The convergence of Extended Reality (XR), artificial intelligence (AI), and sixth-generation wireless networks (6G) is ushering in a new era of hyper-connectivity. No longer confined to futuristic whitepapers, these technologies are being actively shaped by the world’s leading innovators. In this next phase of digital transformation, the goal isn’t just to achieve faster networks. It is to build adaptive, intelligent systems that power immersive experiences, autonomous mobility, and smart industries.
Ericsson and SoftBank forge strategic collaboration for the next decade
In March 2025, Ericsson and SoftBank Corp. formalized a strategic partnership through a renewed memorandum of understanding (MoU) to co-develop “NextWave Tech” for the future of mobile networks. This collaboration builds on years of mutual engagement and reflects a shared strategy to transform lab-based innovations such as XR, edge computing, and AI-driven network automation into deployable technologies. Key focus areas include:
- Cloud RAN deployment
- Edge AI for ultra-low latency
- XR applications for enterprise and public sectors
- Centimeter wave (cmWave) /millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum trials
As the race toward 6G intensifies, partnerships between telecom operators and technology vendors are redefining what mobile networks can do. Together, Ericsson and Softbank are targeting breakthroughs in the future 6G ecosystem, with a clear vision for what mobile connectivity will look like by 2030.
Ericsson at the core of wireless innovation
Ericsson is no stranger to leading-edge telecom development. With a strong portfolio in standard-essential patents (SEPs) for 5G, and a key role in 3GPP standardization, it has helped shape global communication standards. The company brings deep expertise in 6G research, autonomous networks, and cloud-native core platforms. It is one of the driving forces behind the shift toward disaggregated, virtualized, and AI-managed networks, delivering the technical frameworks SoftBank will rely on to roll out cutting-edge services.
Also read: 2025 Parola Analytics IoT SEP Report: 5G, 2025 Parola Analytics IoT SEP Report: 3GPP
SoftBank evolving into a real-world innovation platform
SoftBank, for its part, contributes the deployment environment, service use cases, and commercial momentum. Known for its technology investments, SoftBank plays an important role in translating Ericsson’s network innovations into real-world solutions for enterprise customers, consumers, and industrial partners across Japan and potentially beyond. With a portfolio that spans autonomous vehicle platforms, immersive experience, and edge computing, SoftBank offers a practical testing ground for the applications 6G and XR technologies aim to support. Its ability to rapidly scale these use cases is critical to validating the advanced capabilities of AI-native, ultra-reliable, low-latency networks.
Toward an AI-centric network future
The collaboration between Ericsson and SoftBank builds on earlier efforts that shaped SoftBank’s shift toward more intelligent and flexible networks. From 2020 to 2024, SoftBank worked with KDDI to accelerate nationwide 5G deployment in Japan. In early 2024, it ran vRAN trials with NEC and VMware using digital twins, Open RAN, and Telco Cloud. This was followed by AI-RAN research with Nokia, focusing on 6G technologies like centimeter-wave spectrum and massive MIMO. That same year, SoftBank reduced its stake in Alibaba and later on increased investments in AI-focused firms such as Cybereason, signaling a shift to an AI-centric portfolio. These efforts support its work with Ericsson on Cloud RAN, XR, and 6G, in line with Japan’s Beyond 5G Promotion Strategy 2.0 and its push for an AI-driven future.
The Ericsson-Softbank partnership marks a clear shift toward scalable, AI-native infrastructure. Together, they are turning research into real-world systems that meet the technical demands of 6G.
Patents mapping Ericsson and SoftBank’s innovation path
Two patents highlight how this vision takes shape, focusing on communication reliability and AI-native RAN optimization.
An earlier collaboration with NEC describes SoftBank’s contribution to innovation deployment. In that initiative, the companies tackled the challenge of packet reliability in multipath communication environments, an issue that becomes more complex in 6G networks supporting XR and autonomous systems.
Adaptive system for enhanced communication reliability
In traditional multipath communication networks, data packets are often duplicated and transmitted over multiple independent lines to improve delivery reliability. While this increases the chances that a packet reaches its destination if one line fails, it proves ineffective when all lines experience poor conditions at the same time. In such cases, the inability to dynamically reroute packets results in significant packet loss, reduced reliability, and degraded overall communication performance.
U.S. Patent No. 10,666,502 introduces a communication apparatus that continuously monitors the state of multiple communication lines and selects the optimal paths for transmitting packets based on real-time conditions. The system involves two transmitting units that are connected to separate communication lines. A monitoring unit assesses the line conditions to determine whether the packet generation unit should duplicate the packets. Based on this evaluation, the control unit decides if the duplicates must be transmitted over one or both communication lines. These steps rely on real time data, which makes the system adaptive, and thus resulting in reduced packet loss and improved communication reliability.
