Today is World IP Day, an opportunity to reflect on the important contribution intellectual property makes to all our lives. Intellectual property comes in many forms. From the inventions that power smartphones and the internet, to music and movies, medicines that save lives, to brands and trademarks. 

At Nokia we respect intellectual property and expect others to do the same. We believe inventors and creators should be incentivized and rewarded for their creativity, problem solving and persistency. The founding fathers enshrined this principle in the US constitution, and it is just as important today. This is especially true for global technology standards, where Nokia is very active in what we call the virtuous circle of innovation.

It all starts with a creative idea. A solution to a problem. We contribute these innovations to connectivity standards such as 4G, 5G or now 6G, Wi-Fi, and multimedia standards including video coding. Other companies can use these technologies without having to risk their own investment in developing the standards. As a result, every year, our patented inventions are implemented into over a billion new devices, such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, smart TVs, connected vehicles, a wide range of IoT devices and solutions, and more. In return, companies benefiting from our innovation pay royalties which we reinvest in developing the next generation of technologies. It is a wheel that has been turning for many years, powering innovation.

Over 3,000 new patent applications filed in 2024

In 2024, Nokia filed patent applications on more than 3,000 new inventions, reinforcing our position as a pioneer in connectivity and multimedia technologies. These patents span 5G networks and the upcoming 6G standard, Wi-Fi connectivity, next-generation video coding, and more. They are enhancing current capabilities and laying the foundation for future technologies which will shape the digital landscape for years to come.

Let’s take a closer look at what is inside our industry-leading patent portfolio and how Nokia continued to drive technology standards in 2024.

Pioneering cellular technologies

In January 2025 we celebrated the milestone of over 7,000 patent families declared essential to the 5G standard. This was the work of a ‘well-oiled machine’ that my colleague Osman Yilmaz describes in his blog. Our researchers have also been extremely busy architecting 6G, with the first standardization meeting taking place just over a month ago. (You can read more about Nokia’s vision for 6G in the recent blog by my colleague, Peter Merz.) Around 80% of our total patent filings last year were cellular standards related, laying the groundwork for 6G standardization. These inventions cover features such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in 5G-Advanced and 6G, technologies for environmental sustainability, Multi-RAT Spectrum Sharing, MIMO technologies, quantum-security, and more. Additionally, we filed hundreds of new patent applications to protect the cutting-edge products available to Nokia’s customers.   

This work is a testament to Nokia’s long-standing leadership in cellular standards development. Our experts hold more than 100 board memberships and other senior positions in key standardization bodies for Nokia. In 2024, around 70% of our contributions to 3GPP standards were approved, demonstrating the high-quality solutions we provided to relevant technical problems of which many are protected by patents.

Advancements in video coding and multimedia

Nokia is a leader in the development of video technologies. Without these inventions it would not be possible to stream a High-Definition video or hold a video conference meeting. Over the past year, our researchers have contributed to the new edition of the versatile supplemental enhancement information (VSEI) standard, designed for use with H.265/HEVC and H.266/VVC video codecs, as well as to the explorations by the Joint Video Experts Team towards the next video coding standard, H.267. Last year we filed almost 150 video-related patent applications, more than half of which were related to the proposed H.267 core codec, with additional filings in fields such as the complementary VSEI standard, and MPEG video standards for e.g. video-based dynamic mesh coding (V-DMC). 

Introducing the IVAS codec

A great example of the real-life impact of Nokia’s innovation is the introduction of the 3GPP Immersive Voice and Audio Services (IVAS) codec. It enables consumers to experience 3D spatial sound in real-time, transforming traditional smartphone voice calls into an immersive auditory experience. In June last year, we put this new technology to test by making the world’s first immersive voice and audio call over a cellular network.

Teamwork drives innovation

The remarkable achievement of filing over 3,000 new patent applications in 2024 shows the collaborative spirit and dedication of our entire organization. At Nokia, we talk about “patenting that matters”. It means that each person and each task throughout the process of patenting concentrates on actions that are useful and add value. Each step in the patenting process, from initial ideas and rigorous research to thorough documentation, application filing and prosecution, has been meticulously executed by individuals who are passionate about pushing the boundaries of technology. 

So, on World IP Day, I would like to thank all Nokia inventors and patenting professionals for building the future of connectivity and multimedia.