Lecture Series I
When Design Meets Technology: Navigating Design Paradigm Shifts and Classification Challenges
This 1-hour lecture, recorded on 4 July 2024, is part of the KIPO x WIPO education program, initially designed for design examiners in patent offices from various countries.
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Summary: This lecture series explores how we can adapt our patent classification system and laws to keep pace with evolving technology. Based on my book "Patent Analytics," co-authored with a patent examiner, a practical designer, and a data analyst, we delve into today’s complex design innovations amid paradigm shifts, using patent data and evidence from three world-leading companies.
Case I: Nespresso - The Rise of the New IP-R&D Process
This case study illustrates how different IP values—utility patents, design patents, and trademarks—evolve throughout their lifecycle. It emphasizes that IP management does not need to follow a fixed sequence starting with utility patents, followed by designs and trademarks. Companies can tailor their IP management strategies to maximize competitiveness, as exemplified by Nespresso’s success without key tech patents at product launch.
Case II: How Apple Beats Competition with Design and Design Patents Apple exemplifies a company employing unconventional IP strategies, even reversing the typical R&D pathway. This case highlights how to better protect evolving design needs, such as user experience, within the current patent system, which struggles to keep up with changes. Apple’s strategic use of partial design claims illuminates these evolving needs.
Case III: Design Patent Classifications in Automobile Interior Paradigm Shifts
This study, led by Mr. Yoon, a Ph.D. researcher and senior designer at GM Design Center, investigates how the design patent system can be inclusive amid the automobile design paradigm shift. We will identify the current drawbacks of the Locarno Classification system in addressing emerging design changes in the automotive sector and explain how our team has revised the system, creating supplementary classifications that better reflect actual design practices.
Takeaways: Design Classification and Beyond
Design paradigm shifts necessitate a reevaluation of current systems, processes, and classifications to keep up with these changes. It is crucial to acknowledge the importance of design IPs to various stakeholders and to welcome and address their needs.
​In the midst of this design paradigm shift, would you rather lag behind or lead by innovating the design patent system for the better?
Resources:
Patent Analytics:
Transform IP Strategy Into Intelligence
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Chapter 8
How to Study Patent Network Analysis
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Here you can download example data files that we used for demonstration
in our book from Chapter 8.3, page 104.
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Sample "Dyson Patent List File" Mentioned in Figure 8.5;
8.5 Export patent search results to MS Excel.xlsx
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Sample "Nodes" and "Edges" Files Mentioned in Figure 8.6 and 8.7;
8.6 Example of a node sheet.csv
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8.7 Example of an edge sheet.csv
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Sample "Gephi" Files Mentioned in Figure 8.8 and 8.12;
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8.8 Overviewing Gephi 0.9.2 interface.gephi
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8.12 Dyson’s patent network visualization using Force Atlas 2.gephi
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Different stakeholders approach patent data and analytics with different purposes. We define patent analytics as the data science of analyzing large amount of patent information, to discover relationships, trends and patterns for decision making rooted in the business context.
Online Tutorial
Emirhan Aksu
Here is the Introduction to Practical sessions Patent Analysis. The whole practical sessions of Patent Analytics consist of 4 steps and 5 videos with examples included. Also, videos are supported by pdf files which are used in video presentations. In practical sessions we learn how to use Gephi tool for preparing and analysing networks.
Contact
Jieun Kim Ph.D.
Professor, Graduate School of Technology & Innovation Management, Hanyang University
222 Wangsimli-ro, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea
Email : jkim2@hanyang.ac.kr
Webpage : imagine.hanyang.ac.kr