How to define the technical roadmap in the field of
filtering technology for hydraulic excavators by using
customers’ patent information?
Yoshinori Tsurusaki
YAMASHIN-FILTER CORP, Yokohama, Japan
[email protected]
Yoshitoshi Tanaka
Professor, Graduate School of Innovation Management, Tokyo Institute of Technology
[email protected]
Abstract. Today, the modern products are assembled with many parts which
constitute the final product, and there are many suppliers working for their customer by
providing their qualified and competing parts. Here, B-B (business to business) exists in
the real business situation. And, all suppliers are requested to provide their parts
responding to their customers’ demands. While the suppliers investigate their
competitors’ patent information, however, they have not made enough attention on their
customers’ patent information. It is very important for the suppliers to watch and
investigate customers’ patent information to grasp the direction of R&D to know what
will be the next product and how we should be ready to make their customers satisfied.
The purpose of this research is to give the message of the importance of analysis on
customers’ patent information, proposing how to draft “technical roadmap” of future
products by using customers’ patent information. In this paper, we focused on a supplier
producing oil-filter for construction machinery industry, proposed a process how to
define the technical roadmap of the supplier by making customers’ patent information.
The proposed process to define the technical roadmap from patent information has been
verified with a certain methodology.
1. Introduction
Today, the intellectual property system is introduced and improved in most of
countries in the world, and utilized as a fundamental system for the development of
industry by protecting inventions. Under patent system, the contents of application are
disclosed after certain period, and it stimulates further improvements. Also, the patent
information disclosed to the public is widely utilized for the strategy making of
corporate activity. In order to win the business competition, it is required to get to know
the status of development of competing companies. And the intellectual property
department of a company surveys analysis of patent information of competitors
regularly, and the patent information is utilized to define future direction of research and
development of its company. When their new product is planned to commercialize on
the market, patent information search is done to avoid patent infringement owned by
competitors. In addition, also for licensing, establishment of an alliance with other
companies, or for technology standardization, patent information has been utilized
widely. However, these examples were fundamentally limited to the information
analysis of the patent information of the competitors.
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In many sectors, the modern products are assembled with many parts which
constitute the product, and supplied from many related companies (supplier). There are
many suppliers working for their customer providing their qualified and competing
parts. Here, B-B (business to business) exists in the real business situation. And, all
suppliers are requested to provide their parts responding to their customers’ demands,
and their customers are making their own R&D to improve their products, filing patent
applications and publishing patent information. However, the suppliers have
investigated competitors’ patent information to compete against competitors’ progresses
of R&D [1], and have not made enough attention on their customers’ patent information.
It is very important for the suppliers to watch and investigate customers’ patent
information to grasp the direction of R&D to know what will be the next product and
how we should be ready to make their customers satisfied. By making analysis on
customers’ patent information, the suppliers can be provide the best parts which suit to
the future requests from customers.
The purpose of this research is to give the message of the importance of analysis on
customers’ patent information, proposing how to draft “technical roadmap” of future
products and their parts by using customers’ patent information. In this paper, we
focused on a supplier producing oil-filter for construction machinery industry;
YAMASHIN-FILTER CORP, proposed a process how to create the technical roadmap
of the supplier by making customers’ patent information. We picked up major 3
customers ranked top 3 in the field of hydraulic excavators, proposed the methodology
to define future technical roadmap. The proposed process to define the technical
roadmap from patent information has been verified with a certain methodology. We
expect that the YAMASHIN-FILTER will be ready to define their R&D strategy
according to the proposed technical roadmap to make their customers satisfied. From
our research, it is requested to integrate the legal information such as amendment of the
related laws, which connect the legal aspects based on the environment and speed of
technical development. It is important to watch the legal revision linking directly to
development of technology, which shall be integrated with the analysis on patent
information, in order to define qualified technical roadmap.
Table 1 describes basic information on YAMASHIN-FILTER CORP, which we
focused as a supplier in this research.
