Information processing device, information processing method, and program

Abstract

Provided is a technology that makes it possible to ascertain the features of the technical portfolio of a specific applicant. An information processing device 1 has an acquisition unit 10, an identification unit 20, and a computation unit 30. The acquisition unit 10 acquires patent information about a plurality of patents. The identification unit 20 identifies first information on the basis of the patent information. The first information includes information about the number of patents per applicant for a prescribed technical classification and the number of patents of a specific applicant for the prescribed technical classification. The computation unit 30 calculates second information on the basis of the first information. The second information includes information about at least one of the share and the rank of the specific applicant for the prescribed technical classification.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program for performing information processing based on patent information.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a technique for analyzing information of a company or an individual who is a patent applicant or a patentee using patent information. For example, Patent Document 1 calculates an evaluation value related to a patent, aggregates the evaluation values for each patentee and for each patent industry classification obtained by associating patent classification and industry classification, and compares the obtained aggregated values in time series, thereby discloses a technique for calculating the patent power growth rate in each patent industry classification of a patentee. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for classifying patents held by a company into predetermined categories based on the value of the patents.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] According to the technique of Patent Document 1, the patent power growth rate for technologies deeply related to each industry can be calculated for each company. According to the technique of Patent Document 2, by classifying individual patents based on their value, it is possible to easily determine whether a patent is unnecessary. However, with the conventional techniques, it has been difficult to grasp the characteristics of the technology portfolio of a specific applicant.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program capable of grasping the characteristics of the technology portfolio of a specific applicant. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An information processing device in one aspect of the present invention includes: an acquisition unit that acquires patent information relating to a plurality of patents; an identification unit that identifies first information based on the patent information, which includes information regarding the number of patents for each applicant for a predetermined technology classification and the number of patents for a specific applicant for the predetermined technology classification; and a calculation unit that calculates second information based on the first information, which includes information regarding at least one of the market share and ranking of the specific applicant for the predetermined technology classification. With such a configuration, it is possible to grasp the characteristics of a specific applicant's technology portfolio.

[0007] In one embodiment, the calculation unit may be configured to calculate information including information relating to the market share and ranking of the specific applicant as the second information.

[0008] In one embodiment, the identifying unit may be configured to identify as first information information that includes, when there are multiple predetermined technical classifications, the number of patents for each applicant for each of the multiple technical classifications and the number of patents for each of the multiple technical classifications of the specific applicant.

[0009] In one embodiment, the system may further include an output unit that outputs the second information.

[0010] In one embodiment, the calculation unit may be configured to perform the following steps: calculate a total evaluation value for each of the multiple technology classifications based on the total number of patents of the multiple applicants; calculate a specific evaluation value for each of the multiple technology classifications based on the number of patents of a specific applicant; and determine the market share of the specific applicant for each of the multiple technology classifications based on the ratio of the specific evaluation value to the total evaluation value. With such a configuration, the market share can be determined for each of the multiple technology classifications by comparing the specific evaluation value with the total evaluation value.

[0011] In one embodiment, the calculation unit may be configured to perform the steps of: calculating an individual evaluation value for each of the plurality of technology classifications based on the number of patents held by each of the plurality of applicants; and determining the ranking of a particular applicant for each of the plurality of technology classifications based on the relative ranking of the evaluation value of that particular applicant among the individual evaluation values.

[0012] In one embodiment, the system further includes a generation unit that generates display information including a plurality of plots in a coordinate system where the rank is the first axis and the occupancy rate is the second axis, with each of the plurality of technical classifications for a particular applicant positioned at a corresponding location, and the output unit may output the display information as the second information. With such a configuration, the position of each of the plurality of technical classifications for a particular applicant can be represented in a way that is easy to grasp visually or relatively.

[0013] In one embodiment, the calculation unit is configured to perform the step of calculating a specific evaluation value for each of the plurality of technology classifications based on the number of patents of the particular applicant, and the generation unit may generate the display information such that each of the plurality of plots is sized based on the specific evaluation value of the corresponding technology classification. With such a configuration, the position of each of the plurality of technology classifications for a particular applicant can be represented in a way that is easier to grasp visually or relatively.

[0014] In one embodiment, the generation unit may generate the display information in such a way that it has a common display pattern for each related technical classification among the plurality of technical classifications. With such a configuration, it is possible to easily grasp the distribution of related technical classifications for a particular applicant.

[0015] In one embodiment, the generation unit may generate an approximation curve that approximates the plurality of plots and parameters representing the approximation curve, and include them in the display information. According to such a configuration, it is possible to quantitatively or tendentially grasp the characteristics of the technical portfolio of a specific applicant.

[0016] In one embodiment, when the first axis is the X-axis and the second axis is the Y-axis, the generation unit may generate the approximation curve as a power approximation curve represented by the formula (1) Y = aX b (where 0 < a and b < 0). According to such a configuration, it is possible to quantitatively or tendentially grasp the characteristics of the technical portfolio of a specific applicant.

[0017] In one embodiment, the apparatus further includes a determination unit that determines the tendency of the technical portfolio of the specific applicant based on at least one of the value of the parameter a and the value of the parameter b in the formula (1), and the generation unit may generate the display information including the determination result by the determination unit. According to such a configuration, it is possible to more easily grasp the characteristics of the technical portfolio of a specific applicant.

[0018] In one embodiment, among the plurality of plots, for plots in which the specific evaluation value of the corresponding technical classification is less than a predetermined threshold, the generation unit may exclude them from the target of approximation of the approximation curve. According to such a configuration, it is possible to quantitatively grasp the characteristics of the technical portfolio by focusing on the technologies on which a specific applicant is concentrating.

