Abstract: In order to understand the current status accurately and forecast the R&D development trends on heated tobacco products in future, patents related to heated tobacco products published by State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) from 1985 to 2017 were searched and statistically analyzed. The results show that:1) From 1985 to 2017, there were a total of 261 patents related to heated tobacco products in China, of which 208 were inventions and 53 were utility models. 2) From 1985 to 2010, the number of patents related to heated tobacco products was small in each year, it increased significantly since 2012, especially from 2013 to 2015. 3) Foreign tobacco companies and domestic tobacco industry were the main applicants for the category. The patents owned by foreign tobacco companies were inventions including techniques and applications in earlier years. The number of applications from Philip Morris International was the most, the hot spot was around carbon-heated tobacco products, involving heat source, tobacco materials, smoke delivery, and supporting auxiliary materials; and those techniques were relatively mature. 4) The patents related to heated tobacco products using other solid fuels were relatively fewer, and there was ample development space. For example, fuel materials, such as energetic heat sources and gaseous fuels, might be used to improve the energy efficiency of heated tobacco products.