A patent landscape analysis of thermoelectric generators
Investigation into the worldwide patenting activity for thermoelectric generators.
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Thermoelectric generators exploit the Seebeck effect, according to which electricity is generated from a temperature difference between opposite segments of a conducting material typically having a columnar grid structure. Thermoelectric generators are used in energy harvesting applications, autonomous electronics including wearable devices and various sensor systems, as well as in energy recovery and generation with applications ranging from steel works to interplanetary space missions.
This report was commissioned by the Knowledge Transfer Network and produced by the Informatics team of the Intellectual Property Office. It provides a review of patent data relating to thermoelectric generators, both in the UK and worldwide.