[0019] In one embodiment, each of the multiple technology classifications is a predetermined level among multiple technology categories, and the lower levels of the technology category are more finely subdivided. The generation unit may change the multiple technology classifications to a lower level of the technology category and update the display information to include multiple plots corresponding to each of the changed multiple technology classifications if at least one of the following conditions is met: the multiple plots are ranked lower than a predetermined rank, and the multiple plots have a lower occupancy rate than a predetermined rate. With such a configuration, it is possible to appropriately select a technology category level that makes it easy to grasp the characteristics of a particular applicant's technology portfolio.

[0020] In one embodiment, the multiple hierarchical technical classifications may be the International Patent Classification (IPC). With such a configuration, it is possible to understand the characteristics of a particular applicant's technical portfolio based on readily available public information.

[0021] In one embodiment, the acquisition unit may acquire the patent information by treating one patent family as one patent. With such a configuration, appropriate analysis becomes possible without duplicate counting of different patents within the same family.

[0022] In one embodiment, the acquisition unit may acquire patent information for patents in which predetermined date information falls within a predetermined period. With such a configuration, appropriate comparisons become possible, for example, in highly competitive technological fields where rankings and market share change significantly over time.

[0023] An information processing method according to another aspect of the present invention includes an acquisition step of acquiring patent information regarding a plurality of patents, a specification step of specifying first information including information regarding the number of patents for each applicant for a predetermined technical classification and the number of patents of a specific applicant for the predetermined technical classification based on the patent information, and a calculation step of calculating second information including information regarding at least one of the occupancy rate and ranking of the specific applicant for the predetermined technical classification based on the first information. A computer executes these steps. According to such a configuration, it is possible to grasp the characteristics of the technical portfolio of a specific applicant.

[0024] A program according to still another aspect of the present invention causes a computer to execute an acquisition step of acquiring patent information regarding a plurality of patents, a specification step of specifying first information including information regarding the number of patents for each applicant for a predetermined technical classification and the number of patents of a specific applicant for the predetermined technical classification based on the patent information, a calculation step of calculating second information including information regarding the occupancy rate and ranking of the specific applicant for each of the plurality of technical classifications based on the first information, and an output step of outputting the second information. According to such a configuration, it is possible to grasp the characteristics of the technical portfolio of a specific applicant.

Advantages of the Invention

[0025] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program capable of grasping the characteristics of the technical portfolio of a specific applicant.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0026] [ [Figure 1] It is a schematic configuration diagram of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a diagram showing a first configuration example of the information processing apparatus in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing a second configuration example of the information processing apparatus in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing an example of patent information. [Figure 5] Figure 1 is a flowchart showing the information processing performed by the information processing device. [Figure 6] This flowchart shows an example of the first information identification process. [Figure 7] This flowchart shows an example of the second information calculation process. [Figure 8] This flowchart shows an example of the occupancy rate determination process. [Figure 9] This is a flowchart showing an example of the ranking determination process. [Figure 10] This is a flowchart showing an example of the display information generation process. [Figure 11] This figure shows an example of a display screen. [Figure 12] This figure shows an example of a display screen. [Figure 13] This figure shows an example of a display screen. [Figure 14] This figure shows an example of a display screen. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0027] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this specification and the drawings, elements having substantially the same function or configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0028] (Outline configuration of the information processing device) Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the information processing device 1 according to this embodiment. The information processing device 1 comprises an acquisition unit 10, a specification unit 20, and a calculation unit 30. The information processing device 1 may further comprise at least one of a generation unit 40 and an output unit 50. The acquisition unit 10, the specification unit 20, the calculation unit 30, the generation unit 40, and the output unit 50 can be configured as functional blocks executed by a control unit provided in the information processing device 1. However, the components corresponding to each functional block provided in the information processing device 1 can be made up of circuit blocks, memory, and other LSIs as hardware, and can be implemented as system software or programs loaded into memory as software. Therefore, these functional blocks can be implemented in various forms by hardware alone, software alone, or a combination thereof, and are not limited to any one of these.

[0029] The acquisition unit 10 acquires patent information 11 (see Figure 2, etc.). Patent information 11 is information about multiple published patents. In this specification, patents may also include utility models. Furthermore, patents may include not only those that have been registered but also those that are pending. Patent information 11 may include at least one of the following: information from patent gazettes issued by national and regional patent offices and other public institutions (including international organizations; the same applies hereinafter), application history information, appeal information, and litigation information. In addition, patent information 11 may include information that has been compiled, analyzed, etc., based on information about patents issued by national and regional public institutions.

[0030] The identification unit 20 identifies the first information based on the patent information 11 acquired by the acquisition unit 10. The first information includes information regarding the number of patents for each patent applicant or patent holder (hereinafter collectively referred to simply as "applicant") for a given technical classification. The first information also includes information regarding the number of patents for a specific applicant for a given technical classification. Here, there may be one or more given technical classifications. If there are multiple given technical classifications, the first information may include information regarding the number of patents for each applicant for each of the multiple technical classifications, and the number of patents for a specific applicant for each of the multiple technical classifications. Furthermore, the first information may include information regarding the total number of patents for multiple applicants for each of the multiple technical classifications. For a given technical classification, information regarding the total number of patents for multiple applicants can be identified based on the number of patents for each applicant. Hereinafter, the "multiple applicants" mentioned above will also be referred to as the "applicant population" for convenience.

[0031] Here, a specific applicant is the applicant to be analyzed. A specific applicant is a subset of applicants from the applicant population, and may be one applicant or two or more applicants. For example, even if the applicant is the same person, they may be treated as different applicants in the patent information 11 due to differences in notation, etc., or two or more applicants belonging to the same group company may be grouped together as one specific applicant when it is desired to analyze them as a single entity. A specific applicant may be set in advance, set when the information processing device 1 performs the information processing described later, or a combination of these. The applicant population may be all applicants included in the patent information 11, or a subset of applicants. If the applicant population is a subset of applicants included in the patent information 11, these subset of applicants may be set in advance, or set when the information processing device 1 performs the information processing described later.

