A Business Strategy Framework for Patent Pooling in the Solar Cell Supply Chain
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Literature Review
2.1. Expectancy Theory
2.2. Patent Pool
- Integrating complementary patents;
- Resolving patent blocking situations (clearly defined blocking positions);
- Reducing transaction costs;
- Mitigating the need for expensive patent infringement litigation;
- Facilitating technology utilization.
2.3. Strategy of Project-Based Authorization
3. Methodology
3.1. Literature Analysis
3.2. Focus Group Methodology
3.3. Patent Analysis
4. Results and Discussion
4.1. Results
4.1.1. Overall Patent Landscape in the Solar Cell Industry
4.1.2. Analysis of Solar Cell Patents
- A.
- Analysis of Classification Codes.
- A (human necessities): 17,485 (18%);
- B (performing operations, transporting): 10,746 (11%);
- C (chemistry, metallurgy): 15,961 (16%);
- D (textiles, paper): 436 (0%);
- E (fixed constructions): 1954 (2%);
- F (mechanical engineering, lighting, heating, weapons, blasting): 3736 (4%);
- G (physics): 19,922 (20%);
- H (electricity): 29,088 (29%).
- B.
- Analysis of Activity Index (by Country).
4.2. Discussion
4.2.1. Feasibility of Establishing a Patent-Pooling Information Platform
4.2.2. Enhancing Patent Commercialization Value through Project-Based Authorization
4.2.3. Sustainable Technological Development through the Project-Based Authorization Business Strategy Framework
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Manufacturers’ Positions in the Supply Chain | Chief Products | Number of Companies | Number of Companies Interviewed (%) |
---|---|---|---|
Upper-stream firms | Silica materials, silicon wafer materials | 1 | 1 (7.14%) |
Midstream firms | Solar cells Solar cell modules Thin-film solar cell modules Dye-sensitized solar cells Concentrator solar cell modules | 35 | 7 (50%) |
Lower-stream firms | Solar photovoltaic system Solar photovoltaic converters Sales channels/suppliers of solar photovoltaic products | 303 | 6 (42.86%) |
Total | 339 | 14 (100%) |
Retrieved Keywords: Silicon Materials, Silicon Wafer Materials, Solar Cell, Solar Cell Module, Thin-Film Solar Cell Module, Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell, Concentrating Solar Cell Module, Solar PV System, Solar PV Power, Converter, Solar PV Access/Supplier | |||
---|---|---|---|
Number of Patents | |||
Upstream | Silicon materials | 31,212,755 | |
Silicon wafer materials | 31,382,887 | ||
Midstream | Solar cell | 10,438,088 | |
Solar cell module | 20,007,918 | ||
Thin-film solar cell module | 27,580,647 | ||
Dye-sensitized solar cell | 10,438,359 | ||
Concentrating solar cell module | 25,084,359 | ||
Downstream | Solar PV system | 31,508,226 | |
Solar PV power converter | 31,349,698 | ||
Solar PV access/supplier | 2,075,363 | ||
Retrieval Period | 23 February 2013~23 February 2023 | ||
Retrieval Database | WIPS Global Database | ||
Retrieval Country | US, EP, PCT, CN, JP, KR, CA, AU, DE, GB, FR, IT, TW |
No. | Keyword | Frequency | No. of Documents |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Wireless Communication | 669 | 591 |
2 | Base Station | 935 | 461 |
3 | Pharmaceutical Composition | 373 | 314 |
4 | Electronic Device | 428 | 255 |
5 | Fixedly Connected | 417 | 249 |
6 | Correction Possession | 239 | 239 |
7 | Battery Cell | 480 | 180 |
8 | Terminal Device | 426 | 166 |
9 | Electrically Connected | 217 | 142 |
10 | Network Device | 244 | 134 |
11 | Battery Pack | 254 | 124 |
12 | Memory Device | 217 | 113 |
13 | Battery Module | 289 | 112 |
14 | Storage Medium | 112 | 111 |
15 | Wireless Device | 279 | 106 |
Total | 5579 | 3297 |
No. | Country/Regions | Country Code | Number of Patents | Percentage of Global Patents (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | United States | US | 172,319 | 0.078 |
2 | Mainland China | CN | 93,948 | 0.042 |
3 | PCT | WO | 62,936 | 0.03 |
4 | EP | EP | 52,884 | 0.024 |
5 | Japan | JP | 46,331 | 0.021 |
6 | Korea | KR | 39,920 | 0.020 |
7 | Australia | AU | 22,350 | 0.010 |
8 | Canada | CA | 19,876 | 0.009 |
9 | India | IN | 15,448 | 0.007 |
10 | Taiwan | TW | 12,608 | 0.006 |
11 | Brazil | BR | 10,219 | 0.005 |
12 | Israel | IL | 7079 | 0.003 |
13 | Germany | DE | 6338 | 0.0029 |
14 | Mexico | MX | 4502 | 0.002 |
15 | Singapore | SG | 4163 | 0.0019 |
Total and percentage | 570,921 | 0.258 |
Major Countries/Regions | Notable Categories with AI > 1 |
---|---|
United States | A61 (medical or veterinary science, hygiene), H04 (electric communication technique), G06 (computing; counting) |
Japan | A61 (medical or veterinary science, hygiene), C12 (chemistry; metallurgy), C07 (organic chemistry) |
South Korea | H01 (basic electric elements), A61 (medical or veterinary science, hygiene), C12 (chemistry; metallurgy), C07 (organic chemistry) |
Mainland China | H01 (basic electric elements), G01 (measuring; testing) |
European Union | A61 (medical or veterinary science, hygiene), H04 (electric communication technique), C12 (chemistry; metallurgy), C07 (organic chemistry) |
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Lee, S.-M.; Chen, J.-S.; Hsu, C.-L.; Chang, C.-C. A Business Strategy Framework for Patent Pooling in the Solar Cell Supply Chain. Sustainability 2023, 15, 15573. https://doi.org/10.3390/su152115573
Lee S-M, Chen J-S, Hsu C-L, Chang C-C. A Business Strategy Framework for Patent Pooling in the Solar Cell Supply Chain. Sustainability. 2023; 15(21):15573. https://doi.org/10.3390/su152115573
Chicago/Turabian StyleLee, Shuo-Min, Jen-Shyang Chen, Chien-Lin Hsu, and Chi-Cheng Chang. 2023. "A Business Strategy Framework for Patent Pooling in the Solar Cell Supply Chain" Sustainability 15, no. 21: 15573. https://doi.org/10.3390/su152115573