NEC 2007 Annual Report Download - page 31

Download and view the complete annual report

Please find page 31 of the 2007 NEC annual report below. You can navigate through the pages in the report by either clicking on the pages listed below, or by using the keyword search tool below to find specific information within the annual report.

Page out of 120

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30
  • 31
  • 32
  • 33
  • 34
  • 35
  • 36
  • 37
  • 38
  • 39
  • 40
  • 41
  • 42
  • 43
  • 44
  • 45
  • 46
  • 47
  • 48
  • 49
  • 50
  • 51
  • 52
  • 53
  • 54
  • 55
  • 56
  • 57
  • 58
  • 59
  • 60
  • 61
  • 62
  • 63
  • 64
  • 65
  • 66
  • 67
  • 68
  • 69
  • 70
  • 71
  • 72
  • 73
  • 74
  • 75
  • 76
  • 77
  • 78
  • 79
  • 80
  • 81
  • 82
  • 83
  • 84
  • 85
  • 86
  • 87
  • 88
  • 89
  • 90
  • 91
  • 92
  • 93
  • 94
  • 95
  • 96
  • 97
  • 98
  • 99
  • 100
  • 101
  • 102
  • 103
  • 104
  • 105
  • 106
  • 107
  • 108
  • 109
  • 110
  • 111
  • 112
  • 113
  • 114
  • 115
  • 116
  • 117
  • 118
  • 119
  • 120

Solution Platforms Research Group:
R&D of service platforms, the foundation of solutions
construction, and common platforms
IT/NW System Platforms Research Group:
R&D of IT/Network system platforms, hardware packag-
ing, and intellectual property core technologies that are
the foundation of IT and network system platforms and
semiconductor devices.
Materials and Process Research Group:
R&D of new function and concept for new electronic devices
(3) Reinforcing the Global R&D Network
NEC is reinforcing its global development network. The goal
is to achieve highly original innovation by combining each
region’s field of expertise, which reflects the distinctive
cultures of Japan, the U.S., Europe and China. In addition,
the Intellectual Asset Management Unit is also developing
internal processes for utilizing intellectual assets, the fruits
of R&D efforts, across the Group.
(4) Strengthening Technology and Intellectual Asset
Portfolios by Promoting “Open Innovation”
In the ubiquitous networking society, where information
flows freely, there are high hopes for applying the laws of
physics in new ways to IT and communications systems
and for capturing synergies with people who actually use
these systems. In order to develop new businesses for the
future, it is essential to ascertain trends in new IT and
communications technologies over a broad range of fields
from a long-term perspective. For this reason, it is essential
that NEC augment internal platform technologies in its fields
of expertise by bringing in experts from outside the
company and collaborating with third-party research
institutions. NEC calls this the Open Innovation approach.
By further strengthening and cultivating in-house
technologies sourced from outside the company, NEC is
reinforcing its technology and intellectual asset portfolios,
a key source of business competitiveness.
(5) Intellectual Asset Strategies Supporting NEC
NEC positions intellectual assets as a key foundation for
achieving sustained growth of the NEC group’s business
activities. To lay a powerful foundation, NEC is strengthen-
ing the Intellectual Asset Management Unit’s intellectual
asset development functions and making a Company-wide
effort to establish strategic patent portfolios in growing
business domains. Furthermore, NEC is reinforcing intel-
lectual asset development activities at overseas bases and
stepping up patent applications worldwide in line with global
business expansion.
NEC has appointed a CPO (Chief Patent Officer) in all
business units, research laboratories and other depart-
ments, to formulate and implement intellectual asset strat-
egies. Furthermore, regarding intellectual assets essential
to conducting core businesses, NEC combines internal
technological development with the licensing of technolo-
gies from third parties with the aim of establishing a pow-
erful base of technologies and expertise, and patent
portfolios. Additionally, by enhancing educational programs
for outstanding personnel and compensation systems for
employees’ inventions, NEC will develop high-quality
intellectual assets to support the sustained growth of the
NEC group’s business activities. Meanwhile, NEC manag-
es its portfolio of patent holdings based on growth strate-
gies, technological advancement, product lifecycles and
other factors, with the aim of maintaining an optimal patent
portfolio at all times.
NEC carefully conducts surveys to identify violations of
its patent holdings by other companies. Through warnings
and lawsuits, these efforts lead to the collection of licensing
fees, court injunctions, and claims for damages.
As of March 31, 2007, the NEC group held approximately
72,000 patents worldwide, including 34,000 patents in Japan.
Organizational Chart of the Intellectual
Asset R&D Unit
Intellectual Asset R&D Unit
Central Research Laboratories
Solution Platforms Research Group
IT/NW System Platform Research Group
Materials and Process Research Group
NEC Laboratories America, Inc.
C&C Research Labs. NEC Europe Ltd.
Network Labs. NEC Europe Ltd.
NEC Laboratories, China
Intellectual Asset Management Unit
29