Table-1 The corporate profile of YAMASHIN-FILTER CORP.
Source：The Web site of YAMASHIN-FILTER CORP.[2]
Corporate
YAMASHIN-FILTER CORP.
name
Location
1-1-8 Sakuragi-cho,Naka-ku,Yokohama,Kanagawa
231-0062,Japan
Foundation
April 5,1956
Description
Manufacture and sale of filters for construction machine and
of business
industries
Capital
335 million yen (＄3,385,175)
President
Atsuhiko Yamazaki
Number of
Non-consolidated：138
consolidated：317 (As of
payrolls
March,2013)
Figure 1 shows the transition of the sales of shipment of construction machine [3].
The amount of money for shipment of construction machinery fell sharply under the
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influence of the Lehman shock in 2008 temporarily. However, the sales have been
recovered even more than it in 2008, because of emerging market of rapidly developing
countries. [4] Moreover, this figure shows that the rate of sales for hydraulic excavator
of whole construction machinery is very high.
▼Subprime loan
▼Lehman shock
Fig. 1 Transition of business for construction machinery shipment
Source：Japan Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association survey data.
In other words, it expresses that hydraulic excavators are in use in the present
construction machinery market. Hydraulic excavators have many element functions
compared with other construction machinery (foil loaders, bulldozers, etc.). Therefore,
hydraulic excavators can work a variety efficiently more. And the ease of operation is
considered to be the greatest factor that became the prime machine for hydraulic
excavators.
Especially YAMASHIN-FILTER CORP. is concentrating on development and
manufacture of the filter for hydraulic excavators. Therefore, they need to pay attention
to the future trend of the filter carried in three companies of main construction
machinery makers' hydraulic excavator.
2.
The subject of research and analytical skills
Fig.2 shows the outline of this research processes. First, the patent information
related with the filter technologies for hydraulic excavators of three customers’
companies has been collected. Next, the patent map of the filter for hydraulic excavators
of each company was made using the patent information. Then, the drawing of technical
changes in the filter field for hydraulic excavators of each company was made from the
collected patent information. From them, the changes of filtering technique and the
direction of development have been grasped. Then, the market environment was
grasped by collecting the external information surrounding hydraulic excavators or
selected companies. This external information has been used as additional information
when we defined the technical roadmap of the filter for hydraulic excavators.
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Fig. 2 The flow chart of this research
Along with the research processes, the technical needs from customers were extracted
from the patent map. And the technical flow and the direction of development have been
extracted from the drawing of technical changes. Finally external information is
considered and the technical roadmap for filter field is created. The technical roadmap
gave us the prediction of the mid-term and long-term filtering technique for hydraulic
excavators.
We verified our roadmap by the following method. The method is creating the
technical roadmap, which made at the present, using the same technique tracing back to
the situation of ten years ago (2002). By referring to the situation as of 2012, the created
technical roadmap has been verified whether it shows the right direction on the present
situation. Specifically, patent maps and drawing of technical changes are created from
the patent information for which it applied even ten years ago. From them, the technical
needs of customers of those days are grasped. And the external information about the
hydraulic excavators around 2002 is collected and the technical roadmap from ten years
ago to the present is created. In addition, about the check of the validity of this technical
roadmap, it carries out in two fields of a return filter and an exhaust gas clarifying filter.
As generalization of research, it considers synthetically at the last.
More detailed process of methodology is explained along with the number of the flow
chart of Fig.2, in the following descriptions.
2-1 Collection of the patent information of the customers regarding the filter for
hydraulic excavators
As means to collect patent information, JP-NET (database by a Japanese patent data
service company) was used. The database has stored the patent information in 1983 and
afterwards. Therefore, it was determined that it was from January 1, 1983 to December
31, 2010 as a collection period covered. Patent information takes one year and a half by
public presentation after application. Therefore, since the number of applications may
not be exact, about the application by 2011 to 2012, it carries out the outside of an
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object. In order to collect the patent information on the filter for hydraulic excavators,
creation of a search formula is important. Usually, it searches combining some IPC.