[0032] The predetermined technical classification may be set in advance, set when the information processing device 1 performs the information processing described later, or a combination thereof. As a first example, the predetermined technical classification may be all technical classifications relating to a specific applicant's patent included in the patent information 11. In that case, the calculation unit 30 calculates the second information described later for all technical classifications relating to the specific applicant's patent included in the patent information 11. After calculating the second information, some of the predetermined technical classifications may be further selected or specified. Alternatively, after calculating the second information, the generation unit 40 may generate display information for all or some of the predetermined technical classifications. As a second example, the predetermined technical classification may be a technical classification relating to a specific applicant's patent included in the patent information 11, and may be selected or specified when the information processing device 1 performs the information processing described later. In both the first and second examples, the selection or identification of a given technical classification may be the selection or identification of a technical classification in which a particular applicant has a high market share within the applicant population, the selection or identification of a technical classification in which a particular applicant has a high market share within the technical classifications of that particular applicant, the selection or identification of a technical classification in which the number of patents of that particular applicant is high within the technical classifications of that particular applicant, or the selection or identification of a technical classification by user operation, etc.

[0033] When identifying the first information, the identification unit 20 may directly extract the technology classification from the patent information 11, or it may generate the technology classification based on the patent information 11. When the identification unit 20 directly extracts the technology classification from the patent information 11, it may extract the patent classification information described in the patent publication of each patent included in the patent information 11 as the technology classification. The patent classification information may be, for example, the International Patent Classification (IPC), CPC (Cooperative Patent Classification), FI (File Index), or F-term. The patent classification information may also be a proprietary classification used in various commercial databases. When the identification unit 20 generates the technology classification based on the patent information 11, it may generate it from the contents of the patent publication of each patent included in the patent information 11 by text mining using machine learning. Alternatively, the patent information 11 may contain technology classification information that has been pre-generated from the contents of the patent publication of each patent by text mining using machine learning. In that case, the identification unit 20 can directly extract the pre-generated technology classification from the patent information 11.

[0034] Each patent included in the patent information 11 may contain one technical classification or multiple technical classifications. If each patent included in the patent information 11 contains multiple technical classifications, the specification unit 20 may select one representative technical classification from among the multiple technical classifications included in that patent. The one representative technical classification may be, for example, the primary IPC.

[0035] The calculation unit 30 calculates second information based on the first information identified by the identification unit 20. The second information includes information on at least one of the market share and ranking of a specific applicant for a given technical classification. If there are multiple given technical classifications, the second information may also include information on at least one of the market share and ranking of a specific applicant for each of the multiple technical classifications. Details regarding market share and ranking will be described later.

[0036] If the information processing device 1 includes an output unit 50, the output unit 50 outputs the second information calculated by the calculation unit 30. In addition to the second information, the output unit 50 may also output at least a portion of the patent information 11 and the first information. The output unit 50 may output the output information as display information (described later), as well as as information suitable for any information transmission means, such as audio information or printed information.

[0037] If the information processing device 1 includes a generation unit 40, the generation unit 40 generates display information. In this case, the output unit 50 may output the display information generated by the generation unit 40 as second information. The generation unit 40 may also generate display information that includes first information in addition to second information. The generation unit 40 may generate display information that includes multiple plots in a coordinate system where rank is the first axis and occupancy rate is the second axis, with each of the multiple technical classifications for a particular applicant positioned at a corresponding location.

[0038] As described above, the information processing device 1 includes an acquisition unit 10 that acquires patent information 11 relating to multiple patents, an identification unit 20 that identifies first information including information on the number of patents for each applicant in a predetermined technology classification and the number of patents for a specific applicant in a predetermined technology classification based on the patent information 11, and a calculation unit 30 that calculates second information including information on at least one of the market share and ranking of a specific applicant in a predetermined technology classification based on the first information. With this configuration, it is possible to output information that allows for understanding trends, positioning, etc., of the technology possessed by a specific applicant in comparison with other applicants, thereby making it possible to understand the characteristics of the technology portfolio of a specific applicant.

[0039] (First example of the configuration of an information processing device) Figure 2 shows an information processing device 100, which is a first configuration example of the information processing device 1. The information processing device 100 is connected to the patent database 3 and the terminal device 4 via the network 2. The information processing device 100, the patent database 3, and the terminal device 4 together constitute an information processing system 5. In this example, the information processing system 5 uses the information processing device 100 as a server and outputs display information to the terminal device 4.

[0040] Network 2 includes the Internet, at least one WAN (wide area network), at least one MAN (metropolitan area network), at least one wireless network, at least one optical network, or any combination thereof. The wireless network may be, for example, an ad hoc network, a cellular network, a wireless LAN (local area network), a satellite communications network, or a terrestrial microwave network.

[0041] The information processing device 100 comprises a communication unit 110, a control unit 120, and a storage unit 130.

[0042] The communication unit 110 includes at least one communication interface. The communication interface may support any communication standard, for example, a wired LAN standard, a wireless LAN standard, or a mobile communication standard. The communication unit 110 receives data used for the operation of the information processing device 100 and transmits data obtained by the operation of the information processing device 100. Specifically, the communication unit 110 receives patent information 11 from the patent database 3 via the network 2. Also specifically, the communication unit 110 transmits second information output from the output unit 50 to the terminal device 4 via the network 2.

[0043] The control unit 120 includes at least one processor, at least one programmable circuit, at least one dedicated circuit, or any combination thereof. The processor is a general-purpose processor such as a CPU (central processing unit) or GPU (graphics processing unit), or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process. The programmable circuit is, for example, an FPGA (field-programmable gate array). The dedicated circuit is, for example, an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit). The control unit 120 controls each part of the information processing device 100 and executes processes related to the operation of the information processing device 100.

