Intellectual Property Report2021

Contents

1 Management of Intellectual Property

1-1. Intellectual Property Strategy of FEC Group... 3

1-2. Risk Management... 4
Initiative

Tacit Knowledge Externalization and Information Preservation... 5

2 Activities

2-1. Within FEC... 6

2-2. Within FEC Group... 6
Initiative

Intellectual Property Education and Awards System... 7

3 Intellectual Property Portfolio

3-1. Intellectual Property Portfolio... 8

3-2. Development and Maintenance of Intellectual Property Portfolio... 9
Initiative

IP Landscaping... 10

4 Example of Intellectual Property Activities
Creation of Businesses that Solve Social Issues

4-1. Bipolar Storage Batteries... 11
4-2. Zeolite-Encapsulated Metal Catalysts... 12
Initiative

Furukawa Electric Review... 13

5 Topics- Registered Recycling Technology on WIPO GREEN... 14- Received Clarivate Top 100 Global Innovators 2021 Award... 14

Introduction
I would like to welcome you to the intellectual property
report by the Furukawa Electric Group. Continuing fromthe previous report, we introduce various initiatives which
we conduct as intellectual property activity investment
aimed at strengthening business competitiveness.
As part of our research and development efforts towardachievement of the Furukawa Electric Group Vision
2030, we have established the Digital Innovation Centerin 2020, and the Sustainable Technology Laboratory andthe Incubator Department in 2021. We have also newly
established the Intellectual Property Utilizing Department
and the Intellectual Property Analysis Section underthe Intellectual Property Department that collaborates
with research and development activities. Utilizing coretechnologies of our group as management resources, andanalyzing intellectual property information to enhance ourmanagement and business strategy planning capabilities

FURUKAWA ELECTRIC GROUP

are becoming increasingly important in strengthening digitaltechnology, promoting digital transformation (DX), andcreating and nurturing seeds of new businesses to solve
environmental and social issues. The Furukawa ElectricGroup is promoting group-wide and global intellectual
property activities with the trinity management of business,
research and development, and intellectual property.
I hope that you will have a better understanding of theintellectual property activities of the Furukawa ElectricGroup by reading this Intellectual Property Report 2021.

October 2021
General Manager of Research &Development Division

Tetsuro Ijichi

1 Management of Intellectual Property
1-1. Intellectual Property Strategy of FEC GroupThe Furukawa Electric Group has adopted the basic policy of defining and utilizing intellectual property as
an important management resource. With the trinity management of business, research and development,
and intellectual property, we promote group-wide and global intellectual property activities.
Our basic policy consists of the following three pillars:
1

Utilizing intellectual property with
Open & Closed strategies

Run a cycle that starts from utilization of intellectual property (utilization,
creation, and then protection)*1, and formulate and implement Open andClosed strategies to enhance business strategies.

2

Strengthening management
and business strategy planningcapabilities by IP Landscaping

Strengthen management and business strategy planning capabilities by IP
Landscaping that analyzes and utilizes intellectual property information byincorporating it into strategy planning processes.

3

Stabilizing business by reducing
intellectual property risks

Identify four categories of risks, which are infringement risk, technology
outflow risk, contract risk, and counterfeit risk, as frequent risks with asignificant impact, and continuously reduce such risks to stabilize business.

In view of the above three pillars, we have set the following two major aspects of our activities aimed at theachievement of the Furukawa Electric Group Vision 2030 and SDGs:(1) Risk Minimization
Minimize business risks by protecting our unique technologies that differentiate our products from otherswith intellectual property rights and technical know-how.
Specifically, in the fields of information, energy, and mobility, which we focus on, we ensure to develop
and use intellectual property portfolios on the basis of detailed competitor analysis in order to support
stable revenue.

(2) Chance Maximization
Seek new business fields and business models by IP Landscaping, which analyzes competitiveenvironment and market environment including intellectual property information of our own and othercompanies.
Specifically, we support creating businesses that solve social issues by focusing on businesses that
support next-generation infrastructures and environmentally friendly businesses.
*1 T he basic concept of promoting intellectual
property management: In order to enhance ourbusiness, we implement intellectual property
strategies for our unique differentiating
technologies and run a cycle starting from theUtilization
Gain competitive
advantage

utilization of intellectual property.

Open & Closed strategy

Code of Conduct
We do not infringe
third party's IP rights.

We do not use or disclose
confidential information
without a consent.

IP rights,
Trade secrets,
IP Prosecution
Prior use rights,
Contracts Protect know-how

Protection
3
FURUKAWA ELECTRIC GROUP

Visualize
knowledge

Invention,
Know-how,
Data

Creation/
Accumulation

1-2. Risk Management
The Code of Conduct of the Furukawa Electric Group addresses: 1) protection of intellectual property rights;
and 2) management of confidential information.
Under the Code of Conduct, we strategically use our intellectual property rights on the basis of patentportfolio management that involves competitor monitoring and promote activities to reduce intellectual
property risks globally such as preventing technical information outflow.
We have defined the following four categories of intellectual property risks and continuously call attention torisk management.
We have been raising the awareness of intellectual property risk reduction across the entire Furukawa
Electric Group in Japan and overseas by providing intellectual property education and various awards.

Infringement risk

Technology outflow risk

Regularly and continuously investigate othercompanies’ rights information to ensurethat our products do not infringe othercompanies’ intellectual property rights.

Conceal technologies at development andmanufacturing sites and enhance information
preservation using a timestamp system.
Regularly check external announcements
including press releases.

Risks of direct damage to businesses
and loss of opportunity are avoided.

Risks of unintended disclosure ofconfidential information and other risks
are avoided.

Counterfeit risk

Contract risk

Obtain patent rights, utility model rights,
design rights, and trademark rights toprotect our products. Bring an action
for injunction or damages when anothercompany counterfeited our product.

Ensure that the Intellectual Property
Department reviews the content of eachexternal technical contract before signing it.

Risks of loss such as declined market
share are avoided.

4
FURUKAWA ELECTRIC GROUP

Risks of future disputes concerning theterms of non-disclosure agreements,
joint research agreements, purchasea nd s a le a g re e m e nt s , a nd o t he r
agreements are avoided.

Initiative
Tacit Knowledge Externalization and Information Preservation
Tacit Knowledge Externalization
Proposal for concealed technical know-how and trade secret management
Concealed technical know-how: Technology that has been determined to be concealed within ourcompany from a strategic point of view. Concealment of such technology
is ensured by trade secret management.
In accordance with the information security basic policy and countermeasure standard serving as rules of trade
secret management, we protect information assets by employing organizational and personal measures, andtechnical measures such as enhanced network security.
Connection with our group’s intellectual property strategy (the three pillars)
The first pillar of our basic policy, “Utilizing intellectual property with Open & Closed strategies,” places importance on theidentification of our unique differentiating technologies to be the source of our competitive advantage. For technologies to beclosed among such technologies, we determine whether we obtain intellectual property rights or conceal the technologies
as know-how. By ensuring concealment, we support development and maintenance of our competitive advantage.

Creation, submission, and publication of technical reports
Technical reports: E lectronic documents including research reports and investigation reports. The
documents are managed on a database based on their confidentiality. The number ofissued reports is increasing year by year and reached 920 reports in FY2020.
These technical reports contribute to the utilization of outcomes, knowledge, findings, information, and othermatters related to our unique technologies as valuable management assets.
Connection with our group’s intellectual property strategy (the three pillars)
The second pillar of our basic policy, “Strengthening management and business strategy planning capabilities by IP
Landscaping,” involves the analysis and utilization of these technical reports in order to incorporate them into strategy
planning processes as valuable intangible asset data.

Information Preservation
Introduction of a timestamp system
Timestamp: Timestamping can prove that a document with a timestamp was present at the marked time
and that the document has not been modified since that time.
For technical reports and concealed technical know-how, a system that provides “timestamps” on all electronic
documents has been employed to reinforce information preservation.
Connection with our group’s intellectual property strategy (the three pillars)
The third pillar of our basic policy, “Stabilizing business by reducing intellectual property risks,” promotes information
preservation by marking timestamps on documents containing technical know-how even if they are regularly createdelectronic documents.

Unique diﬀerentiating technologies
Electronic documentation

Proposals of
invention(Patent applications)

Proposals ofknow-howTechnical reports

Timestamps

5
FURUKAWA ELECTRIC GROUP

Regularly createdtechnical documents

2 Activities
2-1. Within FEC● Intellectual Property Officers (assigned to each business unit and research laboratory)● Bases of the Intellectual Property Department (Yokohama, Chiba, Hiratsuka, and Shiga)● Intellectual property education● Patent awards, invention compensation, etc.
Furukawa Electric assigns an Intellectual Property Officer toeach business unit and research laboratory, and implementsa three-part strategy of business, research and development,
and intellectual property, led by a team consisting of members
from the business units, research centers, and intellectual
property departments. The Intellectual Property Department
has four offices in Japan, and conducts activities in close daily
communication with business units and research laboratories.
Intellectual property education is organized and continuously
implemented in-house. We encourage inventions by providing
means such as patent-award citations and inventioncompensation.

Shiga
Chiba
Yokohama
Hiratsuka

2-2. Within FEC Group● Designated persons in charge of intellectual property activities (domestic and overseas group companies)● Intellectual Property Department bases (USA, Brazil)● Publicizing intellectual property activities
We shared Furukawa’s intellectual property policy across all group companies in Japan and overseas.
Each domestic group company has a designated person who promotes intellectual property activities incooperation with the Intellectual Property Department.
Furukawa’s intellectual property department also interacts with the Intellectual Property Departments of OFS(USA) and FEL (Brazil) andholds regular meetings.
In addition, we arepromoting intellectual property
a c t i v i t i e s t h ro u g h o u t t h eGroup by providing intellectual
property education tailoredto each company's needs
and providing patent-award
citations for domestic andoverseas group companies.

6
FURUKAWA ELECTRIC GROUP

Furukawa ElectricIntellectual Property
Department(Japan)OFS Intellectual
Property Department(USA)

FEL Intellectual Property
Department(Brazil)Initiative
1 Intellectual Property Education
We conduct training to gain a better appreciation of the importance of intellectual property and enablestrategic intellectual property activities, leading to improvement in the skills of individuals.
- Five training courses that provide systemic learning of necessary knowledge based on the work
experience of each individual- Lectures by experts who are active in the field of intellectual property- Specifically designed e-learning materials that allow learning around the clock- Intellectual property basic training for sales divisions (from FY2020)- IP Landscaping seminars for technology divisions (from FY2021)
For overseas affiliates, we provide individual training sessions aimed at raisingawareness while taking into consideration their local circumstances or requests. We
also regularly provide an intellectual property publication (IP-Newsletter) to all thegroup companies to inform them of intellectual property risks and other concernswith the goal of encouraging them to conduct intellectual property activities.
New employee
Education program

Content(1) Introductory course

Outline of intellectual
property system(2) Prosecution basic
coursePatent application(3) P rosecution advanced
courseForeign application
prosecution practice(4) C ontract basic course

Basics of contract(5) Intellectual property
management course

Strategy planning andcontract case studies

Lecture by intellectual
property expert

Lecture by invited
outside lecturer

Technical,
Administrative

Middle-level employee
Technical

Administrative

Managerial
employee

Management

2 Awards System
We have arranged President's Patent Awards for excellent intellectual property activities that willcontribute to the growth of our group and further motivate our teams.
- [Invention award] for patents that are recognized as having high value.
- [Intellectual property activity award] for excellent intellectual property activities such as strategic patentapplication and concealment of technical know-how.
Other than the Patent Awards, we have been presenting various President's Awards such as
Technology Awards, Sales Division Awards, ESG Awards, and Health and Safety Activity Awards. Our
overseas affiliates also apply for these awards every year, turning awards ceremonies into global technicalexchange opportunities where people can share their achievements.
Award
Invention award

Intellectual
property
activity award

Candidate

Evaluation

FY2020

Excellent patent award

Patented inventions recognized as having high value.

(1) Strategic application
activity division

Divisions that strategically filed patent applications byconducting searches for and analysis of patents ofours and other companies.

(2) Concealed technicalknow-how proposal
activity division

Divisions that proposed concealment of technicalknow-how, which is recognized as having high value.

Operability of know-how,
technical value, strategic
value, etc.

1(3) Counterfeit productcountermeasureactivity division

Divisions that achieved outstanding results withcountermeasures for counterfeit products using
trademark rights, design rights, and copyrights.

Results of discontinuationof and injunction against thesale of counterfeit products,
and other countermeasures.

None

7
FURUKAWA ELECTRIC GROUP

Operability of patents,
technical value, strength,
etc.

1
1

3 Intellectual Property Portfolio
3-1. Intellectual Property Portfolio
Rights held by FEC over the years and breakdown of rights bydivision in FY2020
Rights held by Furukawa Electric(fiscal 2008-2020)

Breakdown of rights by division in
fiscal 2020

Domestic

Domestic(Items)
6000
5000
4000

Total

3000

5107 cases

2000
1000
0
20
08
20
09
20
10
20
11
20
12
20
13
20
14
20
15
20
16
20
17
20
18
20
19
20
20

Headquarters

Utility patents(Items)4000

Design patents

Trademarks(Fiscal year)

Communications Solutions Division

Automotive Products Division

Energy Infrastructure Division

Electronics & Automotive System Division

Utility models

Functional Products Division

Overseas

OthersOverseas

3500
3000
2500

Total

2000

3725 cases

1500
1000
500
0
20
08
20
09
20
10
20
11
20
12
20
13
20
14
20
15
20
16
20
17
20
18
20
19
20
20

Headquarters

Utility patents

Design patents

Trademarks(Fiscal year)

Utility models

Communications Solutions Division

Automotive Products Division

Energy Infrastructure Division

Electronics & Automotive System Division
Functional Products Division

OthersIn order to strengthen our business competitiveness through intellectual property, the Furukawa ElectricGroup has held over 5,000 domestic rights annually for the past seven to eight years including FY2021. With
the expansion of sales in global markets, the number of overseas rights in the US, Europe, and China has
increased.

8
FURUKAWA ELECTRIC GROUP

3-2. Development and Maintenance ofIntellectual Property Portfolio“Group” management of intellectual property rights and building of entry barriersIntellectual property portfolios greatly affect the freedom and competitiveness of our businesses. A single
patent obtained for the results of R&D and product improvement tends to be easily circumvented, making
our competitive advantage difficult to maintain. Thus, obtaining collective intellectual property rights including
patents is important. By managing “groups” of intellectual property rights in terms of technology and products,
the Furukawa Electric Group fully understands its intellectual property capability, and develops and maintains
portfolios in accordance with its R&D and business policies. Aiming at a prompt building of entry barriers for
new technology, we have established a system that files patent applications collectively for inventions related
to new businesses and technologies to support commercialization of the inventions.
Four core technologies

Inventions related to new businesses and technologies(Technologies developed through years of development
and fabrication of advanced materials)(Example: Zeolite-Encapsulated Metal Catalysts. Please refer to“4. Example of Intellectual Property Activities” for details.)

Zeolite-encapsulated
metal catalysts

Highfrequency

Photonics

Several nm

Porous material

Catalyst

MetalsBiofuelCatalysts
characteristics

Polymers
Livestock manure Dairy & livestock farmers

Activities with the trinity management of business,
research and development, and intellectual property
The Furukawa Electric Group assigns a chief intellectual property
officer to each division and promotes intellectual property activities
with a core team formed of the business divisions, the research anddevelopment divisions, and the Intellectual Property Department. Fromvarious aspects including strategy planning, searches, application,and contract, the Intellectual Property Department promptly supports
the business divisions and the research and development divisions,which are inventor divisions, from the early stages of development.

Business
Divisions

Research
DivisionsIntellectual
Property
Department

Maintenance of the quality of intellectual property portfolios
Improvement in the quality of specifications during application processes- Joint meeting with the inventor division and the Intellectual Property Department to refine an application- Review of application strategies and the validity of the scope of claims based of the importance- Evaluation at each stage from filling to registration according to specific criteria
Use for determination of establishment or waiver of rights
Confirmation of waiver of rights at a post-registration process- Examination by the Intellectual Property Department of applicability to other technical fields and possible
use outside our group

9
FURUKAWA ELECTRIC GROUP

Initiative
IP Landscaping
The Furukawa Electric Group lists “Strengthening management and business strategy planningcapabilities by IP Landscaping” as one of the basic policies of its intellectual property strategy. IP
Landscaping allows us to use internal and external intellectual property information for analyzing
competitive environment and market environment. By doing so, we have started activities to look for new
business fields and business models.
Non-patent information

IP Landscaping

Strategy

External environment
Internal environment
Patent information

Strategyplanning

Published unexamined
patent applications
Patent publications

What is IP Landscaping?
IP Landscaping has been gathering attention since
its listing in “Intellectual Property Personnel Skills
Standard Version 2.0” released in April 2017 by
the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. This
standard defines IP Landscaping as follows:

Management strategy
Business strategy
Intellectual property
strategy

As opposed to patent maps, IP Landscaping includes researchand development information, trends in management strategies,
technical information on individual patents, and other information
on your company, competitors, and markets. IP Landscaping
provides a broad view of the current status and future perspectives
with respect to the market positioning of your company.

In 2021, the FEC has established a special organization in the Intellectual Property Department to utilize
IP Landscaping for predicting market trends and analyzing the value that customers need, in proposing
strategies for developing new businesses by co-creation with other divisions. To stimulate co-creation
with other divisions, we incorporate IP Landscaping into activities (such as marketing activities) regularly
conducted in each division to ensure viability. In accordance with the purposes of management andbusinesses, we repeatedly conduct analysis, evaluation, and hypothesis testing based on patent and nonpatent information in tandem with marketing activities in order to enhance our strategy planning capability.
Flow of IP Landscaping (Example)
Extract
major players• Extract major applicants frompatent information• Confirm business content,
financial statuses, positionsin the value chain from
non-patent information

Extract
key information
by major player• Extract highly important information
based on patent information- Size of intellectual property
investment- Changes in the intellectual
property strategy- Influence on other companies

Extract targetingand customer jobs
by segment• Test the hypothesis drawn from
non-patent information byholding discussions withother divisions andpropose a strategy

As stated in the Furukawa Electric Group Vision 2030, “in order to build a sustainable world and makepeople’s life safe, peaceful and rewarding, the Furukawa Electric Group will create solutions for the newgeneration of global infrastructure combining information, energy, and mobility”. For this purpose, wewill use IP Landscaping as a powerful tool to create businesses that solve social issues through open
innovation and co-creation with our partners. For example, we will conduct IP Landscaping for bipolarstorage batteries that contribute to the use of renewable energy, and fiber lasers, including hybrid lasers,
which contribute to the electrification of mobility, with the goal of enhancing strategy planning capability.

10
FURUKAWA ELECTRIC GROUP

4

Example of Intellectual Property Activities
Creation of Businesses that Solve Social Issues

4-1. Bipolar Storage Batteries
Stablesupply of power with bipolar storage batteries
バイポーラ型蓄電池
Elements
of social issues
社会課題の解決すべき要素
that小型・軽量・常温・安全
should be addressed

Small, lightweight, room temperature operability, safe

Technology
Furukawa 鉛蓄電池
古河電池
in the lead storage battery
Battery 「UltraBattery™」の技術
UltraBattery™

Four core
4つのコア技術
technologies
メタル
Metals

鉛の薄箔化
Thin
lead foil
長寿命化Long-life
Polymers
ポリマー

Plastic molding
樹脂成形技術
technology
Photonics
フォトニクス

Adhesion
接着技術
technology

Development
特定市場に限定and proposal
されない開発力・
capabilities
not提案力limited toTrustfrom customers
お客様からの信頼

主な製品・
Main
サービス
products& services

Open, Agile,
Open,
Agile,
Innovative
Innovative
Partnerships
パートナーシップ

蓄電池
Bipolarstoragebatteries

共創
Co-creation
partners
パートナー

バイポーラ型

Creation of
社会課題解決型
businesses
that
事業の創出
solve social issues
再生可能エネルギーのStablesupply of
安定供給

Social社会課題
issues脱炭素
Realize
社会のa carbon-freesociety実現

renewable energy（安全・空調レス・高容量蓄電）(Safe, No air conditioning,high capacity storage batteries)

particular markets

異種素材forTechnology
接合技術
joiningdissimilarmaterials
Ability
to develop
要求特性に
the最適な
optimummaterials for
素材開発力
requiredcharacteristics

All
CO., LTD.
LTD. 2021
All Rights
Rights Reserved,
Reserved, Copyright©
Copyright© FURUKAWAFURUKAWA ELECTRIC
ELECTRIC CO.,
2021

Realizea 資源
society
based
on
循環型
resource
社会の実現
recycling

Storagebattery market is expected
2030年1.5兆円規模に迫るとされる
to be電力貯蔵用蓄電池市場へ
nearly JPY 1.5 trillion in 2030
FY2021 - Start shipping samples products
2021年度中にサンプル出荷（予定）(planned)
FY2022- Start shipping formal products
2022年度より製品出荷開始（予定）(planned)

リサイクルシステムがExpandeduse of leadstoragebatteries,
確立されているwhich recycling system
鉛蓄電池の利用拡大
has been established172

