Title: Management of patent applications for digital camera considering the product life cycle

Authors: Hiroaki Nagatsuka, Yoshitoshi Tanaka

Addresses: Graduate School of Innovation Management, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 3-3-6 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0023, Japan. ' Graduate School of Innovation Management, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 3-3-6 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0023, Japan

Abstract: Digital cameras have a long product life cycle. Generally, sales decline once the product reaches maturity. However in Japan, the number of patent applications continues to grow even after the maturity stage. This indicates that there must be a number of useless patent applications. In Japan, companies tend to file patent applications without regard to the possible effects of the patent application on the companies productivity and profitability. In general, patent applications are filed to thwart competition and improve its bargaining power in cross licensing agreements. This study analyses the cumulative number of patent applications using correlation analysis and examination of the financial indicators of each company. More importantly, this paper makes a comparative study of the company|s management of patent applications with the product life cycle of digital cameras.

Keywords: cumulative number of patent applications; product life cycle of digital cameras; financial indicators.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLSE.2011.042276

International Journal of Liability and Scientific Enquiry, 2011 Vol.4 No.3, pp.218 - 238

Published online: 29 Nov 2014 *

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