Company patents

VMware, Inc.

VMWARE, INC.'s patent strategy shows a surprising and dramatic decline across its entire portfolio, with all listed categories experiencing significant year-over-year drops in patent filings since 2023. For instance, its core area, Operating Systems & Program Control (43.2% of portfolio), saw a -84.9% decline in 2025, while Network Management & Monitoring, Network Security & Access Control, and Web & Cloud Service Protocols, among others, have seen filings drop by over 90% in 2025, and zero or near-zero filings so far in 2026, indicating a profound shift away from new patent generation across its traditional strengths.

Patent Trend by Technology Area

Yearly patent publications since 2023

Product themes

Product-level themes inferred from filings since 2023, with category chips showing where each theme appears. Select a theme to filter the patents below.

1,989 US filings (since 2023) · 12 categories · 46 themes

Virtualization & Secure Remote Access

Technologies enabling the creation and management of virtual computing environments, including virtual machines and virtual desktops, with an emphasis on secure and efficient remote access, updates, and performance.

Operating Systems & Program Control
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785since 2023
-88.0%YoY
Automated Network Provisioning

Systems and methods for automatically deploying, configuring, and updating network devices and services, including software updates, client onboarding, and topology management across various network types.

Network Management & Monitoring
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543since 2023
-89.5%YoY
Distributed Cloud/Edge Processing

Techniques for distributing computational tasks, data storage, and service logic across cloud data centers, edge devices, and user equipment to improve performance, resilience, or resource utilization. This includes architectures for split rendering, decentralized ledgers, and microservices.

Web & Cloud Service Protocols
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384since 2023
-83.3%YoY
Edge and Cloud Network Orchestration

Managing and optimizing network resources and services deployed at the edge of the network or within cloud environments, including distributed domain name resolution, resource exposure analysis, and traffic management specific to distributed architectures.

Routing, Switching & QoS
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331since 2023
-87.8%YoY
Network Data Management

Systems and methods for collecting, processing, and ensuring the quality and consistency of data used for network monitoring, asset management, and operational decision-making, including conflict detection and reliability scoring.

Network Management & Monitoring
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144since 2023
-90.0%YoY
System Resource & Power Optimization

Methods and systems for efficiently allocating computing resources, balancing workloads, and managing power states to improve performance, reduce energy consumption, or enhance reliability in computing platforms.

Operating Systems & Program Control
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141since 2023
-69.4%YoY
Network Operations, Reliability & Traffic

Techniques and systems designed to monitor network health, diagnose issues, optimize traffic flow, and ensure continuous operation and reduced downtime in complex network environments, including cloud and storage area networks.

Network Management & MonitoringRouting, Switching & QoSWeb & Cloud Service Protocols
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122since 2023
n/a
Remote Software/Firmware Updates

Systems and methods for securely and reliably delivering, installing, and managing software or firmware updates to distributed or embedded devices, often considering network conditions, resource constraints, or storage repartitioning.

Software Development & Compilers
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115since 2023
-92.9%YoY
Memory System Performance & Reliability

Hardware and control techniques for optimizing memory access latency, ensuring data integrity, and managing storage resources efficiently. This includes error correction, read/write voltage control, and intelligent data placement or in-memory computation.

Computer Hardware Architecture
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114since 2023
-82.6%YoY
Cloud-Native & Microservice Management

Technologies for deploying, managing, and governing applications and services in cloud environments, particularly focusing on containerization, microservice architectures, API gateways, and distributed data management.

Operating Systems & Program Control
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112since 2023
-75.0%YoY
Access Control & Identity Management

Systems and methods for authenticating users, devices, or applications, authorizing their access to resources based on policies, and managing digital identities across various platforms.

Network Security & Access ControlComputer SecurityWeb & Cloud Service Protocols
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104since 2023
n/a
Hardware Network Acceleration

Utilizing specialized hardware components such as network processing units (NPUs) or dedicated acceleration circuits to offload and speed up network packet processing, traffic generation, or time-sensitive network operations.

Network Management & Monitoring
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98since 2023
-73.7%YoY
Network Traffic Management & QoS

Techniques and systems for optimizing network traffic flow, distributing loads across multiple paths or resources, and ensuring quality of service based on various criteria like application type, latency, or resource availability. This includes dynamic path selection, congestion control, and resource allocation.

Routing, Switching & QoS
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96since 2023
-88.9%YoY
Secure Data Sharing & Rights Management

Mechanisms to facilitate the secure exchange of data between different entities or systems while enforcing usage policies, managing digital content rights, and ensuring data consistency during replication or transfer.

Computer Security
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87since 2023
-81.8%YoY
Data Resiliency & Recovery

Encompasses strategies and technologies to ensure the availability, integrity, and recoverability of data and systems, including robust backup, replication, error correction, and efficient data restoration.

System Reliability & Diagnostics
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75since 2023
-77.3%YoY
Network Security & Access Control

Methods and systems for protecting network resources and data from unauthorized access, misuse, or attack, encompassing authentication, authorization, encryption, and traffic filtering mechanisms. This includes securing communication channels and validating network access.

Routing, Switching & QoS
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71since 2023
-82.4%YoY
Network Intrusion Detection

Systems and methods for identifying and blocking unauthorized access, malicious activities, or abnormal behavior within a network by analyzing traffic, system logs, or behavioral patterns.

Network Security & Access Control
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62since 2023
-93.8%YoY
Physical Layer & Interface Optimization

Enhancements to the physical and data link layers of network communication, focusing on hardware components, signal integrity, power efficiency, and efficient data transfer mechanisms for specific interfaces and buses.

Routing, Switching & QoS
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61since 2023
-66.7%YoY
Cloud Security Posture Management

Tools and processes for assessing, monitoring, and improving the security configuration and external accessibility of resources deployed within cloud computing environments.

Network Security & Access Control
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60since 2023
-75.0%YoY
Predictive System Health

Techniques for monitoring system components and behaviors to anticipate failures, performance degradation, or anomalies, often leveraging machine learning for pattern recognition and forecasting.

System Reliability & Diagnostics
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52since 2023
-88.2%YoY
Granular Data Encryption & Access Control

Systems and methods for encrypting data at a fine-grained level (e.g., per data unit or based on sensitivity) and controlling access to it, often involving delegated authorization, contextual policies, or secure data sharing.

Cryptographic Mechanisms
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51since 2023
n/a
Collaborative User Experiences

User interface designs and systems that enable multiple users to interact with shared content, provide feedback, or coordinate activities, often across different devices or locations.

Input/Output & User Interfaces
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49since 2023
n/a
IoT Device & Network Management

Methods and systems for monitoring, controlling, and managing Internet of Things (IoT) devices and their communication networks, often involving adaptive or intelligent frameworks for data acquisition, relay, and automation.

Web & Cloud Service Protocols
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45since 2023
n/a
Hardware-Assisted Cryptographic Operations

Utilizing dedicated hardware components, secure enclaves, or trusted execution environments to perform cryptographic operations, enhancing security, performance, or isolation from software vulnerabilities.

Cryptographic Mechanisms
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41since 2023
n/a
Automated Fault Response

Involves systems designed to automatically detect errors or failures and initiate predefined or intelligent corrective actions, recovery procedures, or notifications to minimize downtime and manual intervention.

System Reliability & Diagnostics
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40since 2023
-80.0%YoY
Secure Data Storage & Provenance

Techniques for protecting data at rest or in backup, ensuring its integrity, confidentiality, and verifiable origin, often involving encryption, unique identifiers, or secure repositories.

Computer SecurityNetwork Security & Access Control
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35since 2023
-90.0%YoY
Secure Communication Protocols

Technologies for establishing and maintaining secure communication channels between devices or networks, often employing encryption, secure protocols, or virtual private networks (VPNs).

Network Security & Access Control
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32since 2023
n/a
AI/ML for Cryptographic Security

Applying artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to enhance cryptographic systems, such as generating encryption models, improving zero-trust architectures, or enabling privacy-preserving computations like federated learning.

Cryptographic MechanismsComputer Security
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31since 2023
-77.8%YoY
Specialized Data Integration

Methods and systems for integrating, transforming, and managing complex or domain-specific data from disparate sources into a unified structure, often for specific applications like social networks, genomics, or business forms.

Databases & Information Retrieval
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30since 2023
-50.0%YoY
Intelligent Decision Support

Systems that process data to provide personalized recommendations, predict events, or automate decision-making processes based on learned patterns, user behavior, or environmental factors.

Databases & Information Retrieval
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26since 2023
-85.7%YoY
Software Quality & Security Validation

Methods and frameworks for systematically verifying the correctness, performance, and security of software systems, including infrastructure as code, virtual workloads, APIs, and identifying potential vulnerabilities or inconsistencies.

Software Development & Compilers
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26since 2023
-88.9%YoY
AR/VR User Interfaces

Techniques for rendering, interacting with, and managing content within augmented or virtual reality environments, including spatial tracking, gaze interaction, and dynamic multi-application display management.

Input/Output & User Interfaces
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25since 2023
-80.0%YoY
Specialized Compute Architectures

Novel hardware designs and processing pipelines tailored for specific computational tasks, such as graphics rendering, neural network operations, or matrix transformations, often involving custom circuits, memory arrays, or data flow mechanisms.

Computer Hardware Architecture
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24since 2023
n/a
High-Speed Data Interconnects

Technologies for establishing and managing high-bandwidth, low-latency communication pathways between computing components, peripherals, or systems, focusing on signal integrity, synchronization, and interface standards.

Computer Hardware Architecture
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23since 2023
n/a
Automated Dependency Management

Techniques and tools for automatically identifying, resolving, building, and packaging software dependencies, including managing versions, branches, and ensuring the integrity and security of the dependency chain.

Software Development & Compilers
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22since 2023
-28.6%YoY
Green Network Optimization

Techniques and systems for reducing energy consumption in computer networks while maintaining or improving performance, often involving predictive modeling, simulation, and dynamic adjustments to network infrastructure.

Network Management & Monitoring
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22since 2023
-90.0%YoY
Workflow Automation & Orchestration

Systems and methods for automating multi-step tasks, business processes, or service interactions, often involving AI agents, programmable interfaces, or formal orchestration languages to streamline operations.

Operating Systems & Program Control
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20since 2023
-75.0%YoY
Interactive 3D Data Visualization

Methods and systems for displaying complex data in three-dimensional graphical formats, allowing users to manipulate, explore, and derive insights from the data through interactive controls.

Input/Output & User Interfaces
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19since 2023
n/a
Blockchain for Secure Transactions & Identity

Focuses on using distributed ledger technology (DLT) like blockchain to secure financial transactions, manage digital identities, or ensure data integrity and traceability across various applications.

Cryptographic Mechanisms
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16since 2023
-88.9%YoY
Secure Key Management & Rotation

Methods and systems for generating, distributing, updating, rotating, and securely destroying cryptographic keys to maintain data confidentiality and integrity over time, including quantum key distribution.

Cryptographic Mechanisms
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14since 2023
n/a
AI/ML Hardware Acceleration

Specialized hardware, architectural designs, and computational methods to improve the speed, efficiency, and security of artificial intelligence and machine learning model execution, particularly for inference and data processing.

Computer Hardware Architecture
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12since 2023
n/a
Data Integration & Content Delivery Platforms

Platforms and methods for aggregating data from diverse sources, generating dynamic content, and delivering it efficiently to users, often involving social media, programmatic advertising, or interactive experiences within cloud environments.

Web & Cloud Service Protocols
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8since 2023
n/a
Compiler Optimization & Code Analysis

Techniques employed within compilers or related tools to analyze program code, identify entities for compilation, and optimize execution on target hardware, including reconfigurable systems, to improve performance or resource efficiency.

Software Development & Compilers
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5since 2023
-50.0%YoY
Operational Technology (OT) Security

Specialized cybersecurity solutions designed to protect industrial control systems (ICS), SCADA networks, and other operational technology environments from cyber threats and unauthorized access.

Computer Security
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5since 2023
n/a
AI Information Synthesis

Systems and methods utilizing artificial intelligence, particularly large language models and neural networks, to extract, summarize, generate, or categorize information from unstructured or semi-structured data sources.

Databases & Information Retrieval
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3since 2023
n/a
Software & Infrastructure Quality Assurance

Focuses on establishing and enforcing quality standards for software development, deployment, and infrastructure configuration, utilizing automated validation, testing, and governance frameworks.

System Reliability & Diagnostics
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2since 2023
n/a

Patents

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