S curve analysis and its evaluation
concerning the technical development trend
and new commodity announcement historyof the electric toothbrush2013. 9. 6
Hiroshi Ishihara and Narumi Nagase
Sony CorporationandIntellectual Property Creation Research Subcommittee
Japan TRIZ society
1

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

Contents
••
••
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

2

Introduction
Intellectual Property activity in research and development site
Problem recognition in development site
Setting of problem
S curve obtained because of Intellectual Property creation research
subcommittee meeting activity
Purpose of this examination
Problem in analysis of summary of detailed statement
Use and methods of analysis of detailed statement information
Result of detailed analysis that uses detailed statement information
Relation between Citation information and S curve
Summary

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

Introduction• The activity of the Trinity of a continuous research anddevelopment strategy, the Intellectual Property strategy,
and the business strategy is important.
• Whether it uses it in the place where the site of done "Scurve analysis" in the Intellectual Property creation society
very when ..research and development strategy..
Intellectual Property strategy.. especially advancing it
among the activities of the Trinity is examined about thepoint.

3

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

Intellectual Property activity on tｈe site of research and development• Our technological areas can be overviewed by traditional patentmaps, and the target patent application policy can be determined

PencilCompetitor

In-house

Wppd adhesive***

Lead powder

*

****

Binder****Protective layer

Epoxy resin***LabelMetal resin*

Large item

Middle item

Small item

Woody portion

Upper portionCedar material

Lower portion

Cedar material

Bonded part
Component

WickPainting partBlack stick- Structure and composition of a Tree Patent Map4

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

***

Intellectual Property activity on tｈe site of research and development• Our technological areas can be overviewed by traditional patentmaps, and the target patent application policy can be determined

PencilLarge item

Middle item

Small item

Woody portion

Upper portion

Cedar material

Lower portion

Cedar material

Bonded part

Wppd adhesive

Competitor

In-house***ComponentReinforcement ofstrong point

Lead powder

*

****

Binder****Protective layer

Epoxy resin

***

Label

Metal resin*WickPainting partBlack stick- Structure and composition of a Tree Patent Map
5

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

Overcoming ofweakness***

Problem recognition on the development site
• The timing of the patent application is applied for when
an inventory concentration at the end of the fiscal year
etc. , doing the application or technical problems aresolved.

6

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

Problem recognition on the development site• The timing of the patent application is applied for when aninventory concentration at the end of the fiscal year etc. ,doing the application or technical problems are solved.

• I wonder whether it is a patent application with thestrategic characteristic in which it tempers with thedevelopment trend of the other companies really.
• Do not you agree to "S curve" of the aspect of so-called
TRIZ?

7

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

Setting of the problem• The timing of patent application is concentrated at theend of the fiscal year, etc. like stocktaking, or whentechnical problems are solved• Are the patents really applied with strategic
characteristic considering the development trend of theother companies?
• Doesn’t it agree with the so-called "S curve" of the TRIZ aspect?

Can’t the "Aspect of the S curve" be introduced into the patent
analysis on the other companies?
8

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

S curve obtained from Intellectual Property Creation Research Subcommittee activities•

There is a relation between the problem transition and commodity sales history
EWSA20,40
ｽﾘﾑ・山切りﾌﾞﾗｼ

EWDS32乳歯用EW1040
子供用

EWDS23
ｽﾃｲﾝｹｱ

EW1031,1032
押し当てすぎ防止
EW1033,1034,1035
押し当てすぎ防止

EW1011,1012,1013
フロート歯ブラシ付き

EWSA10ｱﾙｶﾘ乾電池
EW1062,1063
ｽﾘﾑ・ﾍﾟﾝグリップ

EWDS15
ﾌﾞﾗｼ背面舌ﾌﾞﾗｼ
EWDE21,41
歯茎に刺激

EWDS13
女性向け・回転SW

EW1021,1022
山切りブラシ付き
EW1160
軸回転磨き

EWDS16
男性向け・1.5cm長い

EWDS11
ﾎﾟｹｯﾄﾄﾞﾙﾂ

EW1000リニア駆動による音波振動

EW1044,1045
ﾘﾆｱﾓｰﾀｰ＋ｲｵﾝ

EW1036,1037,1038
ｿﾌﾄ･ﾏｯｻｰｼﾞﾓｰﾄﾞ
EW1023,1024
ﾀﾃﾖｺﾅﾅﾒﾏﾙﾁｱｸｼｮﾝ

2000

Problem transition of electric toothbrush

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005
2006
発売時期（西暦年）

EWDS14
男性向け・ﾌﾟｯｼｭSW

EWDE20,40
ｲｵﾝ1.5倍ﾀﾞﾌﾞﾙｴｯｼﾞﾌﾞﾗｼ
EWDS12-KD
ﾎﾟｹｯﾄﾄﾞﾙﾂｷｯﾄﾞ

EW1046
ﾘﾆｱﾓｰﾀｰ＋ｲｵﾝ

20072008

EWDS12ﾎﾟｹｯﾄﾄﾞﾙﾂ

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Sales history of electric toothbrush⇒ It is possible to catch a rough whole image of the S curve from information on "Registered patents"⇒ The starting point extraction of the S curve (patents on functions and the performances) is also
possible
Figure: From TRIZ Intellectual Property Creation Research Subcommittee
9