[0044] The control unit 120 performs the functions of the acquisition unit 10, the identification unit 20, the calculation unit 30, the generation unit 40, and the output unit 50. Details of the functions of the acquisition unit 10, the identification unit 20, the calculation unit 30, the generation unit 40, and the output unit 50 are as described above.

[0045] The storage unit 130 is, for example, a storage device such as an HDD (hard disk drive) or flash memory. The storage unit 130 may be a storage device built into the information processing device 100, or it may be an external storage device connected to the information processing device 100 by USB (Universal Serial Bus) or the like. The storage unit 130 stores data and programs used for information processing performed by the information processing device 100. The storage unit 130 may also pre-store information of a specific applicant that is the subject of analysis.

[0046] The patent database 3 stores information about patents, including patent information 11. The patent database 3 may be a database managed by a public institution, a commercial database, or a combination thereof. The patent database 3 transmits the patent information 11 to the information processing device 100 via the network 2 in response to a request from the information processing device 100. The information processing device 100 stores the patent information 11 transmitted from the patent database 3 in the storage unit 130. If the patent database 3 is a commercial database, the patent database 3 may be a component of the information processing device 100.

[0047] Terminal device 4 is a computer equipped with communication functions, and may be, for example, a PC (personal computer), a smartphone, a tablet terminal, etc. Terminal device 4 is equipped with a display unit and receives display information transmitted from the information processing device 100 via the network 2, and displays an image on the display unit based on the received display information. Terminal device 4 may also be equipped with an input unit such as a keyboard or a touch panel, and may send an execution request for information processing to the information processing device 100 based on a command entered via the input unit, and may receive display information, etc., as a result of the execution of information processing. Terminal device 4 may also transmit information of a specific applicant to the information processing device 100 based on the designation information of a specific applicant entered via the input unit.

[0048] (Second example of the information processing device configuration) Figure 3 shows an information processing device 200, which is a second configuration example of the information processing device 1. The information processing device 200 is connected to the patent database 3 via the network 2. The information processing device 200 and the patent database 3 together constitute an information processing system 6. The information processing system 6 is an example of causing the information processing device 200 to output display information.

[0049] The information processing device 200 comprises a communication unit 110, a control unit 120, a storage unit 130, an input unit 240, and a display unit 250.

[0050] The input unit 240 includes at least one input interface. The input interface may be, for example, a physical key, a capacitive key, a pointing device, a touchscreen integrated with the display unit 250, a camera, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging, or Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging), or a microphone. The input unit 240 accepts operations to input data used for the operation of the information processing device 200. Instead of being integrated into the information processing device 200, the input unit 240 may be connected to the information processing device 200 as an external input device. As a connection interface, for example, an interface compliant with standards such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) or Bluetooth (registered trademark) can be used.

[0051] The input unit 240 may transmit the input command to the control unit 120 and cause the control unit 120 to perform information processing. The input unit 240 may also cause the control unit 120 to perform information processing using the input information of a specific applicant.

[0052] The display unit 250 is, for example, an LCD (liquid crystal display) or an organic EL (electroluminescence) display. The display unit 250 displays an image based on the display information output from the output unit 50.

[0053] (Example of patent information) Figure 4 shows an example of patent information 11. As shown in Figure 4, patent information 11 is information associated with each of multiple patents, such as the country of application, application number, family application number, priority date, applicant, primary IPC, and status.

[0054] The country of application is information indicating the country or region where the patent was filed. The application number is an example of the patent's identifying information. The patent's identifying information may also include the publication number, registration number, etc., in addition to the application number. The family application number is an example of the patent family's identifying information. The priority date is an example of the prescribed date information to which the patent belongs. The prescribed date information may also include the application date, publication date, registration date, announcement date, etc., in addition to the priority date. The applicant is information that collectively refers to the patent applicant or patent holder, as described above. The primary IPC is an example of patent classification information used as the technical classification of the patent, and is the IPC assigned as representative among the one or more IPCs assigned to the patent. The status is information indicating the examination status, maintenance status, etc., of the patent.

[0055] The patent information 11 may include only one patent among multiple patents belonging to the same patent family. In other words, the acquisition unit 10 may acquire the patent information 11 by treating one patent family as one patent. Furthermore, the patent information 11 may be information about patents in multiple countries or regions, or it may be information about patents in a specific country or region.

[0056] The patent information 11 may be information about patents in which the predetermined date information falls within a predetermined period. In other words, the acquisition unit 10 may acquire patent information 11 for patents in which the predetermined date information falls within a predetermined period.

[0057] (Information processing performed by an information processing device) Figure 5 is a flowchart of the information processing performed by the information processing device 1. The acquisition unit 10 acquires patent information 11 (step S1).

[0058] The identification unit 20 identifies the first information based on the patent information 11 acquired by the acquisition unit 10 (step S2). The process in step S2 is called the first information identification process, and its details will be described later.

[0059] The calculation unit 30 calculates the second information based on the first information identified by the identification unit 20 (step S3). The process in step S3 is called the second information calculation process, and its details will be described later.

[0060] The generation unit 40 generates display information based on the second information (step S4). The process in step S4 is called the display information generation process, and its details will be described later.

[0061] The output unit 50 outputs the display information generated based on the second information (step S5).

[0062] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the first information identification process performed by the identification unit 20. The identification unit 20 selects one technical classification from the patent information 11 acquired by the acquisition unit 10 in step S1 (step S21).

[0063] The identification unit 20 identifies the total number of patents in the applicant population included in the patent information 11 for the technology classification selected in step S21 (step S22).

[0064] The identification unit 20 identifies the number of patents of a specific applicant included in the patent information 11 for the technology classification selected in step S21 (step S23).

[0065] The identification unit 20 determines whether there are any other technical classifications in the patent information 11 besides the technical classification already selected in step S21 (step S24). If it determines that there are other technical classifications (Yes in step S24), the identification unit 20 returns to the process in step S21. If it determines that there are no other technical classifications, that is, that the processes in steps S22 and S23 have been performed for all technical classifications (No in step S24), the identification unit 20 proceeds to the process in step S25.

[0066] The identification unit 20 completes the identification of the first information, which includes the total number of items identified in step S22 and the number of items identified in step S23, and terminates the first information identification process (step S25).

[0067] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the second information calculation process performed by the calculation unit 30. The calculation unit 30 selects one technical classification from the patent information 11 or from the first information identified by the identification unit 20 (step S31).

[0068] The calculation unit 30 determines the market share of a specific applicant within the applicant population for the technology classification selected in step S31 (step S32). The process in step S32 is called the market share determination process, and its details will be described later.

[0069] The calculation unit 30 determines the ranking of a specific applicant within the applicant population for the technology classification selected in step S31 (step S33). The process in step S33 is called the ranking determination process, and its details will be described later.

[0070] The calculation unit 30 determines whether there are any other technical classifications in the patent information 11 besides the technical classification already selected in step S31 (step S34). If it determines that there are other technical classifications (Yes in step S34), the calculation unit 30 returns to the process in step S31. If it determines that there are no other technical classifications, that is, that the processes in steps S32 and S33 have been performed for all technical classifications (No in step S34), the calculation unit 30 proceeds to the process in step S35.

[0071] The calculation unit 30 completes the calculation of second information, which includes the occupancy rate information determined in step S32 and the ranking information determined in step S33, and terminates the second information calculation process (step S35).

[0072] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the market share determination process performed by the calculation unit 30. The calculation unit 30 calculates a total evaluation value for the technology classification selected in step S31, based on the total number of patents in the applicant population (step S331). Here, the total evaluation value is an index for evaluating the value of the group of patents in the applicant population for a certain technology classification, and is obtained by multiplying the average value of the scores of each patent calculated according to predetermined rules by the total number of patents in the applicant population. The score of each patent can be determined by known patent score calculation methods, and can be determined by comprehensively considering, for example, the number of times it has been used as a cited document in examination, the number of times information has been provided, and whether or not it has been filed in a foreign country. For simplicity, the total evaluation value may be determined based only on the number of patents without using the scores of each patent.

[0073] The calculation unit 30 calculates a specific evaluation value for the technology classification selected in step S31, based on the number of patents of a specific applicant (step S332). Here, the specific evaluation value is an index for evaluating the value of a group of patents of a specific applicant for a certain technology classification, and is obtained by multiplying the average value of the scores of each patent calculated according to a predetermined rule by the number of patents of the specific applicant. The scores of each patent used to calculate the specific evaluation value may be the same as those used for the total evaluation value. For simplicity, the specific evaluation value may also be determined based only on the number of patents without using the scores of each patent.

[0074] The calculation unit 30 determines the market share of a particular applicant within the applicant population based on the ratio of the specific evaluation value to the total evaluation value for the technology classification selected in step S31, and terminates the market share determination process (step S333). In detail, the market share of a particular applicant can be the value obtained by dividing the specific evaluation value by the total evaluation value.

[0075] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the ranking determination process performed by the calculation unit 30. The calculation unit 30 calculates individual evaluation values ​​for the technology classification selected in step S31 based on the number of patents of each of the multiple applicants included in the applicant population (step S341). Here, the individual evaluation value is an index that evaluates the value of each group of patents of multiple applicants for a certain technology classification, and is obtained by multiplying the average value of the score of each patent calculated according to a predetermined rule by the number of patents of each of the multiple applicants. The score of each patent used to calculate the individual evaluation value may be the same as that used for the total evaluation value. Note that, for simplicity, the individual evaluation value may be determined based only on the number of patents without using the score of each patent.

[0076] The calculation unit 30 determines the rank of a specific applicant based on the relative ranking of the evaluation value of that specific applicant (synonymous with the specific evaluation value calculated in step S332) among the individual evaluation values ​​calculated in step S341 for the technology classification selected in step S31, within the applicant population (step S342). The rank of a specific applicant indicates how high its evaluation value is within the applicant population. The calculation unit 30 may also calculate the market share for each of the multiple applicants included in the applicant population and determine the rank of the specific applicant based on the market share of that specific applicant within the applicant population.

[0077] Figure 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the display information generation process performed by the generation unit 40. The generation unit 40 sets up a coordinate system with rank as the first axis and occupancy rate as the second axis (step S41).

[0078] The generation unit 40 selects one technology classification from the second information calculated by the calculation unit 30 (step S42).

[0079] The generation unit 40 determines, for a specific applicant, the position corresponding to the technical classification selected in step S42 within the coordinate system set in step S41 (step S43).

[0080] The generation unit 40 generates a plot at the position determined in step S43, with a size based on the specific evaluation value of the technology classification selected in step S42 (step S44). Specifically, the larger the specific evaluation value of the technology classification selected in step S42, the larger the plot will be. The shape of the plot is not particularly limited, but it may be circular, for example.

[0081] The generation unit 40 determines whether there are any other technology classifications in the second information besides the technology classification already selected in step S41 (step S45). If it determines that there are other technology classifications (Yes in step S45), the generation unit 40 returns to the process in step S41. If it determines that there are no other technology classifications, that is, that the processes in steps S43 and S44 have been performed for all technology classifications (No in step S45), the generation unit 40 proceeds to the process in step S46.

[0082] The generation unit 40 generates an approximation curve that approximates the multiple plots determined in step S44, and its parameters (step S46).

[0083] The generation unit 40 generates display information including the plot generated in step S44, the approximation curve generated in step S44, and the parameters in the coordinate system set in step S41, and then terminates the display information generation process (step S47).

[0084] As described above, the information processing device 1 performs information processing according to the flowcharts in Figures 5 to 10.

[0085] (Display screen example) Figures 11 to 14 show examples of display screens. The display screens shown in Figures 11 to 14 are examples of screens displayed by the display unit of the terminal device 4 shown in Figure 2, the display unit 250 of the information processing device 200 shown in Figure 3, etc. In the display screens shown in Figures 11 to 14, the IPC section, which is the first letter of the alphabet, is replaced with a symbol, and the same symbol indicates the same letter.

[0086] The display screens shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 are displayed based on display information including part of the information regarding applicant A, who is a specific applicant, among the patent information 11, the first information, and the second information. The patent information 11 used in FIGS. 11 and 12 is information about patents in various countries around the world, and the number of cases is the number of patent families counted with one patent family as one patent.

[0087] FIG. 11 is a display screen showing, in a table, the rank, occupancy rate, and number of cases for each of a plurality of technical classifications (here, IPC) regarding applicant A. The display screen shown in FIG. 11 is sorted in descending order of the occupancy rate. That is, the technical classifications with higher occupancy rates are displayed higher. This makes it possible to grasp the characteristics of the technical portfolio of a specific applicant.

[0088] FIG. 12 is a display screen shown as a graph representing, for applicant A, the rank, occupancy rate, and number of cases for each of a plurality of technical classifications (here, IPC) by plotting. Specifically, the display screen shown in FIG. 12 includes a plurality of plots arranged at positions corresponding to each of the plurality of technical classifications regarding applicant A in a coordinate system with the rank as the horizontal axis (X-axis, first axis) and the occupancy rate as the vertical axis (Y-axis, second axis). Each of the plurality of plots is displayed larger as the number of cases of the corresponding technical classification is larger. This makes it possible to visually and easily grasp the positions of each of the plurality of technical classifications for a specific applicant.

[0089] 2] In the display screen shown in FIG. 12, an approximation curve approximating the plurality of plots is shown by a broken line. Specifically, the approximation curve is a power approximation curve represented by the formula (1) Y = aX b (where 0 < a and b < 0, and both a and b are real numbers). Also, the parameters a and b representing this approximation curve are displayed. In the example shown in FIG. 12, the entire approximation formula including the parameters a and b is displayed. The approximation curve can be determined, for example, by the least squares method. This makes it possible to quantitatively grasp the characteristics of the technical portfolio of a specific applicant.

[0090] The generation unit 40 may generate display information so that each highly related technical classification has a common display format. The display screens shown in Figures 11 and 12 may have multiple technical classification groups, each consisting of one or more highly related technical classifications, and each technical classification group may be identified and displayed with a different color, font, etc. For example, if a technical classification is a predetermined hierarchical level among technical classifications consisting of multiple levels, technical classifications that share the same higher hierarchical level may be grouped together as the same technical classification group. In the example shown in Figures 11 and 12, IPC "●01H25" and "●01H19" are different technical classifications, but they both share the same IPC "●01H" at the level one level higher, and can be grouped together as the same technical classification group. Alternatively, for example, a technical classification group may be set up for each technical classification that has been classified in advance using a unique criterion different from the technical classification hierarchy. This makes it easier to grasp the distribution of highly related technical classifications for a particular applicant.

[0091] Here, as an example of a hierarchical structure for technology classification, the hierarchical structure of IPC will be briefly explained. IPC has a hierarchical structure in the order of section, class, subclass, main group, and subgroup from top to bottom. A section is represented by the first letter of the alphabet. A class is represented by a two-digit number following the section. A subclass is represented by a single letter of the alphabet following the class. A main group is represented by a number of four digits or less following the subclass. A subgroup is represented by two or more digits separated by a slash (" / ") following the main group. In the examples shown in Figures 11 and 12, "●01H25" and "●01H19" are both at the main group level, and "●01H" is at the subclass level.

[0092] The display screens shown in Figures 13 and 14 are displayed based on display information that includes some of the information concerning applicant B, a specific applicant, from among the patent information 11, first information, and second information. Since Figures 13 and 14 are display screens plotted for applicant B in the same coordinate system as in Figure 12, explanations of the same matters as in Figure 12 will be omitted.

[0093] Figure 13 shows an example where the main group hierarchy of the multiple hierarchical technical classifications held by the IPC is used as the technical classification. In the example shown in Figure 13, Applicant B has no technical classifications in which it ranks within the top 30, nor any technical classifications in which it has a market share of 0.5% or more. In other words, it is difficult to grasp the technical fields in which Applicant B has strengths from Figure 13.

[0094] Figure 14 shows an example where the hierarchical levels of subgroups, which are lower in classification than the main group, are used as technology classifications within the multiple hierarchical levels of technology classifications that the IPC has. In the example shown in Figure 14, applicant B has technology classifications in which it ranks within the top 10, as well as technology classifications in which it has a market share of 2% or more. In other words, Figure 14 makes it easy to understand the technology classifications in which applicant B has strengths. Furthermore, the example shown in Figure 14 makes it easier to understand the correlation between rank and market share than the example shown in Figure 13, and makes it easier to understand the characteristics of applicant B's technology portfolio.

[0095] Furthermore, Figures 13 and 14 show that applicant B has strengths in more detailed technical classifications. From this, it can be said that applicant B does not have strengths in any technical field in general, but rather in specific, limited technical fields. Moreover, Figure 14 shows that applicant B has strengths in multiple technical classifications at lower levels of IPC "■01R", with both relatively high rankings and market share. Thus, according to the information processing device 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to analyze the technology portfolio of a specific applicant from various perspectives.

[0096] The generation unit 40 may change the multiple technology classifications to a lower hierarchy of the technology category and update the display information to include multiple plots corresponding to each of the changed technology classifications if at least one of the following conditions is met: the multiple plots are ranked lower than a predetermined rank, and the multiple plots have a occupancy rate lower than a predetermined rate. For example, if the generation unit 40 changes the multiple technology classifications to a lower hierarchy of the technology category and updates the display information to include multiple plots corresponding to each of the changed technology classifications if at least one of the following conditions is met: the rank of the multiple plots is lower than 30, and the occupancy rate of the multiple plots is lower than 0.5%, the display screen shown in Figure 13 can be updated to the display screen shown in Figure 14.

[0097] This disclosure is not limited to the configurations specified in the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible.

[0098] For example, the information processing device 1 may further include a determination unit. The determination unit determines the trend of a particular applicant's technology portfolio based on at least one of the values ​​of parameter a and parameter b in equation (1). The generation unit 40 then generates the display information including the determination result from the determination unit. With this configuration, the characteristics of a particular applicant's technology portfolio can be grasped more easily.

[0099] Specifically, for example, the larger the absolute value of parameter b, the steeper the rise of the approximation curve tends to be. By utilizing this tendency, if the absolute value of parameter b is above a predetermined threshold, it can be determined that a particular applicant is concentrating on a specific type of technology. Also, the larger the absolute value of parameter a, the higher the market share in higher-ranking technology classifications tends to be. By utilizing this tendency, if the absolute value of parameter a is above a predetermined threshold, it can be determined that a particular applicant has a high market share in a specific type of technology. This information can be used as an indicator when conducting comparative analysis between one's own company and other companies, and when selecting collaborating partners.

[0100] Furthermore, the generation unit 40 may exclude from the approximation of the approximation curve plots any plots where the specific evaluation value of the corresponding technology classification is below a predetermined threshold. This makes it possible to perform analysis targeting only the technology fields in which a particular applicant has focused to a certain extent, thus enabling analysis tailored to the purpose.

[0101] Furthermore, patent information 11 may include all patents in a technology classification in which a particular applicant ranks highly. This allows for a comparison of the number of patents held by a particular applicant with the total number of patents in that technology classification, thereby enabling a more accurate calculation of market share and ranking.

[0102] The following additional information is disclosed regarding the embodiments described above. (Note 1) An acquisition unit that acquires patent information relating to multiple patents, A identifying unit identifies first information that includes information on the number of patents for each applicant for a predetermined technical classification and the number of patents for a specific applicant for the predetermined technical classification, based on the aforementioned patent information. A calculation unit that calculates second information based on the first information, including information relating to at least one of the market share and ranking of the specific applicant for the predetermined technical classification, An information processing device equipped with the following features. (Note 2) The information processing apparatus according to Appendix 1, wherein the calculation unit calculates information including information relating to the market share and ranking of the specific applicant as the second information. (Note 3) The information processing device described in Appendix 2, wherein the identifying unit identifies, when there are multiple predetermined technical classifications, information including the number of patents for each applicant for each of the multiple technical classifications and the number of patents for each of the multiple technical classifications of the specific applicant as the first information. (Note 4) The information processing apparatus described in Appendix 3 further comprises an output unit for outputting the second information. (Note 5) The aforementioned arithmetic unit, For each of the aforementioned multiple technology classifications, the step of calculating a total evaluation value based on the total number of patents of the aforementioned multiple applicants, For each of the aforementioned multiple technology classifications, the step of calculating a specific evaluation value based on the number of patents of the particular applicant, For each of the aforementioned multiple technical classifications, the step of determining the market share of the particular applicant based on the ratio of the specific evaluation value to the total evaluation value, An information processing device as described in Appendix 3, configured to perform the following: (Note 6) The aforementioned arithmetic unit, For each of the aforementioned multiple technology classifications, the step of calculating an individual evaluation value based on the number of patents of each of the aforementioned multiple applicants, For each of the aforementioned multiple technical classifications, the step of determining the ranking of the particular applicant based on the relative ranking of the evaluation values ​​of the particular applicant among the individual evaluation values, An information processing device according to any one of appendices 3 to 5, configured to perform the following: (Note 7) The system further comprises a generation unit that generates display information including a plurality of plots in a coordinate system where the aforementioned rank is the first axis and the aforementioned occupancy rate is the second axis, and each of the plurality of technical classifications for the particular applicant is positioned at a corresponding location. The output unit outputs the display information as the second information. The information processing device described in Appendix 4. (Note 8) The calculation unit is configured to perform the step of calculating a specific evaluation value for each of the plurality of technology classifications based on the number of patents of the specific applicant, The generation unit generates the display information such that each of the plurality of plots is sized according to the specific evaluation value of the corresponding technology classification. The information processing device described in Appendix 7. (Note 9) The generation unit generates the display information so that it has a common display format for each related technical classification among the multiple technical classifications. The information processing device described in Appendix 7 or 8. (Note 10) The generation unit generates the display information including an approximation curve that approximates the plurality of plots and parameters that represent the approximation curve. An information processing device as described in any one of the appendices 7 to 9. (Note 11) The generation unit, when the first axis is the X-axis and the second axis is the Y-axis, Equation (1) Y = aX b The approximation curve is generated using a power approximation curve (where a > 0 and b < 0). The information processing device described in Appendix 10. (Note 12) The system further comprises a determination unit that determines the trend of the technology portfolio of a particular applicant based on at least one of the values ​​of parameter a and parameter b in formula (1), The generation unit generates the display information including the determination result from the determination unit. The information processing device described in Appendix 11. (Note 13) The calculation unit is configured to perform the step of calculating a specific evaluation value for each of the plurality of technology classifications based on the number of patents of the specific applicant, The generation unit excludes from the approximation of the approximation curve any plots among the plurality of plots in which the specific evaluation value of the corresponding technical classification is less than a predetermined threshold. An information processing device as described in any one of the appendices 10 to 12. (Note 14) Each of the aforementioned multiple technology classifications is a predetermined level within a technology category consisting of multiple levels, and the lower the level of the technology category, the more detailed the classification. The generation unit, if it satisfies at least one of the following conditions: the plurality of plots are ranked lower than a predetermined rank, and the plurality of plots have a lower occupancy rate than a predetermined rate, changes the plurality of technology classifications to a lower hierarchy of the technology category and updates the display information to include the plurality of plots corresponding to each of the changed plurality of technology classifications. An information processing device as described in any one of the items 7 to 13 of the appendix. (Note 15) The aforementioned technical classification consisting of multiple levels is the International Patent Classification (IPC). The information processing device described in Appendix 14. (Note 16) The acquisition unit acquires the patent information by treating one patent family as one patent. An information processing device as described in any one of the appendices 1 to 15. (Note 17) The acquisition unit acquires patent information for patents in which the predetermined date information falls within a predetermined period. An information processing device as described in any one of the appendices 1 to 16. (Note 18) The acquisition step involves obtaining patent information related to multiple patents, A identifying step of identifying first information that includes information on the number of patents for each applicant for a predetermined technical classification and the number of patents for a specific applicant for the predetermined technical classification, based on the aforementioned patent information, A calculation step of calculating second information based on the first information, which includes information regarding at least one of the market share and ranking of the particular applicant for the predetermined technical classification, A method of information processing performed by a computer. (Note 19) The acquisition step involves obtaining patent information related to multiple patents, A identifying step of identifying first information that includes information on the number of patents for each applicant for a predetermined technical classification and the number of patents for a specific applicant for the predetermined technical classification, based on the aforementioned patent information, A calculation step of calculating second information based on the first information, which includes information regarding at least one of the market share and ranking of the particular applicant for the predetermined technical classification, A program that causes a computer to execute something. [Industrial applicability]

[0103] This disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program that perform information processing based on patent information.

[0104] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-005763, filed with the Japan Patent Office on January 18, 2023, and the entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-005763 are incorporated herein by reference. [Explanation of symbols]

[0105] 1, 100, 200 Information Processing Devices 2 Network 3. Patent Database 4 Terminal devices 5.6 Information Processing Systems 10 Acquisition Department 11. Patent Information 20 Specific section 30 Arithmetic section 40 Generation part 50 Output section 110 Communications Department 120 Control Unit 130 Storage section 240 Input section 250 Display section

Claims

1. An acquisition unit that acquires patent information relating to multiple patents, A identifying unit identifies first information that includes information on the number of patents for each applicant for each of the multiple technology classifications and the number of patents for a specific applicant for each of the multiple technology classifications, based on the aforementioned patent information. A calculation unit calculates second information, including the market share and ranking of a particular applicant for each of the multiple technical classifications, based on the first information; A generation unit generates display information including a plurality of plots in a coordinate system where the aforementioned rank is the first axis and the aforementioned occupancy rate is the second axis, with each of the plurality of technical classifications for the particular applicant positioned at a corresponding location. An output unit that outputs the aforementioned display information, An information processing device equipped with the following features.

2. The calculation unit is configured to perform the step of calculating a specific evaluation value for each of the plurality of technology classifications based on the number of patents of the specific applicant, The generation unit generates the display information such that each of the plurality of plots is sized according to the specific evaluation value of the corresponding technology classification. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The generation unit generates the display information so that it has a common display format for each related technical classification among the multiple technical classifications. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

4. The generation unit generates the display information including an approximation curve that approximates the plurality of plots and parameters that represent the approximation curve. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

5. The generation unit, when the first axis is the X-axis and the second axis is the Y-axis, Equation (1) Y = aX ｂ (Here, the approximation curve is generated using a power approximation curve where 0 < a and b < 0.) The information processing apparatus according to claim 4.

6. The system further comprises a determination unit that determines the trend of the technology portfolio of a particular applicant based on at least one of the values ​​of parameter a and parameter b in formula (1), The generation unit generates the display information including the determination result from the determination unit. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5.

7. The calculation unit is configured to perform the step of calculating a specific evaluation value for each of the plurality of technology classifications based on the number of patents of the specific applicant, The generation unit excludes from the approximation of the approximation curve any plots among the plurality of plots in which the specific evaluation value of the corresponding technical classification is less than a predetermined threshold. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4.

8. Each of the aforementioned multiple technology classifications is a predetermined level within a technology category consisting of multiple levels, and the lower the level of the technology category, the more detailed the classification. The generation unit, if it satisfies at least one of the following conditions: the plurality of plots are ranked lower than a predetermined rank, and the plurality of plots have a lower occupancy rate than a predetermined rate, changes the plurality of technology classifications to a lower hierarchy of the technology category and updates the display information to include the plurality of plots corresponding to each of the changed plurality of technology classifications. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

9. The aforementioned technical classification consisting of multiple levels is the International Patent Classification (IPC). The information processing apparatus according to claim 8.

10. The acquisition step involves obtaining patent information related to multiple patents, A identifying step of identifying first information that includes information on the number of patents for each applicant for each of the multiple technology classifications and the number of patents for a specific applicant for each of the multiple technology classifications, based on the aforementioned patent information, A calculation step of calculating second information, which includes the market share and ranking of the particular applicant for each of the multiple technical classifications, based on the first information; A generation step of generating display information including a plurality of plots in a coordinate system in which the aforementioned rank is the first axis and the aforementioned occupancy rate is the second axis, where each of the plurality of technical classifications for the particular applicant is positioned at a corresponding location; An output step that outputs the aforementioned display information, A method of information processing performed by a computer.

11. The acquisition step involves obtaining patent information related to multiple patents, A identifying step of identifying first information that includes information on the number of patents for each applicant for each of the multiple technology classifications and the number of patents for a specific applicant for each of the multiple technology classifications, based on the aforementioned patent information, A calculation step of calculating second information, which includes the market share and ranking of the particular applicant for each of the multiple technical classifications, based on the first information; A generation step of generating display information including a plurality of plots in a coordinate system in which the aforementioned rank is the first axis and the aforementioned occupancy rate is the second axis, where each of the plurality of technical classifications for the particular applicant is positioned at a corresponding location; An output step that outputs the aforementioned display information, A program that causes a computer to execute something.

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