However, it is necessary to collect only the patent information about the filter for
hydraulic excavators in this research. For example, IPC like F15B and F04B belongs to
the category of a hydraulic pump or a hydraulic circuit. However, they have a part
related to a filter plentifully. Therefore, search may not be exact even if it combines IPC
in connection with a filter. Then, patent information will be collected only within the
filter for hydraulic excavators.
Therefore, the official report in which the keyword "* excavator (suffix search)" is
contained in the whole sentence was searched. Furthermore, in order to narrow down,
the official report in which the keyword " filter * (prefix search)" is contained in a
summary, a claim, or a title was searched.
Then, it considers that official reports without necessity are noises, and removes them.
This method was considered as a suitable search method. This is a reason for having
performed search in the combination of keywords. In addition, in this research, only
Japan was specified as the country for application. This is because the Japanese
construction machinery maker forms 50 to 60 percent of the market share in the world
about the hydraulic excavator. It is presumed that the world share of the model designed
in Japan accounts for about 80 to 90 percent now [5][6]. Therefore, since hydraulic
excavator development is mainly performed in Japan, it is thought that the patent
application in Japan is the first thing to do. The patent applications in foreign countries
will be the future subjects.
Moreover, when seeing technology trends from the patent information of each
company, we should make the universe not only a patent journal but also publication of
patent applications. Even if the reason is not able to acquire a patent, it will be because
competitors may apply as a strategy prevented from acquiring a patent. The collection
conditions of patent information were summarized at the following table 2.
Table-2 the patent information retrieval condition list in JP-NET
According to following Phase i) to Phase ⅲ), patent map creation is prepared about
the collected patent information.
Phaseⅰ)
First, we checked “Field of the Invention” and the “conventional technology” in
patent specifications, and classified the type of filter. For example, if it is the filter
currently installed in the circumference of a hydraulic oil tank, we classified it as
“return filter field”. When it was the peripheral technology of the filter currently used
all over the hydraulic circuit, we classified it as “line filter field”. It is classified into
eight filter fields in this research [7]. First, they are seven filter fields shown in a red
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character in the following figure 3.
Fig. 3 Main filters carried in hydraulic excavators
Source：The internal document of YAMASHIN-FILTER CORP. , It quotes and corrects
from the Komatsu Ltd. and NIPPON DONALDSON, LTD. website.
The line filters and air breathers, etc. shown by the black letter of the above figure
have extremely few applications. Therefore, we classified them into one kind as “other
oil filters”. So, we classified totally into 7 filter fields.
Phaseⅱ)
Next, the purpose and effect which the applicant desires have been extracted by
reading the subject and effect of invention in the patent specification. For example,
when it was the purpose which contributes to the working efficiency at the time of
exchanging filters, it was classified into “improvement in maintenance nature”. Also, if
aimed at telling a worker about the exchange life of a filter, it collected by direct
expression like “clog detection of a filter”.
In this research, an applicant defines the purpose and effect which are desired to a
filter as “technical needs”. The extracted “technical needs” are the following 14 items.
Improvement in maintenance nature
Actuator damage prevention
Air suction prevention
Clog detection of a filter
Measurement of pollution of fuel
Miniaturization
Oil leak prevention
Extension of a filter life
Measurement of pollution of hydraulic oil
Pollution control in a hydraulic oil tank
Improvement in safety
Cost cut
Energy saving
Formation of a low pressure drop
Based on the method explained by Phase i)and Phaseⅱ), the contents extracted from
patent information for each company are summarized.
A part of conclusion about the patent information of company A is shown in the
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following table 3.
Table-3 the feature of the filter for hydraulic excavators of company A which extracted
from patent information (part extract)
Phaseⅲ)
Moreover, the problem of the present condition of conventional technology was
extracted from description of the “conventional technology” in a patent specification.