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

S curve obtained from Intellectual Property Creation Research Subcommittee activities•There is a relation between the problem transition and commodity sales history
EWSA20,40
ｽﾘﾑ・山切りﾌﾞﾗｼEWDS32
乳歯用

EW1040
子供用

EWDS23
ｽﾃｲﾝｹｱ

EW1031,1032
押し当てすぎ防止
EW1033,1034,1035
押し当てすぎ防止

EW1011,1012,1013
フロート歯ブラシ付き

EWSA10ｱﾙｶﾘ乾電池
EW1062,1063
ｽﾘﾑ・ﾍﾟﾝグリップ

EWDS15
ﾌﾞﾗｼ背面舌ﾌﾞﾗｼ
EWDE21,41
歯茎に刺激

EWDS13
女性向け・回転SW

EW1021,1022
山切りブラシ付き
EW1160
軸回転磨き

EWDS16
男性向け・1.5cm長い

EWDS11
ﾎﾟｹｯﾄﾄﾞﾙﾂ

EW1000リニア駆動による音波振動

EW1044,1045
ﾘﾆｱﾓｰﾀｰ＋ｲｵﾝ

EW1036,1037,1038
ｿﾌﾄ･ﾏｯｻｰｼﾞﾓｰﾄﾞ
EW1023,1024
ﾀﾃﾖｺﾅﾅﾒﾏﾙﾁｱｸｼｮﾝ

2000

Problem transition of electric toothbrush

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005
2006
発売時期（西暦年）

EWDS14
男性向け・ﾌﾟｯｼｭSW

EWDE20,40
ｲｵﾝ1.5倍ﾀﾞﾌﾞﾙｴｯｼﾞﾌﾞﾗｼ
EWDS12-KD
ﾎﾟｹｯﾄﾄﾞﾙﾂｷｯﾄﾞ

EW1046
ﾘﾆｱﾓｰﾀｰ＋ｲｵﾝ

2007

2008

EWDS12ﾎﾟｹｯﾄﾄﾞﾙﾂ

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Sales history of electric toothbrush⇒ The timing of the jump in the S curve is important as strategic information⇒ Can the jump of the S curve not be judged more precisely?
Figure: From TRIZ Intellectual Property Creation Research Subcommittee
10

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

Purpose of this examination• It pays attention to "Application patent", and it challenges
the refinement of S curve by the problem transition
analysis.
• It challenges the trend analysis of technologicaldevelopment and the commodity that comes into themarket from S curve and S curve group that obtains it by
the problem transition analysis.
• Citation information on the patent and the relation of S
curve are examined, and the use of Citation information isexamined.

11

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

Methods of analysis of patent specification
1.
2.

Reading 【Summary】 of patent specification to extract problems -> Easy analysis
Items are selected from "Key word list to classify the problem”

Convenience (4):[Kama] such as specific part, elements, and parts to improve addition or convenience ofprofit function and additional new features included
Improvement of make and new features included- Applicability, coexisting, connectivity, operativeness, portability, exchangeability, Sen Synge, andguidance- The analysis result is published in the poster presentation.
Patent specification: Shareresearch"Key word list to classify problem" (Intellectual Property Creation Research Subcommittee)
12

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

Key word list to classify problem
項 目

内 容／代表的なキーワード
速度、正確度など、製品本来の機能または用途と関連した属性の改善

性能
強度、速度、力、トルク、寿命、軽量化、適用性、仕事、作業のはかどり具合など、資源・財の配分について無駄の排除、減少
効率性
自動化、制御性、一貫性、機能効率、能率、３Ｄ振動、省エネ、バッテリー寿命、製品の故障率の低下、製品の寿命を延長させるための特定部分、要素、部品などの構造や機能性の改善
信頼性 製造精度、測定精度、検出精度、ロバスト性（強靱性）、安全性、安定性、防水性、耐環境性、耐候性、耐光性、耐薬品性、発火防止、漏電防止

利便性

便利機能や付加的な新機能の追加、または便宜性を向上させるための特定部分、要素、部品などの構造や機能性の改善
適用性、両立性、接続性、操作性、携帯性、交換性、センシング、ガイダンス

多様化

多品種少量生産の実現に有利な製品構造の改善、新たな生産方法または個別固定などの改善、製造設備や検査設備などの改善
汎用性、見かけ、美観、個別化、リサイクル性、環境性

価格

生産効率を向上させるための製品構造の改善、収率（良品率）、特定部分、要素、部品などの構造改善、新たな生産方法または個別工程などの改善、製造設備や検査設備などの改善
コスト削減、製造性、生産性、初期投資、運転コスト、流通コスト、- "Key word list to classify problem" (Intellectual Property Creation Research Subcommittee)
13

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

Problem in analysis of summary of detailed statement•The problem is not one but a multi itemization (For instance, the reference concerning
the cost is included), and what should read a lot of the patent ..whether aim...

