Fujitsu 2009 Annual Report Download - page 54

Intellectual Property
Protecting and respecting intellectual property is part of the Code of Conduct in the Fujitsu Way, which articulates the philosophy of the Fujitsu
Group and the core values and principles guiding the actions of each of its employees. Accordingly, every employee recognizes intellectual
property as a key corporate asset supporting business activities. Moreover, Fujitsu employees are acutely aware of the role that technologies
backed by intellectual property play in enabling customers to rely with confidence on the products and services we deliver.
We are promoting an intellectual property strategy closely integrated with our business and R&D strategies. Each business unit and R&D divi-
sion is individually responsible for analyzing the intellectual property assets owned by Fujitsu and other companies in their respective fields.
Based on this analysis, they formulate and implement intellectual property strategies.
We are developing a framework to strengthen Group-wide intellectual property activities to enable the entire Group to leverage our intellec-
tual property assets. Some issues, such as the need for international standards, require coordinated action among the global bases in the
Group. Here, we use regular meetings among Group companies to share information as well as promote specific measures. In this way, we
foster a unified approach to intellectual property activities.
1. Patent Rights
Patent rights support technological innovation. Recognizing these
rights as an important corporate asset, we are assembling a global
patent portfolio centered on patents in Japan.
We ensure that the acquisition, maintenance and utilization of
patents are carried out in keeping with the Fujitsu Group’s global
business development strategy. We therefore acquire, maintain, and
utilize the patents we need in the locations (countries) where they
are needed, covering development and production bases as well as
our sales bases. Representative offices have been established in the
US and China so that local research or inventions at development
bases can be securely protected.
For obtaining patents in the US, Fujitsu has a framework not only
for yielding inventions but for handling the entire adjudication pro-
cess to promote efficient acquisition of high-quality patents.
The Importance of Intellectual Property
Intellectual Property Strategy
Group-wide Initiatives
Business and
R&D Divisions
Patent portfolio
Idea selection
Survey of
technology trends Patent application Patent survey to
avoid infringement Exercise of rights
Out-licensing
Decision to commercialize Licensing negotiations
Consider alliances In-licensing
Ties with
universities
Initial
planning Project planning Prototyping Manufacture SalesDesign
Intellectual
Property Unit
Linking Business and R&D Divisions
FMV Raku-Raku PC (announced November 6, 2008)
1. Cross-functional approach to identifying customer needs and
commercializing products
Marketing and intellectual property divisions teamed up with the
development division to extensively explore ways to develop a user-
friendly, simple, and dependable PC. The involvement of the intellectual
property division from the development stages ensured that no pat-
ents or other intellectual properties were inadvertently compromised.
2. Sample of intellectual properties
Patent rights: Approximately 20 patent applications have been filed
in and outside Japan, centered on technologies that simplify user
input and search functions.
Trademark rights: “Raku-Raku PC”
052 ANNUAL REPORT 2009
FUJITSU LIMITED