Yamaha 2009 Annual Report Download - page 29

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R&D and Intellectual Property
Research and Development
Technological expertise underpins the Yamaha Group’s broad base of operations. Yamaha invests substan-
tially in research and development (R&D) activities that support its progress in advanced technology. Another
prime aim for the Group is securing, protecting and utilizing related intellectual property to ensure that Yamaha
retains and enhances its competitive technical edge.
Core Technologies and Business Direction
Yamaha leverages the core technological expertise that it has
acquired over many years in the fields of sound and music to
increase the value of the Yamaha brand and to stimulate new
demand by developing and offering innovative, high-quality products
and services. At the same time, the Company has earned an
excellent global reputation for original design, providing a distinctive
customer appeal while boosting the competitiveness of the product
range and raising the Yamaha brand profile. Core technical
expertise and innovative product design thus constitute important
functions for Yamaha.
Going forward, Yamaha will focus attention on developing
network-based sound technologies that bring about “sound-filled”
lifestyles, as well as materials and devices connected with human
senses and emotions. By doing so, Yamaha can generate new
business opportunities using its expertise in sound, and continue
evolving as “the sound professional” company, even in the realms
of human voice and environmental sound. The Company is work-
ing, for instance, on blending acoustic, digital signal processing
and network technologies to make sound the basis for important
aspects of home life, such as security or conveying information.
To support future business of this kind, Yamaha invests in
core technology improvement as well as employee training to
ensure that these skills are passed on and nurtured within its
workforce. Other key aspects of R&D at Yamaha include pro-
grams to maintain and upgrade technologies for product devel-
opment and manufacturing. These efforts strengthen the Yamaha
brand and boost the value of the Company’s intellectual property
and other intangible assets.
R&D Organization
Yamaha’s R&D organization consists of two components—
Groupwide R&D responsible for enhancing common Groupwide
technologies and research and development for new businesses,
and division-specific R&D, where research and development
are conducted on technologies for the products within each
business segment.
Groupwide R&D divisions include the Center for Advanced
Sound Technologies, which develops advanced sound, audio and
network technology; the Center for Materials and Components
Technologies; the eYamaha Division, which applies network
technologies Groupwide; and the Center for Production Technology.
Yamaha also conducts most of its product design in-house at the
Product Design Laboratory, which continually works to bolster its
structure with a view to being a leader in high-quality product design
based on a fresh, cutting-edge concept. Meanwhile, new business
development is the focus as new sound system technologies are
developed at the INFO-Sound Division and SA Products Division.
R&D Expense by Business Segment (Year ended March 31, 2009)
Technology Organizations and Roles
President Development Strategy Committee
Technology Planning Division
Center for Advanced Sound Technologies
Center for Materials and Components Technologies
eYamaha Division
Production Engineering Development Department of
Production Engineering & Planning Division
Product Design Laboratory
INFO-Sound Division
SA Products Division
Division-specific technology development departments
Electronic Devices
19.3%
Lifestyle-Related
Products
3.9%
Others
7.8%
Musical Instruments
46.4%
AV/IT
22.6%
R&D Expenses
(Millions of Yen)
n Others
n Lifestyle-Related
Products
n Electronic Devices
n AV/IT
n Musical Instruments
Total
¥23,218 million
30,000
20,000
10,000
05/3 06/3 07/3 08/3 09/3
0
Planning coordination and secretariat functions
Sound and music technologies and Groupwide technological support
Materials and components technologies and Groupwide technological support
Internet technologies and Groupwide Web support
Production and manufacturing technologies and Groupwide technological support
Designing of Groupwide product and future-looking concepts
Development of new businesses using sound technologies
Development of new product genre for musical instruments
Technological development for the products within each business segment
Annual Report 2009 27