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NCIPI: National Center for Industrial Property Information and Training

Promotion of Technology Transferand Patent Licensing

- for SMEs -

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What is NCIPI ?

NCIPI is an independent national administrative agency (Government agency).

Established in April 2001 (Separated from the Japan Patent Office)

Extended operations in October 2004 79 staff members

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Mission of NCIPI

Industrial Property Gazettes Library Consultation on industrial property system Training both for JPO staff and general publi

c Dissemination of patent information (IPDL, e

tc.) Promotion of technology transfer and patent l

icensing

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0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

NO(7.7%)

OTHER

(Source: NCIPI Questionnaire Survey in 2000)

Tech-Transfer ExperienceTech-Transfer Experience

13.6％

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

Large-scale Large-scale EnterprisesEnterprises

SMEsSMEs

NO

2.4 ％

OTHER

Large-scale Large-scale EnterprisesEnterprises

SMEsSMEs

Need for Tech-TransferNeed for Tech-Transfer

YES (90.5%)

YES (80.0%)

YES (88.7%)

YES (27.5%) NO (68.47%)

Background of NCIPI Measures for Promoting Technology-Transfer & Patent Licensing

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27.4%

31.6%

41.3%

43.0%

11.3%

46.4%

11.3%

16.7%

0 20 40 60

Financial Difficulty

(Source: NCIPI Questionnaire Survey in 2000)

Large-scale Large-scale EnterprisesEnterprises

SMEsSMEs

Obstacles to Technology TransferObstacles to Technology TransferObstacles to Technology TransferObstacles to Technology Transfer

Lack of Knowledge to Conduct Tech-Transfer

Lack of Information on Tech-Transfer

Lack of Experts in Patent Licensing

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Promotion of Tech-Transfer (1) ---- Patent Licensing Advisor ----

・ Official specialists in technology transfer ・ Dispatched 110 advisors to prefectural governments and TLOs (October 2004 ）・ Nationwide network of advisors・ Visit companies, universities and research institutes・ Collect technological needs and licensable technological seeds・ Make a match of them

University, Research Institutes, Companies

SMEs, Venture Businesses

Matchmaker of Technology Transfer

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Promotion of Tech-Transfer (2)

-- Construction of Patent Licensing Database --

・ Retrieve licensable patents of companies, universities and research institutes on the Internet.

・ About 55,000 licensable patents 　 （ At the end of October, 2004 ）

・　 Free-of-charge

Patent licensing

　 http://www.ryutu.ncipi.go.jp/en/db/index.html

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Patent Licensing Database

PartiesPartieswho wantwho wantto discloseto discloselicensablelicensable

patentspatents

PartiesPartieswho wantwho wantto discloseto discloselicensablelicensable

patentspatents

PartiesPartiesseekingseeking

licensablelicensablepatentspatents

PartiesPartiesseekingseeking

licensablelicensablepatentspatents

Patent Licensing DBPatent Licensing DB

･ ･ patent licensing patent licensing informationinformation ･ ･ information oninformation on

demands fordemands for technologiestechnologies

Patent Licensing DBPatent Licensing DB

･ ･ patent licensing patent licensing informationinformation ･ ･ information oninformation on

demands fordemands for technologiestechnologiesCompanies, universitiesCompanies, universities

and research institutesand research institutesthat want to licensethat want to licensepatented technologiespatented technologies

Companies which Companies which want to use want to use licensable patents licensable patents

Registering licensable patent information Registering licensable patent information into the Database and Offering it on the Internetinto the Database and Offering it on the Internet

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Patent Licensing DB’sSearch Screen

New functions added to the Patent Licensing DBNew functions added to the Patent Licensing DB

■ Introducing your licensable patent on your Website (Virtual DB function)■ Developing own Patent Licensing DB not necessary (Your website directly connected to the Patent Licensing DB)■ NCIPI invites applications to register and place licensable patents on the DB

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Promotion of Tech-Transfer (3)

-- Charts for Supporting Patent Licensing -- (Patent Maps)

・ Numerous technical themes available for small and medium-sized enterprises.・ Analyze patent information and identify trends.・ Introduce company patent information. ・ Based on 2000-3000 patents applied for in the past 10 years.・ Analyzed by experts on each technical theme.・ High quality　 ＜ Only Japanese patents are available due to budget constraints. ＞

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Technical Themes in 2003Technical Themes in 2003Technical Themes in 2003Technical Themes in 2003

Snow Melting Technique13

Mass Analyses12

Minus Ions Producers11

Barrier-free Houses10Easily-Removable Fixation System12

Technical ThemeGeneral TopicsNursing Bath Machine11

Improvement of Soil21Cogeneration System10

Magnesium Alloy20Networked Industrial System9

Use of Kichin & Kitosan19Technical ThemeMachinery

Syntheses of Solid Membrane on Metal Surface

18Sound Compression Technique21

Treatment and Use of Garbage17Remote Medical & Nursing System20

Biomass Energy 16LED for Lighting Facilities 19

Machines Using Ferments15Recognition of 3D Objects18

Light Metal Complex Material14Networked Electrical Appliances17

Technical ThemeChemistryTechnical ThemeElectricity

We have managed 67 themesWe have managed 67 themessince 2001!since 2001!

