Konica Minolta 2010 Annual Report Download - page 27

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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
The Group possesses core technologies in the materials, optical,
micro-fabrication, and imaging fields. By further refining and inte-
grating these core technologies, we offer innovative products and
services worldwide related to imaging, centered on the Business
Technologies and Optics segments. In parallel, we are forging
ahead in new business fields with the development of products
pertaining to the environment and energy, such as OLED lighting
and solar cells.
We concentrate on invention, discovery and the acquisition of
patent rights in those technological domains and fields vitally
important to our business expansion and genre-top strategies.
Appropriately selecting the countries in which to file patents, and
executing measures for swift conversion to patent rights, enables
the Group to acquire effective property rights worldwide in the
shortest possible timeframe.
As of March 31, 2010, the Konica Minolta Group owned rights
to 7,082 patents in Japan and 5,244 patents in the United States.
Since the fiscal year ended March 2008, our drive to accumulate
patent rights has been especially vigorous in common basic and
advanced technologies, two areas linked to the Group’s future
growth. These patents include those for phosphors, which will
enable longer life and better luminous efficiency for OLEDs, one of
the basic technologies underpinning new business creation in the
field of environment and energy. In fact, based on in-house data,
Konica Minolta holds more patents than any other company in
Japan for common basic and advanced technologies.
The Group’s superiority in terms of patents is enhanced not
only from the acquisition of high-quality patents, but by possessing
a large portfolio of such patents. We are particularly dedicated to
building up patents in Business Technologies and Optics, our core
business segments. As a result, we have steadily increased the
number of Konica Minolta Group patents since the fiscal year
ended March 2006.
At the Konica Minolta Group, we aggressively pursue patent filings and other steps
to convert research and development results into viable property rights. In this way,
we maintain our competitive edge in key fields, thereby enhancing corporate value.
BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES
(Number)
OPTICS
(Number)
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
2,871
3,106
3,516
4,048
4,511
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
181
278
399
547
687
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
2,590
2,769 2,765
2,798
2,844
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
340
462
530
619
716
BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES
(Number)
OPTICS
(Number)
PATENTS IN KEY BUSINESS FIELDS (JAPAN) PATENTS IN KEY BUSINESS FIELDS (U.S.)
KONICA MINOLTA HOLDINGS, INC. ANNUAL REPORT 2010 25