Organizational Governance Intellectual Property Fujikura Group's Brand Logo Activities for Increasing Brand Value The Fujikura group actively works to increase brand value. The brand logo in use as the unified group logo is currently used by over 70 domestic and overseas manufacturing and sales companies. To increase brand awareness overseas, we actively promote the display of the logo on exported and foreign-manufactured goods, and made progress in brand licensing with overseas agents in 2016. We are progressing with trademark applications for the brand logo in all countries by 2020. Currently, applications are finished for over 160 countries. In 2016, it was registered in nations including the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of El Salvador, the Republic of Maldives, and Cambodia. We use trademark registration (trademark rights) to stop improper use of the logo and take down malicious domain names that make use of the Fujikura domain name on the internet. In 2016, we took such action in the United Arab Emirates and Belgium. We also began monitoring improper use on e-commerce sites and are progressing with taking down inappropriate web pages. Non-permitted and improper use of the logo on the internet increases every year. The Fujikura group will continue to work to discover infringements and deal strictly with those who would infringe on our assets. Intellectual Property Strategy We shall actively protect the results obtained from research and development through acquisition of intellectual property rights to ensure the superiority of the business and to develop business while fully respecting the intellectual property rights of third parties We are acting as a basic policy on intellectual property. Based on this basic policy, we are addressing issues such as the following as intellectual property activities integrated with business strategy as a vision of intellectual property activities corresponding to the mid-term management plan of 2020. Intellectual Property Strategy According to Business 1.Promotion of Rights Acquisition We are promoting the realization of the ideal application model of domestic and foreign patents. Specifically, we constantly recognize relative intellectual property (quality and quantity) with competitors, aiming to create rights with high exclusivity. 2.Building a Global Patent Network We will select the application country according to the business strategy and build a patent network for each country. 3.Ensure Superiority of Our Technology Through Strategic Patent Application We regularly hold "IP (Intellectual Property) Subcommittee" for each strategic business unit (SBU) to establish an intellectual property strategy based on the business strategy to connect business issues and IP management, The R&D department, the intellectual property department together promote the visibility and strengthening activities of patent positions of the Company, and we strive to maintain or enhance the superiority of our business. Trade Secret Management Based on the regulations concerning management of trade secrets, the Company properly manages it. Especially, when securing the invention as a trade secret without applying for a patent, we conduct confidentiality management according to its importance based on internal regulations. Among them, highly important information that affects the business is managed as a trade secret so that relief of the Unfair Competition Prevention Act can be obtained. In addition, even if another company independently develops and acquires a patent about the technology afterwards, we also take actions to obtain prior use rights so that we can implement it. Policy Concerning Technology Outflow Prevention Based on the regulations concerning management of trade secrets, we are working to prevent leakage of technical information and sales information. Among them, in case of hiding secret inventions of high importance that affect business, at the very least, we manage as trade secrets to the extent that relief of unfair competition prevention law can be obtained and take measures to prevent leakage. Acquisition and Management of Intellectual Property We regard intellectual property obtained through research and development as one of the management resources to ensure the superiority of technology, and actively proceed with acquisition and management of rights for domestic and overseas in coordination with the development department, business department and intellectual property department. Regarding acquisition, we thoroughly discuss with the inventor about the essence of the invention and the range of possibilities that can be acquired, and we apply for licensing after considering the invention’s business contribution. Even regarding intellectual property rights that we have acquired, we judge the necessity of maintaining these rights each year based on the business value of the rights, and working to keep the optimum IP portfolio for our business at all times. In addition, we are doing various forms of management from application to extinguishment of rights with our proprietary intellectual property management system. Information obtained from this system is shared in a timely manner with the development department, the business department, and the intellectual property department, and it is used for planning patent strategies and various systems within the company besides managing intellectual property. Number of Patents Owned and Applications File Number of domestic patents owned The number of domestic patents Fujikura owns increases every year, and there were 2,707 in FY2016. Number of overseas patents The number of patents Fujikura owns overseas increases every year in conjunction with business globalization, and there were 1,452 in FY2016. Patents increased particularly in America, Europe, and China. Number of domestic patent applications Fujikura's number of open domestic patent applications remains at around 500. Number of overseas patent applications Fujikura currently applies for about 300 patents overseas each year in order to maintain overseas business advantages. Fujikura is also working to gain sufficient rights in multiple countries through the effective use of PCT applications. Next>>