And it was extracted from description of the “solution” in the patent specification how it
solved against a certain subject.
2-2 Patent map creation of the filter for hydraulic excavators for each company
By passing through Phaseⅰ) to Phaseⅲ), as shown in the following figure 4, patent
maps are created. They are created for each company.
Fig.4 The flow of patent map creation of this research
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【The matrix map of the filter field and technical needs】
A horizontal axis is set as the filter field classified according to Phase i). Next, the
bubble chart was created by setting a vertical axis as the technical needs extracted by
Phaseⅱ). The size of the bubble of this bubble chart means the number of patent
applications. From this bubble chart, the technical needs which attract attention for
every filter field can be grasped. That is, it is thought that the part where the size of a
bubble is large attracts attention from customers, and it is thought that the technical
needs from customers are great.
【The composition map of the application field】
The pie chart showing the percentage of the application number in the patent total
application number in the filter for hydraulic excavators is created. The filter field
which each customer is concentrating on can be read in this graph. (Or the filter field
concentrated on in the past)
【The changes map of the application field】
When creating a bubble chart, a vertical axis is determined as eight filter fields
classified according to Phaseⅰ). About the horizontal axis, it was considered as the
application year. The size of the bubble of this bubble chart means the number of patent
applications. By this bubble chart, the time for which it has applied to each filter field
can be grasped. Moreover, it can be read how the application field is changing with the
age.
2-3 Creation of the drawing of technical changes of the filter for hydraulic
excavators for each company
The drawing of technical changes for every filter field of each company is created
using the contents extracted by Phaseⅰ) to Phaseⅲ). It explains creating a technical
changes figure using the example of a creation figure of following page figure 5. The
sign (from A to G) in the example of a creation figure is explained in order. In addition,
the technical changes figure is a flow in alignment with the time series of the
application year from left-hand side toward right-hand side.
Fig.5 The example of creation of a drawing of technical changes
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A: Filter field
The name of the related filter field extracted in Phaseⅰ) is shown.
B: Technical needs
It specifies the development about which technical needs is shown.
C: The subject and problem of conventional technology
The present problem of the conventional technology extracted in Phaseⅲ) is shown.
D: The name of patent information, etc.
The upper row is an official report number. The middle is a name of invention. The
lower line is an application date. The official report painted out blue is a patent journal.
That is, the official report in which the patent is acquired is meant. The official report
painted out white is publication of patent applications.
E: Solution
The means of problem solving extracted in Phaseⅲ) is shown briefly.
F: Black arrow
About patent application in after years, the application with relation is connected with
a black arrow in order to show the circumstances of development.
G: Explanation about the flow of technical development
The flow of the technology shown by the black arrow of F was explained briefly. For
example, Fig. 5 shows the extract of the figure showing the development about
improvement in the maintenance nature of an engine oil filter. In the Fig. 5, it turns out
that the flow of development is roughly divided into two. One is raising maintenance
working efficiency. Another side is raising maintenance nature by devising arrangement
of filters and miniaturizing more.
Thus, it is important to understand the technical contents about creation of a technical
changes figure. Simultaneously, it is important to create finely for every technical needs
of the filter of each company. By doing so, changes of the technology from the past are
grasped exactly and it seems that the direction of development of future technology can
be predicted.
2-4 Collection of external information
When creating a technical roadmap from patent information, external information is
collected in order to complement the contents. Especially when predicting development
of mid-term and long-term technology, it refers to the external information collected
from the annual report of each company, the website, the work, the technical paper, and
the policy trend. Analysis of the outside environment which surrounds the construction
machinery makers containing hydraulic excavators refers to PEST analysis [8].
