Intellectual Property

Expanding the Scope

DOCOMO actively researches and develops network related technologies such as W-CDMA, LTE, LTE-Advanced, 5G and 6G, and new service related technologies such as AI and IoT, with the ultimate goal of enhancing mobile experiences for customers. We are also applying for patents on these technologies. As a result, DOCOMO is having some 4,000 patents in Japan and some 9,000 patents overseas as of March 2022.

Patent Application Data

DOCOMO is steadily expanding the scope of its intellectual property in order to strengthen its competitiveness in Japan and abroad.
In addition to continued applications for 5G, DOCOMO proactively filed applications for 6G in FY 2021.

Graph showing changes in the number of patent applied

Awards for Intellectual Property

DOCOMO named an Asia IP Elite organization in 2022

In May 2022, DOCOMO was named an Asia IP Elite 2022 by Intellectual Asset Management (IAM), an internationally renowned intellectual property media company, and received an award in November of the same year. Companies and organizations that have placed intellectual property at the core of their business strategy were selected for this list in order to showcase exemplary initiatives for the creation of intellectual property in the Asia-Pacific region. This recognition is a result of the efforts that DOCOMO's R&D and intellectual property organizations have cultivated together.

The award ceremony for the Asia IP Elite 2022

Awarded the National Commendation for Invention*1

Photo: Award ceremony for the Japan Patent Office Commissioner's Prize in 2015

We at DOCOMO are putting our efforts into R&D to realize high-speed, reliable, and secure mobile communications, and as a result, our in-house engineers have received many National Commendation for Invention awards for 1G to 4G mobile communications system technologies.
We will continue to focus on R&D and patent applications pertaining to 5G and 6G technologies.

Generation	Award Year	Invention Name	Award Results
1G (analog)	1995	Multi-Station Sequential Transmission Technology for Automobile and Mobile Phone Systems*2 Patent No. 1506414	Invention Prize
2G (PDC)	1998	Mobile Radio Communications System Patent No. 2106363	Imperial Invention Prize
3G (W-CDMA)	2010	Cell Search Time Reduction Technology for W-CDMA Patent No. 3214860	Prime Minister's Prize
4G (LTE)	2015	High-Speed Cell Search Technology for LTE Patent No. 4440831	Japan Patent Office Commissioner's Prize

A contest for Japan's best inventions sponsored by the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation
Joint patent with NTT

Patent application field: 5G/6G

5G aims to achieve a high capacity network which is able to support increase in traffic with low cost and reduced power consumption.
DOCOMO is conducting research and development to enable a wide range of capabilities such as super high data rate communications of over 10 Gbps, lower latency, and simultaneous connection of a large number of terminals in order to support the future spread of IoT and IoE, and continuing relevant intellectual property activities.

DOCOMO has started filing 6G patent applications for things designed to further improve 5G features such as ultra-high speed/high capacity, ultra-low latency, and simultaneous connection of a large number of terminals.

Data of 5G standard-essential patents owned by DOCOMO

DOCOMO participates in the standardization of wireless technologies, such as 5G and LTE, as well as various related technologies, and has also submitted many technical proposals that have been incorporated into standards.
DOCOMO came to be ranked fourth in the world and first among carriers in terms of shares of 5G standard-essential patents*3 owned, according to a survey conducted in FY 2022.

Standard-essential patent: A patent which is unavoidably infringed when manufacturing a standard-compliant product without a license from the patent owner.

Graph showing Data of 5G standard-essential patents owned by DOCOMO

Source: New window "Cyber Creative Institute analyzes the factors behind the rapid increase in 5G-SEP and realized patents that support 5G standards and 5G business"
-Achievement of initial 5G goals and new 5G goals-
by Cyber Creative Institute Co., Ltd.

Patent application field: new services

DOCOMO has been applying on patents for service solutions utilizing AI, IoT and big data. In FY 2021, DOCOMO bolstered its intellectual property activities by increasing the number of patent applications for technologies related to recommendations, demand forecasts, and XR platforms.
The NTT Group, including DOCOMO, came to be ranked first in Japan in terms of the number of patent applications pertaining AI-related inventions submitted, according to a survey conducted in FY 2021.

