533 patents currently held
283 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.
1 more record may belong here and awaits a decision; it is not counted.
The next term ends in Nov 2026. from the record
Of the 283 now held by other companies, 202 name Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. as their current owner, and 81 more name another party. Each row says which.
Free plan: 3 watched companies. Pro: unlimited.
Alerts on its grants, lapses and transfers.
118
Ending by 2030
Nov 2026
Next term end
224
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 14, 2026 · includes USPTO assignment & status data published Nov 14, 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 Jul 2038 · High confidence
Also notable
Ends Aug 2032 · High confidence
Also notable
Ends Apr 2035 · High confidence
Perpendicular Magnetic Recording (PMR) Writer with One or More Spin Flipping Elements in the Gap
US 10,325,618
Cited by 112 later US patents, top 5% of utility patents granted in 2019 in our data. Protection runs to 2038.
Magnetic Recording Assisted by Spin Torque Oscillator with a Radio Frequency Current Bias
US 8,582,240
Cited by 155 later US patents, top 5% of utility patents granted in 2013 in our data, and renewed at 3 of 3 maintenance windows. Protection runs to 2032.
High Moment Side Shield Design for Area Density Improvement of Perpendicular Magnetic Recording (PMR) Writer
US 9,361,912
Cited by 84 later US patents, top 5% of utility patents granted in 2016 in our data, and renewed at every maintenance window due so far. Protection runs to 2035.
Formerly held, still cited
Notable
Ends Sep 2032 · High confidence
Cited by 230 later US patents, top 5% of utility patents granted in 2014 in our data, and renewed at 3 of 3 maintenance windows. Protection runs to 2032.
now held by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
Also notable
Ends Feb 2032 · High confidence
Cited by 152 later US patents, top 5% of utility patents granted in 2016 in our data, and renewed at every maintenance window due so far. Protection runs to 2032.
now held by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
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 19 to 26, 2026 · next Nov 19
- 9 fees due Dec 4 to 30, 2026 · next Dec 4
- 9 fees due Jan 2 to 30, 2027 · next Jan 2
- 2 fees due Feb 1 to 11, 2027 · next Feb 1
- 5 fees due Mar 1 to 29, 2027 · next Mar 1
- 5 fees due Apr 6 to 30, 2027 · next Apr 6
- 6 fees due May 17 to 26, 2027 · next May 17
- 8 fees due Jun 8 to 30, 2027 · next Jun 8
- 8 fees due Jul 5 to 30, 2027 · next Jul 5
- 5 fees due Aug 2 to 18, 2027 · next Aug 2
- 7 fees due Sep 1 to 29, 2027 · next Sep 1
- 3 fees due Oct 21 to 30, 2027 · next Oct 21
- 5 fees due Nov 3 to 10, 2027 · next Nov 3
Recent changes
- 9 of the patents on this record were granted since Aug 16, 2026
- 8 terms have ended since Aug 16, 2026
What they patent
The 5 largest of its 224 families, grouped by real patent family and labeled by the earliest filing in each. No technology classification is inferred from titles.
| Plasmon Antenna with Magnetic Core for Thermally Assisted Magnetic Recording | 40 in force | to Dec 2032 |
| High Damping Shield with Low Magnetic Moment in Perpendicular Magnetic Recording (PMR) Writer | 35 in force | to Nov 2041 |
| Paddle for Electroplating for Selectively Depositing Greater Thickness | 30 in force | to Jan 2034 |
| Perpendicular Magnetic Recording (PMR) Writer with Narrow High Moment Trailing Shield | 27 in force | to Nov 2040 |
| Low Resistance Tunneling Magnetoresistive Sensor with Composite Inner Pinned Layer | 25 in force | to Jun 2032 |
Patents held now
Soonest term end first.
| Patent | Title | Status | Expires | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US 7,375,925 | Magnetic Head for Perpendicular Magnetic Recording and Method of Manufacturing Same In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,742,261 | Tunneling Magneto-Resistive Spin Valve Sensor with Novel Composite Free Layer In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,468,863 | Thin-Film Magnetic Head Structure Adapted to Manufacture a Thin-Film Head Having a Base Magnetic Pole Part a Yoke Magnetic Pole Part and an Intervening Insulative Film In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,609,479 | Magnetic Head for Perpendicular Magnetic Recording and Method of Manufacturing Same In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,508,629 | Magnetic Head for Perpendicular Magnetic Recording That Has a Structure to Suppress Protrusion of an End Portion of a Shield Layer Resulting from Heat Generated by a Coil, and Method of Manufacturing Same In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,483,295 | MTJ Sensor Including Domain Stable Free Layer In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,394,247 | Magnetic Field Angle Sensor with GMR or MTJ Elements In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,476,954 | TMR Device with HF Based Seed Layer In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,780,820 | Low Resistance Tunneling Magnetoresistive Sensor with Natural Oxidized Double Mgo Barrier In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 8,477,462 | CPP Device with Improved Current Confining Structure and Process In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence |
Also on record, not counted in the 533: 283 patents in force now held by others · 360 patents ended · 36 applications pending · 45 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.