Intellectual Property
Vision and Policy
Ensure Maxell's superiority and support the realization of technologies that create a sustainable society,
through a cycle of IP Basic Duties, IP Utilization and Innovation Activities
With a focus on Maxell's unique Analog Core Technologies , we are promoting business activities that integrate our technological and IP strategies. In addition, we are striving to secure Maxell's superiority and contribute to a sustainable society through the basic duties of creating, developing, and managing rights for the purpose of adequately protecting Maxell's IP including the "Maxell" brand; the proactive utilization of IP; and the pursuit of innovation in unique technologies.
At the same time, in the interests of building a fair business environment, we firmly maintain a stance of respecting other companies' IP, including by carefully checking other companies' patents from the early stages of research and development.
In order to leverage IP for the sustainable growth of Maxell's Value Creation, the IP investment and utilization strategy is reported to the Board of Directors and is advanced on the basis of governance.
- IP Strategies to Support Business
In order to maximize the contribution of IP to our businesses with our business environment, business strategy and IP information analysis as the base, Maxell will steadily build an IP portfolio that will come to life in five to 10 years' time.
We will achieve this through IPGD(IP Grand Design) activities, whereby we plan IP activities by "backcasting" - casting an eye back from the future use of IP envisioned at each business, to the present - and through strategic invention activities that prioritize fostering IP rights with a focus on important technologies.
- Intellectual Property that Supports New and Existing Businesses by「Integrated Report 2023」
Management, Structure and System
【Organizational Structure】
Intellectual property is overseen by the IP Innovation Division, which consists of three departments: the IP Strategy Department, which is responsible for formulating and managing intellectual property strategies; the Intellectual Property Department, which promotes intellectual property creation; and the Innovation Department, which focuses on innovation activities and the use of intellectual property. As cross-functional activities within this division to improve the level of expertise, we are creating opportunities to reassess the potential value of owned rights and to create occasions for intellectual property department members to stimulate inventions, and facilitate the sharing of specialized knowledge within the division.
【Cross-divisional collaboration】
IP Innovation division and R&D/Business divisions have established a collaborative framework transcending divisional boundaries. This system involves the provision of information accumulated by the Intellectual Property Department through intellectual property activities such as the creation of inventions/designs and trend investigations for IP applications. Simultaneously, R&D/Business divisions provide accumulated technical information, industry insights, and other relevant data from their respective activities.
This collaborative effort aims to form "Intellectual Property Strategy and Technology/Business Strategy" that will be the core for the realization of a sustainable society through the embodiment of technology.
【Incentive / Award System】
As a mechanism to promote intellectual property creation, an award system for outstanding intellectual property contributing to business and an incentive system for appropriately rewarding contributions to inventions have been established. The incentive system traces its origins to the introduction of the employee invention system with the legal amendment in 2005. Subsequent changes include the shift to employer attribution following the patent law revision in April 2016. In 2020, further revisions were made to enhance the innovative capabilities of inventors/creators, ensuring timely recognition and reward for contributions to the business. These adjustments have been made in response to legal and environmental changes.
【Education System (Basic education/Hierarchical education)】
As an internal initiative, we consolidate the educational expertise held by each member of the IP Innovation Division.
We conduct activities to establish a hierarchical education system with the aim of improving the quality of educational content for various target groups such as new employees and designers.
Additionally, we utilize the outcomes of these efforts as e-learning materials for internal education, creating a mechanism for widespread educational dissemination. To foster the development of intellectual property professionals for the next generation, we also implement on-the-job training (OJT) for young employees. In recent years, we have invited outside lecturers to provide training on the intellectual property system for engineers, thereby enhancing our education system for intellectual property.