Nvidia has a total of 17324 patents globally, out of which 9185 have been granted. Of these 17324 patents, more than 76% patents are active. United States of America is where Nvidia has filed the maximum number of patents, followed by China and Germany. Parallelly, United States of America seems to be the main focused R&D centre and also is the origin country of Nvidia.
Nvidia was founded in the year 1993. The Company designs, develops and markets three dimensional (3D) graphics processors and related software. The Company offers products that provides interactive 3D graphics to the mainstream personal computer market.
Do read about some of the most popular patents of Nvidia which have been covered by us in this article and also you can find Nvidia patents information, the worldwide patent filing activity and its patent filing trend over the years, and many other stats over Nvidia patent portfolio.
For more detailed insights, explore: Nvidia Subsidiaries and Acquisitions
Nvidia Innovation Prediction Roadmap: 2025–2030
The insights and projections presented in this article are based on predictive analysis, current patent analysis that have been done, and publicly available information as of 2025. While care has been taken to ensure accuracy, the forward-looking statements are speculative and should not be interpreted as definitive strategic actions by Nvidia or its affiliates. This content is intended for informational and research purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice.
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How many patents does Nvidia have?
Nvidia has a total of 17324 patents globally. These patents belong to 7092 unique patent families. Out of 17324 patents, 13151 patents are active.
Top patent contributing subsidiaries of Nvidia
How Many Patents did Nvidia File Every Year?
Are you wondering why there is a drop in patent filing for the last two years? It is because a patent application can take up to 18 months to get published. Certainly, it doesn’t suggest a decrease in the patent filing.
| Year of Patents Filing or Grant | Nvidia Applications Filed | Nvidia Patents Granted |
| 2025 | 95 | 502 |
| 2024 | 920 | 918 |
| 2023 | 1574 | 635 |
| 2022 | 2236 | 350 |
| 2021 | 1672 | 334 |
| 2020 | 1178 | 317 |
| 2019 | 747 | 346 |
| 2018 | 388 | 374 |
| 2017 | 292 | 501 |
| 2016 | 199 | 605 |
How many Nvidia patents are Alive/Dead?
Worldwide Patents
How Many Patents did Nvidia File in Different Countries?
Countries in which Nvidia Filed Patents
| Country | Patents |
| United States of America | 9314 |
| China | 2347 |
| Germany | 2236 |
| Taiwan | 712 |
| United Kingdom | 528 |
| Japan | 469 |
| Europe (EPO) | 367 |
| Korea (South) | 266 |
| Austria | 106 |
| Australia | 44 |
| Canada | 43 |
| India | 36 |
| Israel | 32 |
| Singapore | 25 |
| Hong Kong (S.A.R.) | 16 |
| Brazil | 9 |
| Italy | 3 |
Where are Research Centers of Nvidia Patents Located?
The technology analysis has been done considering the patent data of Nvidia published during the last 5 years (January 2019 – February 2024)
What key Technologies are covered by Nvidia Patents?
Nvidia, a leading innovator in the technology industry, holds a vast portfolio of patents. This analysis delves into that portfolio, categorizing the patents published over the past five years to understand Nvidia’s technological priorities. The results reveal a clear focus on artificial intelligence, communication, and hardware development, alongside strategic investments in emerging fields.
Dominant Areas: AI/ML and Network & Communication seems to be the dominant area of patent filings for Nvidia. This reflects Nvidia’s focus on technologies that power high-performance computing, networking, and AI applications.
US11861890B2 this patent here describes creating new content, like images or music, in a specific style using generative models. This is a new way to use AI to create all sorts of creative outputs based on descriptions we provide. It’s like having a powerful and versatile AI assistant for generating images, music, and more!
Hardware Focus: Hardware-oriented categories like Hardware & Circuits (218), Computer Architecture (152), and Semiconductor Systems (43) occupy a significant portion of the portfolio, highlighting Nvidia’s strength in designing and developing core computing hardware.
Graphics Expertise: Computer Graphics (194) and Image Processing (120) patents showcase Nvidia’s expertise in visual processing technologies, crucial for their graphics processing units (GPUs) and other visual computing applications.
The table below presents a comprehensive breakdown of Nvidia’s patent portfolio by technological area:
| Technology Area | Patent Count |
| AI/ML | 415 |
| Network & Communication | 336 |
| Hardware & Circuits | 218 |
| Computer Graphics | 194 |
| Computer Architecture | 152 |
| Autonomous Vehicle | 141 |
| Data Processing | 132 |
| Data Center Technologies | 121 |
| Image Processing | 120 |
| Software Development | 68 |
| Video Processing & Streaming | 64 |
| Display | 48 |
| Semiconductor Systems | 43 |
| Privacy & Security | 30 |
| Cloud Computing | 27 |
| Gaming Technology | 21 |
| AR/VR | 19 |
| Robotics | 16 |
| Data Storage & Management | 16 |
| Sensor Technology | 13 |
| Others | 12 |
| 5G | 10 |
| Design | 10 |
| Computer Vision | 7 |
| Quantum Computing | 4 |
| User Interface | 2 |
| Blockchain | 1 |
Nvidia’s recent patent distribution highlights a clear concentration in AI/ML and networking technologies. This reflects the company’s broader strategic shift toward AI infrastructure, high-performance computing clusters, and vertically integrated hardware-software systems.