The patent titled “Communication apparatus, communication system, communication method, and non-transitory computer readable medium” was filed on April 06, 2017 and granted on May 26, 2020. The inventors are Shigetaka Togo and Ryo Nishibori. Legal representation was provided by Sughrue Mion PLLC, with attorneys Alan Kasper, William Mandir, and Mark Boland et al. listed on the patent.
Such adaptive techniques are becoming increasingly vital in AI-integrated and edge computing networks, where system intelligence must respond dynamically to ever-changing conditions. This innovation directly supports SoftBank’s ongoing collaboration with Ericsson to develop AI-native architectures for immersive, high-throughput applications across Cloud RAN and next-generation 6G platforms. Since initiating their partnership in 2018, the two companies have co-developed AI-powered tools aimed at optimizing radio access networks in densely populated areas like Japan’s Tokai region. The following patent exemplifies how this early-stage collaboration has materialized into tangible technical solutions.
Automated community detection for optimized radio network design
Designing radio access networks (RAN) gets more complex as the number of cells and baseband units (BBUs) increases, such as in dense urban areas. The involvement of massive data combined with the considerations in signal quality, coverage overlaps, and interference makes it difficult to create efficient clusters of cells and BBUs. Traditional RAN design methods struggle to adapt in real time when faced with increased scaling demands, leading to compromised network performance, limited carrier aggregation, and increased operational costs.
To address the need for an automated and a more intelligent RAN design, U.S. Patent No. 11,432,166 introduces a graph-based method for detecting and grouping communities of cells and BBUs. The method involves turning cells and BBUs into nodes, then calculating how closely connected they are based on signal strength, overlaps in coverage, and interference.
The clustering of nodes into closely connected communities is powered by a machine learning algorithm called community detection. The algorithm is optimized to account for cell and BBU capacity limitations to prevent the overloading of network components. The resulting RAN configuration can support advanced features such as enhanced carrier aggregation. The automated nature of the method significantly contributes to the efficient design of intelligent RANs while also reducing operational costs.
The patent titled “Detecting community in radio access networks with a plurality of vertices” was filed on August 14, 2017 and granted on August 30, 2022. The inventors are Philipp Frank, Chin Lam Eng, Mitchell Ho, and Chee Wai Ng. Legal representation was provided by Coats & Bennett PLLC, with attorneys Larry Coats, David Bennett, and David Krasnow et al. listed on the patent.
A deeper look into Ericsson and SoftBank’s patent portfolios reveals how their priorities and innovations have evolved over the past decade, offering insight into where the network industry is heading next.
Ericsson and SoftBank: Patenting Activity
Ericsson’s patent trend reflects a classic 5G innovation cycle peaking from 2015 to 2018, filing its landmark 5G patent application in 2017, followed by a strategic narrowing of filings and longer lead times in emerging areas like AI, virtualization, and 6G. The rise in pending applications from 2020 onward shows the company is still actively filing, even if fewer patents are publicly visible yet. The apparent decline post-2019 is not necessarily a drop in innovation, but a result of longer grant timelines, unpublished applications, and shifting IP strategy. In the U.S., stricter criteria and added scrutiny for AI and emerging technology patents have also contributed to delayed approvals, ensuring that only high-quality, novel and technically significant applications are granted.
SoftBank’s patent trend reflects steady innovation with a recent shift toward AI-driven and next-generation network technologies. Unlike Ericsson’s surge in filings during the 5G buildup, SoftBank has maintained a consistent pace. The noticeable increase in pending applications beginning in 2022 is likely due to longer examination timelines and publication delays, which may also indicate a growing emphasis on AI and emerging technologies.
In its 2024 Integrated Report, SoftBank reported a significant increase in R&D spending for FY2023, rising to ¥60.4 billion from ¥56.1 billion the previous year, with a clear focus on AI, High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS), autonomous driving, and other frontier domains such as quantum, robotics, and digital twin technology. This aligns with the notable volume of pending patent applications in 2023, indicating a well-funded and active R&D pipeline.
In 2024, the company also concentrated on protecting its inventions domestically, with 84% of its granted patents filed in Japan, underscoring its strategic focus on the national market. However, as its collaboration with Ericsson deepens, particularly around AI-native networks and future 6G architectures, SoftBank’s innovation footprint may increasingly be reflected in joint filings across broader jurisdictions, hinting at a potential rebound in US and international patent activity.
Ericsson and SoftBank’s innovation footprints
The CPC heatmap highlights the complementary innovation focus of Ericsson and SoftBank. Within the top 20 most common CPC codes, Ericsson shows a strong concentration in core telecom domains, with over 30% of its patents tagged under H04W (wireless communication) and H04L (digital protocols), reflecting its deep expertise in mobile networks and radio technologies. It also maintains significant activity in H04B (transmission systems), reinforcing its role in developing the physical-layer technologies that underpin modern wireless infrastructure.
