a classification is recorded for each family.
How were the patents selected and filtered?
Selection began with searches across multiple patent databases using search strings, IPC and CPC classifications, and Wi-Fi 6 keywords such as target wake time, basic service set color, high efficiency, 802.11ax, 160 MHz, 78.125 kHz, 1024-QAM, spatial reuse, and resource unit allocation. Filtering used CPC codes including H04W 84/12, H04W 72/04, H04W 52/02, H04W 88/08, and H04B 7/06. The Wi-Fi 6 standard was published in February 2021, so only patents with a priority date on or before that month were kept.
Can the report be tailored before it is sent?
Yes. The report is supplied on request through the contact page rather than as an instant download, and scope can be adjusted when the request is made. A reader may want the review narrowed to certain Wi-Fi 6 features, extended with the claim analysis behind particular families, or presented in a form that fits an internal review process. Raising those points at the enquiry stage means the study that arrives answers the question that prompted it.
