As the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to expand, the role of Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) has become increasingly important, particularly those declared under IEEE’s Wi-Fi standard (802.11 ).
In this article, we take a closer look at SEP declaration activity related to Wi-Fi technologies, based on available data from WIPO’s Patentscope database and supplemental sources such as IEEE 802.11 amendments. The findings reveal key trends in Wi-Fi-related SEPs and highlight which companies are emerging as leaders, especially in relation to the next-generation Wi-Fi 7 standard.
Wi-Fi SEP Declarations
The first dataset we analyzed is from WIPO’s Patentscope, which recently integrated SEP declaration data into its database. The declarations are drawn from patents and patent applications listed in Letters of Assurance (LOAs) submitted by patent holders to IEEE. However, it is important to note that many of these LOAs contain blanket declarations, statements that certain patent holders may hold SEPs, but without listing the specific patent numbers. Because of this, the available data is incomplete and may not reflect the full extent of SEP activity under IEEE.
From the available data, Nokia stands out as the top declarant of SEPs related to the 802.11 standard. Normalizing data from Patentscope, Nokia appears as the leader and has declared 91 SEP families, covering 95 individual patent publications. This places the company at the forefront of Wi-Fi SEP declarations based solely on the data that has been publicly recorded so far.
Wi-Fi 7 has the most SEP declarations to date
When we mapped the publication years of patents declared essential to Wi-Fi, we observed a spike in 2021, the most notable in recent years. A closer analysis revealed that the majority of the patents published in that year, approximately 76%, were declared essential to the Wi-Fi 7 standard, also known as IEEE 802.11be. This increase aligns with the impending rollout of Wi-Fi 7. The Wi-Fi Alliance officially launched Wi-Fi 7 in January 2024.
Who’s leading in Wi-Fi 7 SEPs?
To better understand the landscape of Wi-Fi SEP declarations, we conducted a manual review of the IEEE 802.11 amendment documents, which compile Letters of Assurance submitted by SEP holders. This process allowed us to tally the number of patents and patent applications declared essential to each version of the 802.11 standard.
While these declarations offer insight into which companies are actively asserting SEP positions, they do not necessarily reflect a commitment to license under FRAND terms—especially in light of the high rate of negative assurances in recent years. From this review, Huawei and Qualcomm emerged as leading contributors of declared SEPs for 802.11 standards, particularly for Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be).
It is important to note that while Huawei has specified 218 patents and patent applications essential to different Wi-Fi standards, all these were included in a negative LOA. This goes also for the patents and patent applications specified by Qualcomm. Among the companies that have submitted LOAs (negative or otherwise) specific to Wi-Fi 7, a wide range of global players are represented: Apple, Samsung, Intel, MediaTek, Ericsson, Huawei, Qualcomm, and many others. Huawei and Qualcomm once again lead this group, reinforcing their position in the Wi-Fi 7 SEP landscape.
Download: 2025 Parola Analytics IoT SEP Report: IEEE
However, despite the number of LOAs submitted, only a small group of companies, six as of this writing, have actually identified specific patents as essential to 802.11be.
Download: 2025 Parola Analytics IoT SEP Report: IEEE
What are negative LOAs?
Following IEEE’s 2015 IPR policy changes which redefined “reasonable rates” and restricted the use of injunctive relief, there was a significant increase in negative Letters of Assurance (LOAs), where patent holders declined to commit to FRAND licensing terms.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, from January 2016 to June 2019, 77% of all Wi-Fi LOAs submitted to IEEE were negative assurances.
This reflects growing hesitancy among contributors to license under the updated terms. While our review of the IEEE 802.11 amendment documents provides a broader and more current picture of SEP declarations, including different leading players and patent counts not captured in WIPO’s Patentscope, these declarations do not guarantee that all contributors have committed to FRAND licensing.
2025 Parola Analytics IoT SEP Report: IEEE
This analysis is part of our wider IoT SEP Landscape Report: IEEE, which takes a comprehensive look at SEP activity under IEEE standards powering IoT (See 2025 Parola Analytics IoT SEP Report: 3GPP)
A broader view of IEEE SEP Landscape for IoT
To help address the limitations of incomplete or blanket declarations, our report includes a broader dataset of potentially essential patents, regardless of whether they have been formally declared. This approach allows for a broader view of innovation across critical IoT standards and supports further exploration into SEP trends, licensing considerations, and policy implications.
To learn more, download the full 2025 Parola Analytics IoT SEP Report: IEEE and explore the data behind the technologies shaping the future of connected devices.