SoftBank, on the other hand, displays a broader and more application-driven footprint. More than 30% of its patents fall under G06F (electrical digital data processing), signaling a strong focus on computing, platforms, and service-enabling technologies. The company also registers notable activity in areas like robotics (B25J) and transport systems (B65G), supporting its strategic role in deployment and integration across diverse sectors.
Despite these differences, both companies show high activity in key enabling domains for next-generation networks, particularly in wireless communications, computing, and AI. This overlap reflects a shared commitment to building intelligent, AI-native infrastructure, where Ericsson delivers the network core and SoftBank brings in applied intelligence and service integration.
These distinctions are further reflected in the evolution of Ericsson’s patent portfolio over time, showing how its innovation priorities have shifted as network infrastructure becomes more intelligent, virtualized, and software-defined.
Tracing Early Signals of 6G and AI-Native Networks
Beyond volume and domain leadership, Ericsson’s CPC tagging trends over the past decade reveal how early the company began aligning its R&D toward next-generation technologies such as 6G, extended reality (XR), and AI-native network architectures.
As shown in the chart, the trend for QoS-based resource scheduling (H04W 72/1268) is closely parallel with the trend for beamforming technologies (H04B 7/0456). Ericsson has likely aligned a considerable number of its AI development efforts to address signal degradation and propagation limitations associated with mmWave and cmWave frequency bands. It is also notable that the patents related to service-level AI in wireless networks (H04W 4/70) has dipped significantly from 2016 to 2022, whereas machine learning (G06N 20/00) and learning methods such as neural networks (G06N 3/08) rose at some point during the same time period. Although these three involve AI, it shows Ericsson’s shift prioritization of integrating AI into the network (AI-native networking) over service-level AI.
While traditional mobility tags like movement-based handover (H04W 16/14) show a decline, Ericsson’s portfolio signals a strategic pivot toward more intelligent, adaptive network functions aligned with its collaboration with SoftBank. A steady rise in filings under satellite beam management (H04B 7/18513), covering dynamic control of satellite beam shape and coverage, reflects a focus on advanced beam control capabilities essential to 6G. Meanwhile, growth in cell selection techniques (H04W 40/22) points to advances in AI-driven connectivity orchestration. These shifts support the partnership’s shared vision of moving from AI-enabled services toward truly AI-native networks capable of autonomous infrastructure-level optimization.
The fluctuating yet persistent activity in input interface technologies (G06F 3/01) from 2016 suggests ongoing development in advanced human–machine interaction likely supporting Ericsson’s exploration of XR and VR applications, where intuitive, responsive input systems are essential.
This data-driven view complements Ericsson’s public positioning as a pioneer in AI-native networking and autonomous systems, and helps contextualize its partnership with SoftBank: not just as a business move, but as the next step in operationalizing years of technical groundwork.
Ericsson and SoftBank: Top Law Firms
In terms of legal representation, Ericsson’s U.S. patent portfolio is shaped by a consistent group of high-volume, telecom-focused law firms. Sage Patent Group, Murphy Bilak & Homiller, and Weisberg I.P Law, lead the list, with over 3,500 filings combined, reflecting a streamlined, centralized IP strategy aligned with Ericsson’s focus on wireless infrastructure and standards-essential technologies. Other key firms, including Coats & Bennett and Rothwell Figg further reinforce Ericsson’s long-term investment in telecommunications, electronics, and digital protocols.
SoftBank’s U.S. patenting activity is supported by a broader mix of law firms, consistent with its expansive role as a tech integrator and investor. Nixon & Vanderhye, P.C. dominates with nearly 950 filings, while firms like Pramudji Law Group, Gesmer Updegrove LLP, and Vierra Magen Marcus LLP (now merged with Pearl Cohen) handle filings across diverse domains such as AI, cloud services, and robotics. This spread of representation reflects SoftBank’s strategic IP approach, targeting enabling technologies for commercial deployment rather than core infrastructure. The firm diversity aligns with SoftBank’s innovation footprint, spanning autonomous mobility, digital twins, and applied AI, and supports its positioning as a key enabler of next-generation use cases in the AI-native and 6G-powered network landscape.
Industry impact, broader ecosystem, and 2030 outlook
Ericsson and SoftBank’s partnership is representative of a broader industry trend: deep, early-stage collaboration between telecom vendors and operators to jointly shape the fabric of future networks. Their combined patent portfolios and deployments reflect leadership not only in standardization and technical development but in commercial scaling and national-level infrastructure readiness.
Looking ahead to 2030, the SoftBank and Ericsson partnership may play a pivotal role in how Japan and other countries deploy the first generation of intelligent, autonomous networks. Whether supporting immersive XR in Tokyo, remote surgeries in Hokkaido, or autonomous vessels in the Pacific, their current efforts are shaping the infrastructure of a hyper-connected future.
