The record carries a change of name to this company from Alps Electric Co., Ltd., 921 recordings between Jan 31, 2019 and May 4, 2020. That name keeps its own page for the records filed under it.
1,002 patents currently held
49 more in force are now held by other companies
Held is read from USPTO's recorded assignments; a transfer never recorded there does not appear.
The next term ends in Nov 2026. from the record
Free plan: 3 watched companies. Pro: unlimited.
Alerts on its grants, lapses and transfers.
101
Ending by 2030
Nov 2026
Next term end
780
Patent families
When these terms end
Held patents by the year their term ends
notable patents
fee due within 90 days
all others
Updated Nov 15, 2026 · includes USPTO assignment & status data published Nov 15, 2026 and grant & fee data published Nov 10, 2026 (weekly) · how we know
Notable: the highest-ranked patents in this portfolio by citations and family size. Fee due within 90 days: a maintenance fee is due within 90 days of when this page was computed and not yet paid.
Notable patents
Ranked by citations and family size, against patents of the same kind granted the same year. How we rank
Notable
Ends Nov 2040 · High confidence
Also notable
Ends Feb 2038 · High confidence
Also notable
Ends Feb 2042 · High confidence
Vibration Generator with Elastic Member with Extending Regions and Bending Metal Plate to Support the Vibrator
US 11,626,786
Cited by 15 later US patents, top 5% of utility patents granted in 2023 in our data. Protection runs to 2040.
Vibration Generating Device
US 10,847,296
A family of 71 related applications built on the 2020 grant. Protection runs to 2038.
Switching Device
US 11,574,782
A family of 71 related applications built on the 2023 grant. Protection runs to 2042.
Fee deadlines
Maintenance fees fall due 3.5, 7.5 and 11.5 years after grant. A missed fee ends a patent at the end of the six month grace period that follows, not on the due date.
- 3 fees due Nov 26 to 28, 2026 · next Nov 26
- 11 fees due Dec 2 to 30, 2026 · next Dec 2
- 15 fees due Jan 2 to 30, 2027 · next Jan 2
- 10 fees due Feb 8 to 28, 2027 · next Feb 8
- 22 fees due Mar 3 to 29, 2027 · next Mar 3
- 13 fees due Apr 1 to 30, 2027 · next Apr 1
- 10 fees due May 3 to 28, 2027 · next May 3
- 16 fees due Jun 1 to 26, 2027 · next Jun 1
- 13 fees due Jul 2 to 30, 2027 · next Jul 2
- 10 fees due Aug 2 to 20, 2027 · next Aug 2
- 12 fees due Sep 5 to 26, 2027 · next Sep 5
- 15 fees due Oct 2 to 30, 2027 · next Oct 2
- 15 fees due Nov 7 to 14, 2027 · next Nov 7
Recent changes
- Oct 15Assignment recorded on 1 record: Alps Alpine Europe GmbH to Alps Alpine Co., Ltd. Recorded Oct 15, 2026, executed Aug 3, 2026. Conveyance as recorded: Assignment of Assignor's Interest. A recorded assignment is a filed document, not a statement of current ownership. Reel 76392, frame 717.
- Oct 1Assignment recorded on 1 record: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd. to The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. Recorded Oct 1, 2026, executed Sep 8, 2026. Conveyance as recorded: Assignment of Assignor's Interest. A recorded assignment is a filed document, not a statement of current ownership. Reel 76625, frame 347.
- 45 of the patents on this record were granted since Aug 17, 2026
- 3 terms have ended since Aug 17, 2026
What they patent
The 5 largest of its 780 families, grouped by real patent family and labeled by the earliest filing in each. No technology classification is inferred from titles.
| Operation Input Device | 45 in force | to Mar 2044 |
| Electrostatic Input Device | 37 in force | to Sep 2044 |
| Push Switch | 37 in force | to Jan 2043 |
| Thermal Printer | 36 in force | to Dec 2041 |
| Antenna Device | 28 in force | to Oct 2038 |
Patents held now
Soonest term end first.
| Patent | Title | Status | Expires | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US 7,579,747 | Electrostatic Actuator In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,381,912 | Switch Device and Steering Switch Device Using the Same In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,462,788 | Switch Device In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,405,560 | GMR Angle Sensor for Vehicles In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,397,006 | Operation Mechanism for Electric Apparatus In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 8,054,588 | Tunneling Magnetoresistive Element Including Multilayer Free Magnetic Layer Having Inserted Nonmagnetic Metal Sublayer In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,288,934 | Electronic Device Incorporating Magnetoresistive Elements for Sensing Both N and S Magnetic Poles In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,345,477 | Magnetic Detection Device Including Resistance Adjusting Unit In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,402,998 | Magnetic Detection Device Including Circuit Capable of Switching Over Output Mode of N Pole and S Pole Between Non-Separated One Output and Separated Two Outputs In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,414,393 | Magnetic Detection Device Including Circuit Switching and Processing Input of Two Bridge Circuits In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence |
Also on record, not counted in the 1,002: 49 patents in force now held by others · 469 patents ended · 290 applications pending · 86 applications abandoned. List them
Sources and methods
Compiled from USPTO application file histories, grants and recorded assignments, with the company's own names reviewed by hand. How this record was built
Portfolio grouped automatically from ownership conveyances to the names matched to this company, usually every name that begins with its own, so it counts patents an affiliate holds; each list row names the holder of record. Security interests are excluded and ambiguous records are not reviewed by hand.
Fee due within 90 days marks a patent with a maintenance fee due within 90 days of the date this page was computed and not yet recorded paid, so it can end earlier than the bar shows. A fee left unpaid ends the patent at the close of the six month grace period that follows its due date, not on the due date itself. It is not a prediction that the fee will be missed.
Computed patent terms end on the dates shown. Related patents and pending applications may cover overlapping subject matter.