Figure 1: Smart Home Appliance Patent by Sector (Source: MIC, August 2016)

Of the 1,702 smart home appliance patents applied to USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) during January 1, 2005 and April 12, 2016, 52.0% were used in Electrical Engineering, 27.0% in Instruments, 8.5% in Mechanical Engineering, 3.4% in Chemistry, and 9.1% in Other Fields, according to a research report published by MIC (Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute).