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Protection of Intellectual Property

Basic Policy

The Kyocera Group's basic policy is to protect the results of its R&D efforts with intellectual property, to use the intellectual property to expand its business, and to respect the intellectual property of others.

Intellectual Property Management System

Kyocera has established "Intellectual Property Management Guidelines" and assigned liaison officers to our main sites in order that Kyocera smoothly obtain, maintain intellectual property, and conduct licensing negotiation relating to our intellectual property. Working closely with our Intellectual Property Division, we are thrived to further protect and utilize our intellectual property for our business.

Kyocera also regularly holds "Global Partner Meeting" between intellectual property personals of Kyocera Group and patent firms supporting us in U.S.A., Europe, China, and Japan (the Meeting is currently suspended due to COVID-19). In the Meeting, we use specific case examples to discuss a wide range of issues from know-how for patent acquisition to the sharing of intellectual property strategies, and to promote further improvement of the Guidelines and our information sharing system.

Kyocera has also established "Global Five-regional Legal and IP System" to proactively utilize the intellectual property of Kyocera Group and to manage intellectual property risks around the world. Under this System, we divide the world into five regions (Americas, Europe, China, Asia Pacific, Japan and South Korea) and work to coordinate and share information among Kyocera Group companies in each region.

Image: Global Partner Meeting
Global Partner Meeting

Incorporating IP Strategy in Early Stages of Business Strategy

In key cross-functional projects such as the "Smart City," the IP Division participates in early stages of business planning, not only to propose IP strategy but also to manage projects. This contributes to the development of robust, sustainable business models.

Organizational Structure

IP Planning and Development Division

Kyocera has established an IP Planning and Development Division with a mission to integrate intelle-ctual property strategy with business strategy. We strive to incorporate IP strategy into the early stage of business strategy via IP landscaping* to create a stronger framework for business activities.

image:IP Planning and Development Division

* IP landscaping: A general term for analyzing and forecasting market and technological trends based on IP information, news reports, and competitive intelligence, to provide information for a company's own business activities

Brand Management Committee

We installed a Brand Management Committee to establish a uniform corporate identity, promote awareness, and enhance the Kyocera Group's brand value.
 

imagaes:Brand Management Committee

* "TORQUE," "Enerezza," "cocochical," and "Aquala" are registered trademarks of KYOCERA Corporation

Education System of IP Person

We continue to focus on investing in human resources in response to our ever-diversifying business activities.

images:Education System of IP Person

IP Strategy That Keeps Pace with the Market

Since Kyocera's founding in 1959, we have continued to develop a broad range of technologies. However, to continue meeting customer expectations in a rapidly changing environment, we have expanded our IP activities to include sales of services and solutions in recent years in contrast to our earlier product focused-approach. For example, the following diagram depicts shifting trends in Kyocera patent applications for energy technologies. Before 2011, patent applications were focused on solar cells, fuel cells, and other hardware. However, in the last 10 years, there has been a shift toward patent applications for the technology required to provide total solutions, such as secondary storage batteries, equipment management control systems, and services.

Kyocera Group Trends in Energy-related Patent Applications

Trends in Japan patent applications seen via data mining

Images:Trends in Energy-related Patent Applications
Visualization of terms such as "Abstract" and "Claim" using VALUENEX, Inc.'s ValuenexRadar 4,764 Japan applications (publication from 2002 -2021)

The Number of Kyocera Patents

In order to maintain our technological ability to propose solutions to diversified markets, we are developing diversified management strategies while obtaining patents in Japan and overseas for various fields.
The Kyocera Group is working to strengthen its intellectual property, with the number of patents held in Japan and overseas increasing year by year.

【Calculation conditions for graph】

The total number of patents owned by the Kyocera Group as of the end of December every year except for 2021 (registered/examination /application pending).
The figures for companies in the Kyocera Group as of the end of August 2021
are calculated on the assumption that they were part of the Kyocera Group from 2017.

The Number of Kyocera Patent
The Number of Kyocera Patent

Use of Intellectual Property

The Kyocera Group is actively promoting the use of intellectual property, and has established the Kyocera Group Intellectual Property Site as part of this effort. This site briefly introduces some of Kyocera's proprietary technologies and strives to create business opportunities with interested companies. In some cases, it has actually developed into collaboration.

Kyocera Group Intellectual Property Site
Kyocera Group Intellectual Property Site

Measures against counterfeit products

The Kyocera Group is implementing diverse measures in various countries around the world to protect customers from the harm caused by counterfeit products, and to enable product use with peace of mind. Kyocera monitors mail order web sites and distribution sites around the world looking for counterfeit products. Vendors selling counterfeit products are given warning or are reported to authorities and are asked to pledge they will no longer handle the products. They are requested to destroy stocks and reveal the names of their suppliers. Kyocera also uses hologram seals to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit products for some products, such as toner containers, making it easier to determine whether a product is authentic.

Photo: Counterfeit ceramic knife
Counterfeit ceramic knife

Intellectual property protection activities by the Kyocera Group