We have managed 67 themesWe have managed 67 themessince 2001!since 2001!

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220

63

107

33

73

33

104

60

81

22

10

14

9

97

12

79

27

127

21

21

19

24

50

13

30

44

46

9

40

5

44

11

85

19

Change of Structure

Manufacturing Method

Treatment Method

Control Method

Position of Treatment

Composition

Using Other Methods

Example of Matrix Analysis in the Charts Example of Matrix Analysis in the Charts (Ex. Technique of the Treatment of Water Using Adsorption) (Ex. Technique of the Treatment of Water Using Adsorption)

Example of Matrix Analysis in the Charts Example of Matrix Analysis in the Charts (Ex. Technique of the Treatment of Water Using Adsorption) (Ex. Technique of the Treatment of Water Using Adsorption)

Find new solutions.Find new solutions.Find new solutions.Find new solutions.

We show the number of We show the number of applications in a figure applications in a figure

with bubbles.with bubbles.

We show the number of We show the number of applications in a figure applications in a figure

with bubbles.with bubbles.

ProblemsProblemsProblemsProblems

Solutions

Solutions

Solutions

Solutions

Improvem

ent of A

dsorption Ability

Long T

erm U

se of A

dsorption Materials

Use of P

roduction

Low

ering Expenses

Improvem

ent of U

sage

Maintenance of the

Water Q

uality

Improvem

ent of S

trength of A

dsorbents

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Promotion of Tech-Transfer (4)

---- Patent Information Advisor ----

・ Advises and gives lectures on searching and utilizing patent 　information

・ Answers any questions concerning how to use the Industrial Property Digital Library (IPDL) and other patent information services(IPDL: http://www.ipdl.ncipi.go.jp/homepg_e.ipdl)

・ Conducting search demonstrations IPDL

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Patent Information AdvisorDispatch Service

What is a Patent

Information Advisor?

Tasks of aPatent

Information Advisor

・ 46 Advisors are now dispatched to prefectural governments 　 throughout Japan.・ Search advising services are provided as a part of prefectural programs

・ Advice provided on how to use the IPDL and other patent information services and on how to utilize patent information.・ Instruction geared for each level, from basic to high level.

Providing consultation servicesas resident advisors at the office

Providing on-siteconsultation and advice

Providing lectures at seminars of prefectural governments

Providing consultation services via the IPDL’s private lines

Providing in-house trainingservices to companies

Periodical instruction

Adviceprovided at no charge

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Promotion of Tech-Transfer (5)

----Patent Licensing Business Information----Service on Patent Licensing Agents(Patent Licensing Agents Database)

・ Gathers information submitted by agents who carry out patent licensing business.

・ Information about licensing agent operations provided.

・ Available via the Internet for anyone to access.

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Number of Patent Licensing Agents Registered in NCIPI Website

26

46

5561

64

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Num

ber

of Regi

stere

d Age

nts

2000 2001 2002 2003 Oct. 2004

Year

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Promotion of Tech-Transfer--- Other Services ---

1) Providing examples of licensable patent utilization on NCIPI website2) Seminars for encouraging patent licensing (international and domestic)3) Training programs for fostering patent licensing agents

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Results of Patent LicensingAdvisor’s Activities

6 6 43 49 130 179409

588890

14781223

2701

1379

4080

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

Num

ber

of C

ontr

acts

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Fiscal Year

yeartotal

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Results of Patent LicensingAdvisor’s Activities

14,200

120,200

46,200

1,500

25,800

572

772

1,073

202

41

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

'97- '99 '97- '00 '97- '01 '97- '02 '97- '03

year

tota

l eco

nom

ic im

pact

(m

illio

n ye

n)

- 100

100

300

500

700

900

1,100

1,300

1,500

tota

l num

ber

ofjo

bs c

reat

ed

economic impact

employmentcreation

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Example A --From Large Company to Distant SME--

1) President of small press making company happens to find some hints in drawings from his customer.

2)The key technology was patented to a major automobile company in Hiroshima prefecture.

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3) The president consults a patent licensing advisor in Chiba prefecture.

4) The advisor soon makes contact with another advisor who works where the automobile company is located.

Example A --From Large Company to Distant SME--

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5) Two advisors join together to license the patent from the automobile company to the small press company. 　→　 Finally, the patent is successfully licensed.

NOTE:Patent Licensing Advisors・ Nationwide network・ Trusted by both large and small companies

Example A --From Large Company to Distant SME--

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Example B --From University to SME--

1) A small company comes to know of new microscopic technology at a university in Kyoto and contacts the TLO of the university.

2) The patent licensing advisor of the TLO gives detailed information to the company and coordinates discussion between the inventor and the company.

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Example B --From University to SME--

3) Then the patent licensing advisor arranges the evaluation of a trial piece.

4) Finally, the company decides to license the technology after the evaluation.

NOTE:Patent Licensing Advisors・ Dispatched to many university TLOs・ Coordinate various matters fortechnology transfer

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Thank you for your attention!

NCIPIURL: http://www.ncipi.go.jp/english