1,896 patents currently held
27 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.
2 more records may belong here and await a decision; they are not counted.
The next term ends in Nov 2026. from the record
Free plan: 3 watched companies. Pro: unlimited.
Alerts on its grants, lapses and transfers.
406
Ending by 2030
Nov 2026
Next term end
1,535
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 Jan 2030 · High confidence
Also notable
Ends Feb 2031 · High confidence
Also notable
Ends Jul 2038 · High confidence
Wireless game controllers
US 8,870,655
Cited by 206 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 2030.
Game System, Controller Device and Game Method
US 8,961,305
Cited by 165 later US patents, top 5% of utility patents granted in 2015 in our data, and renewed at every maintenance window due so far. Protection runs to 2031.
Information Processing System, Information Processing Device, Controller Device and Accessory
US 10,583,356
Cited by 67 later US patents, top 5% of utility patents granted in 2020 in our data. Protection runs to 2038.
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 30, 2026
- 22 fees due Dec 2 to 30, 2026 · next Dec 2
- 40 fees due Jan 2 to 28, 2027 · next Jan 2
- 25 fees due Feb 1 to 28, 2027 · next Feb 1
- 26 fees due Mar 1 to 29, 2027 · next Mar 1
- 37 fees due Apr 1 to 29, 2027 · next Apr 1
- 25 fees due May 3 to 28, 2027 · next May 3
- 33 fees due Jun 1 to 30, 2027 · next Jun 1
- 25 fees due Jul 5 to 28, 2027 · next Jul 5
- 33 fees due Aug 2 to 27, 2027 · next Aug 2
- 46 fees due Sep 1 to 30, 2027 · next Sep 1
- 27 fees due Oct 2 to 28, 2027 · next Oct 2
- 15 fees due Nov 3 to 12, 2027 · next Nov 3
Recent changes
- Nov 10Assignment recorded on 1 record: Oiwa, Ryota and 1 other to Nintendo Co., Ltd. Recorded Nov 10, 2026, executed Oct 14, 2026. Conveyance as recorded: Assignment of Assignor's Interest. A recorded assignment is a filed document, not a statement of current ownership. Reel 76697, frame 235.
- Nov 3Assignment recorded on 1 record: Oiwa, Ryota and 3 others to Nintendo Co., Ltd. Recorded Nov 3, 2026, executed Oct 16, 2026. Conveyance as recorded: Assignment of Assignor's Interest. A recorded assignment is a filed document, not a statement of current ownership. Reel 76617, frame 264.
- 34 of the patents on this record were granted since Aug 17, 2026
- 34 terms have ended since Aug 17, 2026
What they patent
The 5 largest of its 1,535 families, grouped by real patent family and labeled by the earliest filing in each. No technology classification is inferred from titles.
| Game Data Control Program, Game Data Overwriting Program and Game Data Overwriting Device | 19 in force | to Jun 2036 |
| Storage Medium Having Stored Therein Information Processing Program, Information Processing Apparatus, Information Processing System, and Information Processing Method | 15 in force | to May 2044 |
| Cartridge | 12 in force | to Aug 2041 |
| Controller for Computer | 11 in force | to May 2039 |
| Information Processing System, Non-Transitory Computer-Readable Storage Medium, Information Processing Apparatus, and Information Processing Method | 8 in force | to Mar 2036 |
Patents held now
Soonest term end first.
| Patent | Title | Status | Expires | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US 7,491,879 | Storage Medium Having Music Playing Program Stored Therein and Music Playing Apparatus Therefor In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US D671,488 | Power Adapter In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 9,839,850 | Communication Game System, Game Apparatus, Server, Storage Medium Storing a Program, and Game Control Method In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,731,591 | Game Apparatus and Backup Writing Control Method In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,420,594 | Image Processing Apparatus with Image Sensing Capability and Storage Medium Storing an Image Processing Program In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,535,460 | Method and Apparatus for Identifying a Graphic Shape In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,641,551 | Game Program and Game Apparatus Using Input to Pointing Device In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,656,407 | Image Processing Program and Image Processing Apparatus In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US D673,961 | Openable Stand for Portable Electronic Computer In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 9,436,364 | Enhanced Virtual Suction Tool In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence |
Also on record, not counted in the 1,896: 27 patents in force now held by others · 474 patents ended · 362 applications pending · 260 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.