2-5 View prediction of the mid- and long-term filtering technique for hydraulic
excavators
【Details of the creation technique of a filtering technique roadmap】
STEPⅠ Systematization of technical needs and extraction of details common to
each company
From a patent map, it systematizes after extracting technical needs with much
application and the filter field in common with each company. Contents characteristic of
each company are also extracted collectively. For example, although company A has
applied, company B extracts a field and technical needs for which it has not applied.
Moreover, the item which application is fluctuating in recent years is extracted.
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By doing so, the filter field which each company has concentrated on or withdrawn
can be made clear.
STEPⅡ It looks down at technical changes figures and finds the point which
predicts a technical flow and possibilities.
In the item extracted and systematized in STEP I, the flow of a problem or solution
can grasp visually by the bird's-eye view of a technical changes figure. Simultaneously,
there is a point which predicts the possibilities of a future filter.
For example, in changes of the technology of the circumference of a return filter,
accuracy has been going up also in the measuring technique of not only detection of a
filter clog but hydraulic oil degree of contamination. And a driver can grasp them now
by a driver's seat. Therefore, it can be predicted that not only measurement of the degree
of contamination of hydraulic oil but measurement of broad items is attained from now
on.
STEP Ⅲ
Outside environment analysis which surrounds the hydraulic
excavator industry is conducted and future prediction is complemented.
External information is systematically collected from the viewpoint of PEST analysis.
And they support the contents extracted by STEPⅠand STEPⅡ (especially STEPⅡ).
Thereby, the persuasive power of a filtering technique roadmap can be increased.
That is, STEPⅠ is the present grasp. STEPⅡ is reading of the point of prediction of
possibilities.
STEPⅢ is the complement of prediction. It can decide upon the technical roadmap
reflecting the request about customers' filter by completing these three procedures.
Fig.6 The flow of the technical roadmap creation in this research
It is very important to check the validity of technical roadmaps. As the technique, the
patent information on ten years before and the external information at the time of ten
years before are collected first. The technical roadmap which predicted from ten years
before to the present in the procedure is created. Then, the present condition and its
created technical roadmap are tested by comparison, and it is checked whether it is
appropriate.
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3.
Results and consideration
The patent maps of each company and the technical changes figures for every filter
field were created using the patent information collected through JPNET. The example
of a technical changes figure was shown in Fig. 7.
Fig.7 The example of creation of patent maps (Company A)
Next, the feature of each company which extracted from patent maps, the flow of the
technology read in technical changes figures, and the direction of prospective
development were shown. And technical roadmaps were created, considering collected
external information as a complement.
A return filter and an exhaust gas clarifying filter are shown as a representative case.
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Fig.8 The technical roadmap of a return filter
A vertical axis is made into a technological level and a horizontal axis is considered
as environmental correspondence (degree of consideration of influence by environment).
First, the present return filter has the feature in extension of life-span and
miniaturization. And the oil leak at the time of the filter exchange called for as a basic
function and the pollution control in a hydraulic oil tank are considered. So to speak, the
present return filter is a filter excellent in maintenance nature. It is thought that the
measuring technique of clog detection of a filter and the degree of contamination of
hydraulic oil develops still more highly efficiently from now on. Moreover, about a
return filter, it counts upon collaboration with ICT of construction machinery further.
In connection with it, it can be predicted that various data about the feature of hydraulic
oil will be acquired from now on. Furthermore, in a mid- and long-term viewpoint, if it
refers to the external information which surrounds hydraulic excavators, it can be
predicted that the technology of reducing an environmental impact improves. For
example, they are expansion of the total electric hydraulic excavators, recycling of parts,
and use of bio-oil. Filters are also considered to develop into eco-friendly by them. For
example, if the hours worked of a hydraulic excavator become long, the oxidation
degradation of hydraulic oil will pose a problem. If it becomes so, it will be predicted
that use of filters can protect the oxidation degradation of hydraulic oil now, or it can
reuse the filter after use.
