Alpine 2016 Annual Report Download - page 8

Westrivetocreate,applyandprotectintellectualpropertytoensure
that our customers enjoy worry-free use of our products and services.
Weplaceapriorityontheimprovementofourqualitymanagement
system to earn customers trust and ensure satisfaction.
●Intellectual Property Management System
Alpine enhances the creation of intellectual
property and implements management systems at global
development bases. We specify regulations for the
handling of intellectual property at each development base
in accordance with the laws and systems in each country.
Alpine’ssubsidiaryinGermany,whereservice
inventionsarestrictlyregulated,has regulations
established in accordance with German law. Our
subsidiary in China has revised regulations in response to
the repeated revision of laws and systems. Our subsidiary
in the U.S. established regulations in reference to Alpine
Japan regulations aimed at increasing inventor motivation
althoughU.S.patentlawdoesnotrequirethem.InJapan,
inApril2016,Alpinerevisedregulationsandspecified
that the rights of service inventions originally vest with the
company.
Our Intellectual Property Division in Japan plays a
central role in global intellectual property management.
In2015,wehaveenhancedthesystemthroughthe
establishment of the Intellectual Property Liaison Team to
handlenotonlyconicts,butalsotopreventtheviolation
of rights by other companies. Alpine also established a
Patent Department at its subsidiary in China to support
the creation of intellectual property under the initiative
of locally-hired staff. Our subsidiary in the U.S. has
dedicatedlegalstatosupportthecreationofintellectual
property and to handle lawsuits related to patent issues
in cooperation with the Intellectual Property Division in
Japan. To ensure the proper handling of non-practicing
entities (NPEs) which profit through management rather
thandirectinvolvement inresearch,development,and
manufacturing,Alpinehasestablishedasystemfor
prompt consultations with an established local law firm
specializing in intellectual property rights. We dispatch
intellectualpropertydivisionstainJapantosubsidiaries
in Europe to support the creation of intellectual property
and other activities.
Alpine works to expand business throughout the
world by conducting efficient and effective intellectual
property management in each region from a global
perspective.
●Patent Application Strategy
We facilitate innovation with patent portfolio
management. We conduct validity studies and evaluate
legalriskforall inventions,andexamineproductmarket
and lifecycle from a global business perspective to ensure
patent applications that contribute to the growth and
development of the Alps Group.
Our subsidiaries provide thorough support to solve
specicissuesineach region.ThesubsidiaryinChina,for
example,activelyutilizestheutilitymodelsystemtoaddress
issuesspecictoChinatoensurestrongpatentrights.
Globalstandardsforthequalitymanagement
system (QMS) ensure that all departments and divisions
atAlpinesatisfycustomerswitha policyofquality
assurance,whichisessentialtothepursuitofbusiness
activities.
AlpinehasobtainedISO/TS16949automobile
industryqualitymanagementstandard certificationfor
all production plants both in Japan and overseas. Ever
seekingtoincreasequality, weconsidertherealization
of global consistency in our products and services to be
a priority issue in earning customer trust and ensuring
satisfaction.Since2013,wehaveworkedontheglobal
unicationofourqualitysystem,andhaveinitiated our
global QMS in a number of business units.
We continue improving the system to establish a
globally standardized system that prevents defects and
aQMSthatcanbeappliedtoneweldssuchasmeter
display.
Defects in products and services cause significant
inconvenience to customers. Alpine conducts frontloading
activities,whicharequalityassuranceactivitiesforthe
design,development,andmanufactureofproducts,with
the goal of following a policy of proper manufacturing in
everyprocessfromtheproductplanningstage.Specically,
we established a system of frontloading activities in the
Quality Assurance Division to review product development
processesfromtheperspectiveofquality,identifyproblems
and institute measures. For products supplied to German
automobilemanufactures,wehaveimplementedmaturity
level assurance (MLA) in accordance with the regulations
speciedbytheVerbandderAutomobilindustriee.V.(VDA:
German Association of the Automotive Industry). We have
developed a new memory function that records the history
of operation in each product to ensure accurate analysis
and early solution of problems.
■Approaches to Globalization ■Quality Management System (Global QMS) ■Proper Manufacturing from the rst step
(Frontloading Activities)
■Quality Policy
Quality Assurance
Intellectual Property Policies
Sincethe creation,protectionandutilizationofintellectualproperty(includingintellectualpropertyrights)
contributetobusinessincome,AlpineworksasamemberoftheAlpsGrouptopracticeeectivebusinessand
technicalmanagement,andspeciesthefollowingmissionsoftheIntellectualPropertyDivision:
● Promote the creation of Alpine’s intellectual property and enhance the base of our technical management;
●EectivelyandecientlyprotectAlpine’sintellectualpropertytoincreaseitscontributiontobusinessincome;
● Utilize Alpine’s intellectual property for business and technical strategies to expand its contribution to
business income;
● Be vigilant in avoiding the violation of third-party intellectual property to minimize business risk; and
● Support the creation of new business utilizing intellectual property rights and information.
Quality Policy
Alpine provides outstanding products and services that guarantee customer satisfaction.
1. Quality First
Qualityisdeterminedbycustomersatisfaction.Wefullyrecognizethatconformancetoqualityisthefoundation
forprice,deliverydate,andservices,andpracticeaquality-rstpolicyinallourbusinessactivities.
2. Planned Initiatives
Alpine management institutes planned initiatives throughout the manufacturing process to provide products and
services that ensure 100% customer satisfaction.
3. Quality Improvement
Wearefullyawareofindividualemployeeresponsibilityinensuringthequalityrequiredbycustomers,andset
qualitytargetstopromotecontinualimprovement.
New Fields for Quality Assurance
Proper manufacturing from the
first step through frontloading activities Existing Fields for Quality Assurance
QMS
Sales
Design
Parts
Manufacture
Delivery
Market
Customer
Satisfaction
Expanding upstream
■Protecting Intellectual property
Intellectual Property
14 Annual Report 2016-2017 15
Annual Report 2016-2017
ESGEorts
Financial Data
Top Message Overview of Alpine Business Report