Manufactured ⇒ price (6)Vibration prevention ⇒ reliability(3)⇒The purpose⇒Other parts of patent specification , for instance, claim and details of invention when it is indefinite
It tempers with the explanation and information in the form of execution and it judges it.
Patent specification: Shareresearch"Key word list to classify problem" (Intellectual Property Creation Research Subcommittee)
14

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

Methods of use and analysis of Detailed Description information•The problem extraction ⇒ detailed is analyzed from information on the patent specification.

【 analysis step 】
1.
The form etc. of a detailed
explanation and practicing theclaim and the invention are read,and the intended purpose isextracted.
2.

The content that agrees from"Key word list to classify theproblem" is selected.

3.
Judgment in S curve:Improvement by part structure
Description of effectStraightening"Improvement ofmanufacturing"With the judgment

Price (6)Price (6)Reliability(3)Price (6)Price (6)Price (6):Improvement, yield (rate of quality item) of product structure to improve productive efficiency,and specific part
New structural reforms such as amount, elements, and parts and production method or individual
processes, etc.
Improvement, ..drinking.. manufacturing facilities, and improvement of inspection equipment etc.

Patent specification: Shareresearch"Key word list to classify problem" (Intellectual Property Creation Research Subcommittee)
15

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

Result of detailed analysis that uses Detailed Description information
A detailed S curve can be acquired by the transition analysis of the problem of the application
patent.
•The time of the jump from S curve to S curve can be judged (durability).
(for instance, linear drive (rotation drive) ⇒ 3D drive ⇒ ion ⇒ miniaturization etc)•

Makingindetail< summary analysis >It is quick and a whole down shot of
the transition of the problem.

< detailed analysis that uses detailed
statement information >The transition of the problem isanalyzed in detail.

⇒The trend and the strategy of development (competing axis) can be gripped.
⇒The current state of the other companies can be expected by the comparison with S curve of its company.
16

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

Use of Citation information• What is Citation ･･･?
Analysis that uses information on quotation/quotation
Tree structural Citation Map that forward (It is quoted) and rear (quotation).

• Citation from examination information on Patent Office
The citation analysis on the application already patent is executed by therealities examination of the matter that the examination claim was done after itapplies.
Past patent information judged that the examiner quoted in the Notification ofReasons for Refusal is affixed.
•⇒Quotation patent information used for the patent examiner's analysis is
assumed to be an information resource.
Citation can be analyzed.

17

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

Use of Citation information (Patent Office information)•:* mark that analyzes [saite-shon] based on information on Patent Office, andinvestigates patent that is basic (one with a lot of numbers of references forward)

Rear (quotation) Citation[Ctation forward (It is quoted).
----A lot of quoted patent information- This Citation information is an offer from Mr. Kataoka of Patbrain Co. Ltd.
18

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

Use of Citation information• Citation of Goldfire:
There is no change in the analysis that uses information on
quotation/quotation.
Tree structural Citation Map that forward (It is quoted) and rear(quotation).
Citation analysis of which resource is quotation patent information has
been described to patent specification for which inventor applied
The third person doesn't analyze, and information that the system addedis included.

- TRIZ support software Goldfire: offered by Invention Machine Co.
19

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

Citation information by Goldfire:* mark that analyzes Citation of quotation patent described in detailed statement, and investigates
patent that is basic (one with a lot of numbers of references forward)•

Oscillatory actuator
EP 1737110 A1

Resonant actuator for a personalcare appliance having a
programmable actuation capability-US 7876003 B2Open 2002-199689 special
Linear oscillator
2000/09/29 (Masaru)
Patent No.3475949
Actuator-US 7218018 B2Open 2004-194499 specialActuator
Patent No.4039359

Method of magnetic actuator andmagnetic actuator's working andcapsular endoscope that used thisWO 2008105393 A1- TRIZ support software Goldfire: offered by Invention Machine Co.
20

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

Relation between Citation information and the S curve••

There is a correlation in [saite-shon] information and S curve.
The transition of the core technology is made clear according to patent information obtained
because of the [saite-shon] analysis.
Goldfire

Patent OfficeinformationPatent Officeinformation

Patent Office
information

Transition and Citation information on problem of electric toothbrush(The application patent is contained. )21

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

Summary••22

The methodology to understand the trend of development by doing "Problem transition S
curve analysis" of the patent specification and “Citation analysis" the Trinity when theresearch and development and the intellectual property activity were especially done on
the site and the relativity were able to be arranged as a comprehensible case.
–The whole is executed and looked down at, the problem transition analysis are executed for thesummary of the patent specification. If this detailed analysis is done, it becomes easy to judge
the jump point of S curve.

–

It becomes easy to see a competing axis and the strategy like directionality and the stage etc.
of development on which it concentrates by doing the problem transition analysis for not only
the registration patent but also the application patent.

–

The strategic intelligence increases from can the understanding of the distribution of a basic
patent that becomes important in S curve by acquiring Citation information, and theunderstanding of the directionality of development.

The obtained finding and the arranged concrete case material are made the best use of,and a further coordinated strengthening of the in-house Trinity (especially, researchand development and wisdom fortune activity) will be promoted in the future.

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

• EOF23

ソニー株式会社 Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved.