Agricultural Patent Trends: The Impact of IT and Robotics on the Wine Industry

Patent landscape analysis offers valuable insight into agricultural machinery innovation, including helping us to predict the future role of technology. Here, we share the results of our research into agricultural patent trends in the wine industry, including the key innovators in the domain, new entrants, and the innovations that are fostering more sustainable and efficient viticulture. 

• Methodology 

To map the key players driving agricultural machinery innovation for vineyard cultivation, we analyzed patents describing technical solutions related to soil preparation in agriculture, agricultural machinery, planting, seeding, harvesting, as well as machines for processing products and storage systems. Specifically, we focused on patents classified under the International Patent Classification (IPC) or Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) categories A01B, A01C, A01D, and A01F that reference applications in viticulture. To provide a comprehensive overview and track innovation trends over time (emerging players, pioneers, and historical actors), we limited the study to patents filed over the last 20 years. 

In our preliminary analysis, we segmented the database based on the priority patent country for each patent family. This type of segmentation helps identify the most active countries in innovation, as companies or academic institutions tend to file their priority patents primarily in their home country. 

Figure 1: Distribution of Patent Families by Country of Priority and Extension Level (Non-Extended: Single Patent Family, Extended: Includes Foreign Filings)  

While China stands out as the undisputed leader in the number of patent family filings, Chinese applicants rarely extend their inventions internationally—less than 1% of Chinese inventions are extended abroad, a figure even lower than the national average across all fields (2%). Similarly, actors from South Korea (5% extension ratio), Russia (0%), Turkey (7%), and India (0%) also strongly favor local protection over international extensions. 

In contrast, French applicants (ranking second in filing volume behind China), as well as U.S. (4th) and German (5th) applicants, actively pursue international protection. French actors show an international extension ratio of 58%, and U.S. actors, 51%, significantly exceeding the average cross-sector extension ratio of 45%. This highlights that this sector is particularly export-driven for these industries. 

The countries most covered by the majority of industrial players are in Europe (primarily France, Spain, and Germany) and the United States. Some companies, such as PELLENC, CNH, and DEERE, are particularly international in scope and are proactive in significantly expanding their patent portfolios across various regions. 

• Yearly Filings 

To gain a comprehensive overview of innovation within a technical field, it is insightful to examine the annual number of patent filings in that area. The following chart illustrates the yearly volume of inventions filed, based on the priority date of the invention—representing the first patent application in the family. By comparing the evolution of patent filings in a specific field with the global trend in patent activity, it becomes possible to assess the dynamism and innovation intensity within that domain. This analysis helps identify whether a field is experiencing rapid growth, stagnation, or decline relative to overall technological progress. 

Figure 2: Trends Over Time in Patent Family Filings 

The global trend in patent filings appears to surge dramatically between 2011 and 2017, before stabilizing at around 300 to 350 filings per year. This phenomenon is primarily driven by Chinese applicants, who file extensively but do not seek international protection (patents with a priority in China that have not been extended internationally are highlighted in red on the graph above). Analyzing the maintenance ratio of these patents reveals a sharp drop to less than 15% for patents older than seven years. This low maintenance ratio is typically indicative of incremental inventions with a modest level of inventiveness. 

Focusing exclusively on the blue segment of the graph—which includes Chinese patent families extended internationally as well as all other patent families filed in this field—we observe a relatively stable filing trend over 20 years, with approximately 50 inventions registered annually. 

• Leading Filers 

The following graph illustrates the top 20 patent portfolios in the field of agricultural machinery dedicated to viticulture. This visualization provides a detailed overview of the leading innovators in this sector. 

Figure 3: Top 20 Patent Portfolios

These inventions are mainly filed by Chinese universities and research institutions. While these universities and institutes file many patent families, they do not seek to extend the protection of their innovations outside China. Only the Jiangsu University is an exception to this rule, with a few families with protection outside China. 

Companies like PELLENC, CNH INDUSTRIAL, AND EXEL INDUSTRIES play a significant role in advancing cutting-edge agricultural technologies. The companies DEER, BRAUN MASCHINENBAU, AGCO INTERNATIONAL also appear in the top 10 of industrial applicants. These organizations prioritize research and development to drive progress in agricultural science and technology. 

Out of the 3,500 patent families analyzed, we observed only three oppositions. This highlights a sector characterized by a very low level of intellectual property (IP) disputes or aggression. The players in this field appear to be relatively hesitant or unwilling to initiate IP-related actions.

In this section, we will analyze the filing trends of major applicants and explore emerging companies in the field with few or no patents to date. We'll focus on identifying innovation patterns, understanding strategic shifts among key players, and uncovering the core technologies driving the sector forward. 

• Major Applicants 

The graph below illustrates the maturity level and the impact of their patent portfolios of the 15 companies with the largest patent portfolios in the area.  