The number of applications for AI-related inventions (by corporate group)

Source: New window "Based on data in "Recent Trends in AI-related Inventions" published by the Japan Patent Office

Example of patent pending technologies about XR

Trademark Application Data

DOCOMO has been applying for and maintaining trademarks in order to protect its product brands and service brands. DOCOMO has approximately 1,600 trademarks in Japan and 1,200 trademarks overseas as of March 2022.

Patent Licensing

DOCOMO licenses its standard-essential patents on FRAND (Fair, Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory) terms.
DOCOMO has owned patents/patent applications worldwide in the field of 3GPP and other standard-essential patents and continues to license them through both bilateral negotiations and patent pools.

Lenovo

DOCOMO has granted a patent license to Lenovo. The agreement covers DOCOMO's cellular wireless standard-essential patents including 5G.

Xiaomi Inc.

DOCOMO has renewed the patent license to Xiaomi Inc. The agreement covers DOCOMO's 5G standard-essential patents.
DOCOMO has granted a patent license to Xiaomi Inc. The agreement covers DOCOMO's cellular wireless standard-essential patents.

VIVO MOBILE COMMUNICATION CO., LTD.

NTT DOCOMO announced that it has granted a patent license to vivo. The agreement covers DOCOMO's W-CDMA, LTE and LTE-Advanced Standard Essential Patents.

Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Co., Ltd.

NTT DOCOMO announced that it has granted a patent license to OPPO. The agreement covers DOCOMO's W-CDMA, LTE and LTE-Advanced Standard Essential Patents.

KYOCERA Corporation

DOCOMO has granted a patent license to KYOCERA Corporation. The agreement covers DOCOMO's W-CDMA, LTE and LTE-Advanced standard-essential patents.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

DOCOMO has granted a patent license to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Sharp Corporation

DOCOMO has granted a patent license to Sharp Corporation. The agreement covers DOCOMO's W-CDMA, LTE and LTE-Advanced standard-essential patents.

Microsoft Corporation

DOCOMO has granted a patent license to Microsoft Corporation. The agreement covers DOCOMO's W-CDMA, LTE and LTE-Advanced standard-essential patents.

HTC Corporation

DOCOMO has granted a patent license to HTC Corporation. The agreement covers DOCOMO's W-CDMA, LTE and LTE-Advanced standard-essential patents.

Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

DOCOMO has granted a patent license to Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. The agreement covers DOCOMO's standard-essential patents for wireless communication technologies.

LG Electronics Inc.

DOCOMO has granted a terminal patent license to LG Electronics Inc. The agreement covers DOCOMO's W-CDMA, LTE and LTE-Advanced standard-essential patents.

Including standard-essential patents, if you are interested in taking a license, please contact us at:

Patent Licensing Contact Information
Strategic Licensing Group
Intellectual Property Department
NTT DOCOMO
Sanno Park Tower, 35th Floor, 11-1 Nagata-cho 2-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-6135

Alternatively, it is also possible to obtain licenses to our standard-essential patents through the following patent pools*4. If you are interested in taking a pool license, please contact the concerned Licensing Administrator.

Patent Pool: A mechanism whereby a plurality of patent holders collectively license standard-essential patents.

Patent Pools through which DOCOMO Licenses standard-essential patents

New window — Patent Pools through which DOCOMO Licenses standard-essential patents

Patent Pool	Licensing Administrator
HEVC/H.265 (High Efficiency Video Coding)	Access Advance
AVC/H.264 (Advanced Video Coding)	MPEG LA
MVC (Multiview Video Coding)	MPEG LA
AAC (Advanced Audio Coding)	Via Licensing
MPEG-H 3D Audio	Via Licensing
EVS (Enhanced Voice Services)	MPEG LA
Avanci (Vehicle 4G)	Avanci
Sisvel (Cellular IoT)	Sisvel

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