[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics is focusing on expanding its patent holdings in the United States, industry sources said on April 13.

The company held 119,337 patents around the globe as of end-2017, with the US accounting for 46,150, followed by South Korea with 24,860 and Europe with 10,509. It had 11,005 and 7,086 patents in China and Japan, respectively, data showed.

Industry watchers said it was also significant that Samsung got 6,072 patents in the US last year and maintains its status as the second-largest holder of patents in the North American country for the 12th consecutive year following Intel.

The number of Samsung’s patents in the key North American country also marked a twofold spike compared with 2009, when the company held 22,513 cases.

Samsung said it is expanding the number of patents in the US to effectively cope with potential technology disputes. It invested 16.8 trillion won (US$15.60 billion) in research and development projects in 2017, winning 5,394 patents at home, along with 14,279 from abroad.

By Song Seung-hyun and newswires (ssh@heraldcorp.com)