Fig.9 The technical roadmap of an exhaust gas clarifying filter
Then, in an exhaust gas clarifying filter, the vertical axis of a graph is made into a
technological level, and a horizontal axis is similarly considered as environmental
correspondence. Since the reconstruction technique which burns the caught particulate
matter is improving now, the filter has extended life-span. In addition, in order to
prevent the deposition unevenness of a particulate matter, the rectification technology of
exhaust gas is developed.
Moreover, the technology which makes pressure drop low for the prevention from
degradation of the filter by the heat of exhaust gas is progressing now. So to speak, the
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present filter has safety and high maintenance nature. From now on, the thermal energy
of reproduction processing of a filter is exploited still more effectively. And it seems
that promotion of energy saving accelerates more. Moreover, the expensive precious
metal catalyst is used for the filter.
Therefore, the charge of an alternate material of a low-priced edition is examined
from now on, and it seems that high performance and a cost cut are further pursued.
Moreover, according to external information, strengthening of control of exhaust gas
will become still severer from now on. And development progresses further like
change of the fuel itself (for example, water emulsion fuel). Therefore, the exhaust gas
clarifying filter becomes more highly efficient. If the life of a battery becomes still
longer, the share of the total electric hydraulic excavator will be expanded. If it becomes
such a situation, engines become unnecessary in the future. Therefore, it is possible that
an exhaust gas clarifying filter also becomes unnecessary.
In order to check the validity of the technical roadmaps of filters, the patent
information and external information of ten years ago were used, and the technical
roadmaps which predicted from ten years before to the present were created.
Fig.10 The technical roadmaps of a return filter and an exhaust gas clarifying filter
which predicted from ten years before to the present (Left：Return filter Right：
Exhaust gas clarifying filter)
In the technical roadmap of a left-hand side return filter, highly-precise-using and
miniaturization of filter performance are progressing as of 2012. And it is a flow of
technology with which measurement of the degree of contamination of hydraulic oil
becomes still more precise.
Therefore, a return filter is considered that the direction of development can be
correctly shown by the creation technique of the technical roadmap this research.
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On the other hand, in the technical roadmap of a right-hand side exhaust gas
clarifying filter, although it is not a mistake, it is rough contents, and it cannot be said
that it is exact. In recent years, the technology of an exhaust gas clarifying filter is
progressing very much. For example, the particulate matter deposited on the filter was
burned and the reconstruction technique which cancels a clog automatically is
developed. The service in which a construction machinery maker maintains the
deposited particulate matter by that has become unnecessary. Probably, development of
the technology about automatic reproduction of a filter was not able to be predicted
even if it has predicted extension of life-span of the filter by the patent information and
external information of ten years ago. What is the difference between these two
examples? Only company B was performing application about an exhaust gas clarifying
filter those days in 2002. Therefore, in that time, it must have been difficult using patent
information to create a technical roadmap.
There is what its attention should be most paid for about progress of the technology
of an exhaust gas clarifying filter. I hear that a possibility that progress of the
technology originates in the common name off-road law probably enforced in 2006 is
high. With this law, the level of the control of exhaust gas about construction machinery
became a standard near Tier3 of U.S. EPA [9]. It seems that the technology of the
exhaust gas clarifying filter developed splendidly since the standard of this control of
exhaust gas became high. Transition of the control of exhaust gas of a main country is
shown in Table 4.
(NOx shown in a table is nitrogen oxide. HC is hydrocarbon. CO is carbon monoxide.
PM shows suspended particulate matter.)
Table-4 Transition of the control of exhaust gas of a main country [9]
Source：Yoshihisa Nanba, Globalization of regulation and the standard of construction
machinery, and improvement in safety, The construction plan of construction
In these two filter fields, the technical roadmap which gazed at the present from ten
years before was created. By performing it, changes of the technology about the filter
for hydraulic excavators of each company were analyzed from patent information, and
the verification about the technique of finding out the direction of development was
tried. And the following views were drawn.
In an example like a return filter, the technical roadmap on which the technical needs
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extracted from customers' patent information by this research technique were reflected
can be drawn correctly.
On the other hand, like an exhaust gas clarifying filter, when creating a technical
roadmap, important legal revision which contributes to development of technology
seriously may be unable to be predicted in the future. In the case, when the creation
technique of the technical roadmap in this research was used, it was checked that the
direction of development may be mistaken.
Also in external information, related legal revision may affect development of the
technology very much. Also in the case where it cannot be predicted, it is important for
the information about legal revision to always pay attention. And it is important to
improve the technical roadmap, whenever legal revision which is directly linked with
development of technology occurs. And the completeness can be raised by updating to
the technical roadmap on which they were reflected.
Engineers not only need to pay their attention to customers' patent information, but
always need to be simultaneously concerned about the change of a social situation
related to products. It is considered to have been suggested by this research that the
necessity of paying attention to especially the trend of legal revision is high.
4.
Conclusion and proposal
In this research, we proposed a process to make technical roadmap by using patent
information of customers. Generally, a certain supplier tends to watch and evaluate their
competitors’ patent information without give attention to their customers’ patent
information. By watching customers’ patent information, the supplier can understand
the future direction of new products contributing their customers. The roadmap
described using customers’ patent information gives supplier valuable hints to expand
their business in the future.
Specifically in this research, YAMASHIN-FILTER CORP was focused as an example
of suppliers, which is the oil-filter manufacturing company for construction machinery.
And, three companies of tops of sales in the construction machinery industry were
selected as main customers. We described the technical roadmap which suggests the
direction of development of the oil-filter for hydraulic excavators by using the patent
information of these customers.
In order to check the validity of the method to make the technical roadmap, we
defined the technical roadmap from the passed patent information and external
environment information standing back 10 years ago, and made evaluation whether the
roadmap describes the present condition or not. We reached a conclusion that the
method has been justified to show the proper direction of development of the filter for
hydraulic excavators, with a certain condition. When we make a technical roadmap, we
have to consider not only technical development but also the social environment
changes. Especially in the field of construction machinery, legal changes of laws related
environment regulations such as Emission control, energy saving regulations, etc.,
depending on the industry fields. In case the legal changes surrounding the industry
field happened afterwards, we have to carefully consider those issues to update the
technical roadmap when noticed. When we create a technical roadmaps using patent
information, it is required to pay careful attention to recognize the social change related
to a specific business domain.
As observed by this research, when grasping the direction of technical development
from patent information and making a technical roadmap in the field of B-B business,
customers’ patent information has its practical value to tell us the future direction of
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concerned business. When suppliers analyze the future business strategy, it is worth for
the supplier to evaluate their customers’ patent information to grasp future direction of
customers’ business. The utilization of patent information is expected more in the
future.
Reference
[1] ISEKI&CO.,LTD., Intellectual property report 2012 edition, P4, 2012
[2] The WEB site of YAMASHIN-FILTER.CORP., It accesses on May 10, 2013,
http://www.yamashin-filter.co.jp/corporate/index.html
[3] The WEB site of Japan Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association,
It accesses on March 11, 2013,
http://www.cema.or.jp/stat/general/stat_gj.php
[4] The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. Company Research and Planning
Department, The present condition of the China construction machinery industry and a
future view, P1, 2012
[5] Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare,
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, White Paper on
Manufacturing Infrastructure, P251, 2011
[6] The WEB site of Caterpillar Japan Ltd., It accesses on March 11, 2013,
http://japan.cat.com/cda/layout?m=220582&x=1
[7] The WEB site of NIPPON DONALDSON,LTD., It accesses on March 11, 2013,
http://www.donaldson.co.jp/product/engine/fuel.html
[8] The Japan Research Institute, Limited, Management-strategy study group, The
foundations of management strategy, P39, 2011
[9] Yoshihisa Nanba, Globalization of regulation and the standard of construction
machinery, and improvement in safety, The construction plan of construction, 7, P18～
P19, 2008
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