The horizontal axis represents the ‘Patent family velocity’ and reflects the recent filing activity (number of families whose first application date is within the last five years, divided by five): The further to the right a company appears on the above graph, the more active the company is currently considered in the field.  

The vertical axis shows the family average value of the company. The value of a patent family is calculated based on the coverage and technological impact of each family: The higher a company is on the above graph, the more valuable (on average) the patent family of the company.  

The size of the circle is proportional to the number of patent families alive in the patent portfolio.  

Figure 4: Company Patent Mapping 

This chart complements the volumetric analysis of the number of patent families by actor and provides insights into the dynamics and strategic profiles of intellectual property (IP) activities in the field. 

• CNH, AGCO, and EXEL INDUSTRIES emerge as the most active players in terms of recent patent filings in the domain. Although the average value of their patent families is still relatively low, this metric is subject to change over time. Monitoring these players in the long term and analyzing their patent portfolios could reveal interesting trends and developments in their strategies.
• ETABLISSEMENTS COLLARD stands out on the chart as a key player in its field, despite having a relatively small patent portfolio. What makes it notable is the high average value of its patent families, which surpasses that of other players.
• PELLENC, while showing moderate activity in recent filings, is highlighted as a historically innovative player. It boasts the largest patent portfolio in the field and maintains a consistently high level of quality, reinforcing its position as a leader.
• BUCHER VALSIN, BRAUN MACHINENBAU, CLASS and DEER are historical actors in the field but do not appear very dynamic in term of patent filing and protecting innovation (small portfolio / low velocity)
• CLEMENS, ERO and KUBOTA appear to be newcomers in terms of patent filing in the domain. Though their portfolios are still modest in size, they show promising quality, positioning them as potential rising players in the field. 

• Start-up and emerging players 

In this section, we have closely examined recently filed patent families and innovative start-ups within the field to gain a better understanding of the technologies actively entering the agricultural machinery market in the viticulture sector. While we have aimed for accuracy, it is important to note that this analysis is not exhaustive. We've listed the companies in alphabetical order. 

• ADROIT ROBOTICS (founded in 2016): Brazilian company specializing in robotics and artificial intelligence solutions for agricultural applications. They develop automated systems capable of collecting and analyzing real-time data to improve crop yields and optimize resource use.
• AEROBOTICS (founded in 2014): South African agrotechnology firm founded in 2014, this company offers an intelligent platform for monitoring orchards and vineyards.
• AGROFLY (founded in 2017): Based in Switzerland, this company is renowned for its agricultural drones that provide innovative solutions for pesticide application. These drones enhance treatment precision while reducing environmental impact.
• BLISS ECOSPRAY (founded in 2021): French company developing face-by-face aero confined spray technology. The technology originates from INRAE (French Institute for Agronomic Research) laboratories (US11882822, USD950428).
• CHOUETTE (founded in 2015): French innovative start-up that specializes in the analysis of vineyard parcel. They signed a partnership with the company Kubota.
• OPTI HARVEST (founded in 2016): An innovative U.S. startup specializing in sustainable agriculture. This company develops technologies that enhance sunlight efficiency in agricultural practices, boosting yields while conserving natural resources.
• SABI AGRI (founded in 2017): French company developing tractor designed for soil management and vineyard maintenance (EP3601015) equipped with a solar-panel roof.
• TEVEL ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES (founded in 2016): An Israeli company pioneering flying agricultural robots for fruit harvesting. Their robots utilize AI and sensors to optimize harvests, cut labor costs, and minimize waste.
• TRIC ROBOTICS (founded in 2017): A U.S.-based startup specializing in sustainable agriculture. This company develops autonomous robots that replace pesticides with eco-friendly alternatives, such as UV treatments, for crop care.
• UV BOOSTING (founded in 2017): French start-up developing and producing rop protection system based on proprietary technology.
• VITI-TUNNEL (founded in 2016): French company that provides retractable tunnel device for vines to protect against rain, hail, frost and weather damage. 

Innovation in agricultural machinery for viticulture remains strong and shows no signs of slowing down. As shown in this report, global trends in this field, driven by both established industry leaders and emerging companies, suggest that the pursuit of more sustainable and efficient viticulture is the key driver of innovation. This is reflected in developments such as the electrification and automation of machinery, vineyard mapping technologies, and equipment designed to reduce the use of phytosanitary products. The wealth of new ideas and promising advancements highlights the dynamic nature of this sector. Given its rapid evolution, closely monitoring patent activity can provide valuable insights into emerging solutions and breakthrough innovations. 

Patent landscape analysis can provide valuable insights into research and innovation trends and markets, as we hope this analysis of agricultural patent trends in viticulture illustrates. For further details on patent activity in this sector or for specific advice or support on any other topic, contact the Questel IP Consulting team.