Nikon 2014 Annual Report Download - page 34

BUSINESS STRATEGY
The intellectual property initiatives undertaken by Nikon Corporation include protecting its leading-edge
technologies produced through its R&D efforts and designs as well as upholding the brand value of Nikon’s
products in markets worldwide.
Basic Approach
In close cooperation with its intellectual property divisions,
operations divisions, and R&D divisions, Nikon Corporation is
formulating an intellectual property strategy designed to gener-
ate growth in existing operations and to create new business.
The Company is continuously moving forward with its intellec-
tual property initiatives in accordance with this strategy.
For many years, efforts by Nikon Corporation to protect its
intellectual property have been a high priority. These cumulative
efforts have served as the driving force that has underpinned
the ability of the Company to continue its operations in an
enduring and stable fashion and has helped it create the value
of the Nikon brand that its customers trust. Our past intellec-
tual property initiatives have been a support for our current
operations, and our current activities are laying the foundations
for our future business. Through these intellectual property
initiatives, Nikon has accumulated a wealth of important
intellectual property rights, which it safeguards to uphold the
sustainable growth of the Nikon Group.
Details of Nikon Corporation’s
Major Intellectual Property Activities
Intellectual property divisions pursue intellectual property
initiatives through cooperation with the operations divisions
and R&D divisions in an effort to establish a competitive
advantage for Nikon products in the marketplace.
These divisions safeguard intellectual property, such as
technologies, designs, and brands created in-house, as well as
patents and trademarks. With an eye to future business oppor-
tunities, the divisions focus on creating and acquiring rights to
new intellectual property.
◆
◆ Invention Generation Activities to Increase Patents
Intellectual property divisions carry out “invention generation
activities,” which produce inventions that will be the source of
competitiveness in Nikon Group businesses. The process is
divided into four phases, ranging from “theme determination,”
which begins the moment a new product is conceived, to the
“patent portfolio building” phase, which seeks to protect the
Company’s competitive advantage. The divisions are actively
engaged in each phase of these activities in line with the
intellectual property strategy of the Company.
Intellectual Property Initiatives
FOCUS
Past intellectual property initiatives
support present operations; present
initiatives pave the way for the future.
Past
Accumulating
important
intellectual
property rights
Intellectual Property Strategy
Present
Future
Visual Image of Intellectual Property Initiatives
Intellectual
Property
Initiatives
Intellectual
Property
Initiatives
Intellectual
Property
Initiatives
Tri-Divisional Cooperative Framework
Intellectual Property
Strategy
Operations
Divisions
R&D
Divisions
Utilize intellectual property
to formulate operational
and R&D strategies
Intellectual
Property
Divisions
Establish competitive
advantages with
existing operations
in accordance with
its intellectual
property strategy
Expand intellectual
property rights in
new businesses
in accordance with
its intellectual
property strategy
32 NIKON REPORT 2014