Most cited semiconductors patents

1

This patent describes the underlying electronic circuits and methods for a multi-touch surface that can track multiple fingers and palms simultaneously, even before they fully touch the screen.

2

Apple's 2010 patent describes a touch screen that uses two layers of transparent conductive lines to detect several fingers touching the screen simultaneously.

3

Canon's 1988 patent on bubble jet printing uses a tiny heater to instantly vaporize ink, creating a bubble that pushes out a droplet of ink from the printer head.

4

Logitech's 1998 patent describes how a touchpad can detect two fingers touching it in a specific sequence to perform actions like clicking or dragging, going beyond single-finger mouse emulation.

5

Eastman Kodak's 1982 patent on creating light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) using organic materials, specifically a layer of porphyrinic compounds to help inject electrical charges.

6

Chester Carlson's 1942 patent for xerography, the dry copying process that became the foundation for Xerox machines.

7

This 1980 patent describes a way for two people to create a secret code key over a public channel, like the internet, without ever meeting or sharing the key directly.

8

This patent describes a camera sensor technology that combines light-capturing elements with a special circuit to read out the image data quickly and efficiently, all on a single chip.

9

MIT's 1999 patent on a special ink made of tiny capsules that can change color when an electric field is applied, forming the basis for early e-readers.

10

This 1980 patent describes a method for cutting and pasting DNA pieces in a lab to create new, self-replicating genetic material that can be inserted into bacteria, a foundational technique for genetic engineering.

11

Toshiba's 1999 patent describes a method for storing multiple bits of data in a single memory cell by precisely controlling voltage levels during programming.

12

This patent describes how multiple computers can share a single communication cable by listening for other transmissions and stopping their own if a collision occurs, then trying again later.

13

A 1982 hardware-based security system that prevents software from being copied or cracked by destroying sensitive data if the computer detects unauthorized access or execution.

14

A foundational patent describing the specific metal contacts needed to make gallium nitride LEDs efficient and commercially viable.

15

This patent describes a system for early portable phones to automatically find the strongest signal from a base station and switch channels as the user moves, reducing battery drain and interference.

16

This 1976 patent describes using a specific form of non-crystalline silicon to create cheap, thin semiconductor devices like solar cells.

17

IBM's 1967 patent for a memory cell using a single transistor and a capacitor, which became the foundation for all modern computer RAM.

18

A method for cable modems to pre-filter data so it arrives clearly at the central office, preventing signal errors caused by the messy physical wires between them.

19

A 1970 patent describing a remote tag that powers itself using incoming radio signals to read and write data, forming the foundation of modern RFID technology.

20

A foundational 1938 patent describing how to convert continuous sound waves into a stream of digital numbers for transmission.

21

A foundational patent describing an electronic circuit that uses a grid of resistors to perform computations, effectively creating an artificial neural network that can store and recall patterns.

22

Robert Noyce's 1959 patent for a semiconductor device that uses evaporated metal leads to connect components directly on a single silicon chip.

23

This 1973 patent describes a method for using X-rays from many angles to build a detailed 2D image of the inside of a body, like a slice of a CT scan.

24

This patent describes using a heat-stable enzyme from a bacterium that lives in hot springs to make the process of reading DNA code much more reliable and efficient.

25

A method for storage controllers to track and sequence data updates in a specific order, ensuring that remote backups remain consistent with the original data during a system failure.

26

The foundational 1960 patent by Schawlow and Townes that describes how to amplify light waves to create a laser, moving beyond microwave technology.

27

William Shockley's 1951 patent for the junction transistor, the fundamental building block of all modern digital electronics.

28

Bell Labs' 1950 patent for the point-contact transistor, the fundamental electronic component that makes all modern computing possible.

29

Hamilton's 1972 patent for a digital watch that uses electronic circuits and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to show time, instead of gears and hands, powered by a rechargeable battery.

30

This 1934 patent describes the cyclotron, a machine that uses magnetic and electric fields to whip particles into high speeds for scientific research.