Interested in knowing more about Nvidia Autonomous Vehicle? Click here to read more on this!
The chart below distributes patents filed by Nvidia in different countries on the basis of the technology protected in patents. It also represents the markets where Nvidia thinks it’s important to protect particular technology inventions
R&D Focus: How Nvidia Research Focus Changed Over the Years?
Given technical insights are based on the (2019 to 2024), would you like to know what Nvidia updated in technical segments and where Nvidia increased its filing? Fill out the form to get the details.
Nvidia’s Patent Strategy & Competitive Positioning
Nvidia’s patent portfolio demonstrates a layered protection strategy across AI algorithms, GPU design, networking interconnects, and semiconductor systems.
USPTO examiners have cited 3,278 Nvidia patents in 16,365 rejections, indicating strong prior art positioning.
This suggests Nvidia’s portfolio plays both a defensive and competitive role within the semiconductor and AI ecosystem.
10 Best Nvidia Patents
US8738860B1 is the most popular patent in the Nvidia portfolio. It has received 602 citations so far from companies like Oracle, Mediatek, and etc.
Below is the list of 10 most cited patents of Nvidia:
| Publication Number | Citation Count |
| US8738860B1 | 602 |
| US10885698B2 | 551 |
| US7805587B1 | 440 |
| US10891538B2 | 302 |
| US7170515B1 | 292 |
| US7043649B2 | 289 |
| US7136953B1 | 280 |
| US10528864B2 | 279 |
| US10860922B2 | 277 |
| US7185286B2 | 264 |
Nvidia’s patents have significantly influenced competitor filings, with multiple semiconductor leaders facing rejections citing Nvidia’s prior inventions.
How many inventions of other companies were rejected due to Nvidia patents?
The statistics below share strategic R&D insights. It tells the companies that were trying to protect inventions similar to Nvidia invention. They couldn’t because Nvidia had protected those before them.
Examiners at the USPTO referred 3278 Nvidia patents in 16365 rejections (35 USC § 102 or 35 USC § 103 types).
The top citing companies in the Nvidia patent portfolio are Intel Corp, Samsung and IBM.
List of the Companies whose Patents were rejected citing Nvidia –
| Company | Number of Patent Applications that faced Rejection Citing Nvidia Patents | Number of Rejections (102 & 103) |
| Intel Corporation | 849 | 2245 |
| Samsung | 431 | 1026 |
| IBM | 330 | 616 |
| Qualcomm | 273 | 609 |
| Microsoft | 239 | 625 |
| Advanced Micro Devices | 230 | 618 |
| Apple | 226 | 515 |
| Arm Limited | 114 | 276 |
| 116 | 207 | |
| Huawei | 94 | 178 |
Count of 102 and 103 Type Rejections based on Nvidia Patents
Top Nvidia Patents used in Rejecting Most Patent Applications
| Patent Number | Count of Rejected Applications |
| US8738860B1 | 39 |
| US11644834B2 | 36 |
| US7075541B2 | 34 |
| US8120584B2 | 31 |
| US9165537B2 | 28 |
| US10816346B2 | 28 |
| US10794711B2 | 27 |
| US7176878B2 | 26 |
| US9122643B2 | 25 |
| US10545029B2 | 24 |
| US11079764B2 | 24 |
| US8327187B1 | 22 |
| US11474519B2 | 22 |
| US7912471B2 | 21 |
| US7526593B2 | 21 |
What Percentage of Nvidia US Patent Applications were Granted?
Nvidia (Excluding its subsidiaries) has filed 6963 patent applications at USPTO so far (Excluding Design and PCT applications). Out of these 4810 have been granted leading to a grant rate of 88.44%.
Below are the key stats of Nvidia patent prosecution at the USPTO.
Which Law Firms are managing US Patents for Nvidia?
| Law Firm | Total Applications | Success Rate |
| Artegis Law Group Llp | 1539 | 96.00% |
| Zilka Kotab Pc | 888 | 62.21% |
| Murabito Hao & Barnes Llp | 877 | 93.24% |
| Davis Wright Tremaine Llp | 683 | 90.67% |
| Nvidia (Inhouse IP Dept.) | 552 | 98.15% |
| Parker Justiss Pc | 485 | 87.75% |
| Leydig Voit & Mayer Walnut Creek | 263 | 97.63% |
| Lowenstein Sandler Llp | 232 | 86.67% |
| Cooley Llp | 184 | 99.55% |
| Hogan Lovells US Llp | 168 | 50.00% |
Recent Developments in Nvidia Patent Activity
- Continued expansion in AI infrastructure patents
- Increased filings in data center and networking technologies
- Strong patent grant activity at USPTO
- Growing presence in AI compute systems and semiconductor innovation
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many patents does Nvidia own?
Nvidia owns 17,324 patents globally, with over 9,185 granted patents. - What technologies do Nvidia patents focus on?
AI/ML, GPU architecture, networking, semiconductor systems, and data center technologies. - Where does Nvidia file most patents?
Primarily in the United States, followed by China and Germany. - What is Nvidia’s patent grant rate?
Approximately 88.44% at the USPTO (excluding subsidiaries and design filings).
