2 patents currently held
50 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 Feb 2034. from the record
Of the 50 now held by other companies, 50 name Onto Innovation Inc. as their current owner. Each row says so.
Free plan: 3 watched companies. Pro: unlimited.
Alerts on its grants, lapses and transfers.
0
Ending by 2030
Feb 2034
Next term end
2
Patent families
When these terms end
Held patents by the year their term ends
notable patents
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.
Notable patents
Ranked by citations and family size, against patents of the same kind granted the same year. How we rank
Only 2 of the currently held patents qualify as notable.
Notable
Ends Feb 2034 · High confidence
Also notable
Ends Mar 2038 · High confidence
Optical Acoustic Substrate Assessment System and Method
US 9,576,862
The most cited patent in this portfolio, cited by 25 later US patents, top 25% of utility patents granted in 2017 in our data. Protection runs to 2034.
Semiconductor Device Inspection of Metallic Discontinuities
US 10,466,179
Granted 2019. Computed term ends 2038.
Formerly held, still cited
Notable
Ends Oct 2028 · High confidence
Cited by 40 later US patents, top 25% of utility patents granted in 2012 in our data, and renewed at 3 of 3 maintenance windows. Protection runs to 2028.
now held by Onto Innovation Inc.
Also notable
Ends Jun 2029 · High confidence
Cited by 30 later US patents, top 25% of utility patents granted in 2014 in our data, and renewed at 3 of 3 maintenance windows. Protection runs to 2029.
now held by Onto Innovation Inc.
Also notable
Ends Sep 2031 · High confidence
Granted 2017 and renewed at every maintenance window due so far. Protection runs to 2031.
now held by Onto Innovation Inc.
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.
- 1 fee due May 5, 2027The maintenance fee for Semiconductor Device Inspection of Metallic Discontinuities (US 10,466,179) comes due May 5, 2027. Unpaid by Nov 5, 2027, it lapses early.
Recent changes
- 4 terms have ended since Aug 17, 2026
What they patent
The 1 largest of its 2 families, grouped by real patent family and labeled by the earliest filing in each. No technology classification is inferred from titles.
| Optical Acoustic Substrate Assessment System and Method | 1 in force | to Feb 2034 |
Patents held now
Soonest term end first.
Showing 1 to 2 of 2
| Patent | Title | Status | Expires | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US 9,576,862 | Optical Acoustic Substrate Assessment System and Method In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 10,466,179 | Semiconductor Device Inspection of Metallic Discontinuities In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence |
Also on record, not counted in the 2: 50 patents in force now held by others · 67 patents ended · 24 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.
Computed patent terms end on the dates shown. Related patents and pending applications may cover overlapping subject matter.
4 terminal disclaimers are on file with no resolved reference. No cap is applied and none is guessed