The EPO published EP4626630A1, a patent application by Ericsson for a method and apparatus providing evidence of ownership for 3D printed objects. The invention covers systems that generate verifiable ownership documentation for manufactured 3D objects using techniques including cryptographic methods and digital tracking. The patent has been classified under IPC codes related to additive manufacturing (B29C, B33Y series), data encoding (G06K), and commercial transactions (G06Q 10/083, G06Q 30/018, G06Q 50/04).

Patent holders, manufacturers of 3D printing technology, and companies operating in additive manufacturing should review the claims to assess potential infringement risks or licensing opportunities. The designation covers 37 European states. This is a patent publication notice and does not impose compliance obligations on third parties, but entities developing similar ownership verification systems for 3D printed objects should monitor this intellectual property.