Pentax 2007 Annual Report Download - page 25

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2. Systems Supporting Intellectual Property
Activities
The Hoya Group is organized according to business divisions and
companies. There is extensive delegation of authority, from
strategic business planning to decision making. Intellectual
property groups have been established in each business division,
and they are each responsible for independently working in
conformity with the respective strategies of their business
divisions—for instance, by filing patent applications and other
rights-related management activities, taking actions in relation to
patents held by others, and licensing out of Hoya’s own patents.
Hoya’s Global Headquarters is under the management of the
chief intellectual property officer and is responsible for working to
improve the intellectual property functions of the group as a
whole. This includes such matters as establishing and promoting
the group’s overall intellectual property strategy, managing the
group’s intellectual property assets, assisting business divisions in
the establishment of patent strategies and the development of
patent management systems, and the training and skill
enhancement of employees. In particular, where matters
necessitate decision-making for the group as a whole—for
example those matters requiring coordination of intellectual
property issues that run across more than one business division,
or those involving the bringing of a case to court or reaching an
amicable settlement—they are adjudged matters requiring the
approval of Hoya headquarters and are strictly managed under the
direction of the CEO. Because intellectual property activities are
dispersed across all business divisions, there is a need to reduce
any adverse effect from potential difficulties in information sharing.
This is accomplished by regularly holding a joint intellectual
property meeting, where all divisions exchange information.
3. Intellectual Property: Current Status
● Number of Registered Patents and Global
Application Ratios
Hoya held 967 registered patents and utility models in Japan as of
March 31, 2007. Of these, the Electro-Optics Division and Vision
Care Division held approximately 85%. Over 30% of new patent
applications during the year were filed outside of Japan. This
figure of 30% of all patent applications lodged in countries other
than Japan will remain a target for Hoya in coming years.
As of March 31, 2007, Hoya held 1,007 registered
trademarks in Japan, and 952 overseas.
● Percent of patents granted
In fiscal 2005, the percent of patents granted (notices of patents
granted divided by the sum total of all patents granted, patents
finally rejected by the Japanese Patent Office, applications
withdrawn after commencement of examination, and applications
abandoned) was 49.5%, and in fiscal 2006 it was 49.1%. Hoya will
continue to undertake appropriate evaluation of its inventions, and
will manage its technical development and intellectual property in
an efficient manner.
●Hoya Group’s Intellectual Property Management Organization
●Global Applications
●Registered Patents and Utility Models Held as of March 31, 2007
(967 in total)
Information Technology
Field
Eye Care
Field
Intellectual Property
Management Office
IPMO IPMO IPMO IPMO
Global Headquarters
Chief Technology Officer
Headquarters’
Intellectual
Property Group
Chief Intellectual
Property Officer
R＆D
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
(Number of applications)
Global application ratios
Global applications
Domestic applications
■Electro-Optics Division
■Vision Care Division
■New Business
■Health Care Division
■Photonics Division
■Other Businesses
500
321
59
58 28
1
(Application year)