One of the approaches to achieve a carbon-free society is to increase the introduction of renewable energy
such as solar power and wind power generation. Power storage batteries are essential to a stable supply of
power. The Furukawa Electric Group has been developing bipolar lead storage batteries for power storage
jointly with The Furukawa Battery Co., Ltd. The bipolar structure (structure having positive polarity on the front
side and negative polarity on the back side of one electrode) of bipolar lead storage batteries provides thefollowing advantages, making them ideal power storage batteries.
- Substantial cost reduction, weight reduction, and simplified temperature control facility- Improved capacity per unit volume, improved large current characteristics- Improved safety (by eliminating hazardous materials specified in the Fire Defense Law from battery
materials)- Improved economy (by allowing the use of established recycling systems)
By combining the battery technology and processing techniques that The Furukawa Electric Group has
cultivated over the years, with our technologies of metals, polymers, and photonics, we aim to start shipping
actual products in FY2022 to contribute to the realization of a carbon-free society and a resource recycling
based society.
As for intellectual property activities, we will promote proactive patent application domestically andinternationally as well as concealment management of know-how regarding various differentiating technologies
that provide the above-described advantages.
We also strive to perform IP Landscaping with the cooperation of development divisions and the Intellectual
Property Department. With IP Landscaping, we will analyze the value that customers need and apply the
results to business strategy planning.

11
FURUKAWA ELECTRIC GROUP

4-2. Zeolite-Encapsulated Metal Catalysts
Business of producing LPG from livestock manurewith zeolite-encapsulated metal catalysts
Elements of social issues
that should be addressed

Trust from customers

Expectations for biofuels,long-life catalysts,
manure disposal

Four coretechnologies
MetalsSupported metal
catalysts
technology
Polymers

Development andproposal capabilities
not limited toparticular markets

Creation of businesses that solve social issues
Build a new business model for biofuel that enables local consumptionof local production, storage, and transportation

Zeolite-encapsulated
metal catalysts
Several nm

Catalyst

Local
community

BiofuelPorous material(LP gas)Realizea carbon-freesocietyLocal
community

Clean
energyCatalysts
characteristics

Town planningfor mitigating
disasters

Normal householdenergyLP
GASLivestock manure

Metal processing
technology

Localcommunity

Livestock
manureHelp local communities
become independent
Greenhouse gases (CO2 + CH4 )SocialissuesEnergyEmergency
energyLocal
community

Dairy &
livestock farmers

Co-creation partners(Local municipalities, etc.)

Create a regional circularand ecological sphere

Revitalize &
stimulateregional
economies

Open, Agile, Innovative Partnership
All Rights Reserved, Copyright© FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD. 2021

3

The Furukawa Electric Group has succeeded in fixing a metal catalyst inside porous material through a joint
research project with Hokkaido University. Having resistance to aggregation and coking, which have been along-standing problem of catalysts, this catalyst boasts high activity and long life in dry reforming reaction thatgenerates synthetic gas from biogas. It is called “Ramune Shokubai TM ” in Japanese.
Recycling of greenhouse gasses with this technology will help local production and local consumption of LPgas that can be used in general households and dairy farms as well as at disaster sites as emergency energy.
This technology may also lead to a solution to potential problems livestock farmers have such as reduction inprocessing cost of livestock manure, odor generation, and water pollution. With this technology, we will drive
local production and local consumption of energy and contribute to the creation of a regional circular andecological sphere as new social infrastructure, and a carbon-free society.
Under the banner of “Furukawa Electric Group Vision 2030”, we aim to improve medium to long term
corporate value considering ESG (Environment, Social, and Corporate Governance). Energy recycling of
livestock manure helps solve “climate change”, which is one of our priority issues. As a leading company in a
new ecosystem, we will design a new model that contributes to solving regional social issues.
From the early development stages of this technology, the Intellectual Property Department and researchdevelopment teams jointly conducted invention excavation activities and developed a patent network tostrengthen the inventions. We are planning to obtain diverse patent rights not limited to the catalyst structure
but also including methods of using it.
We have continuously been conducting these activities since 2017, having filed over 60 domestic patents
and 30 international patents (for international patents, the number includes family patents, application
countries of which include the US and Europe).

12
FURUKAWA ELECTRIC GROUP

Initiative
Furukawa Electric Review
The Furukawa Electric Group publishes“ F u r u k a w a E l e c t r i c R e v i e w, ” w h i c h i s atechnology and research journal introducing the
research and development results, technologies,
and new products of our group.
F u r u k a w a E l e c t r i c R e v i e w i n t ro d u c e s
notable technologies of our group and key
technologies in growing fields with the thoughtsof researchers.
From our founding in 1884 through to thepresent day, the “conveying, connecting, andstorage of energy, information, and heat”
have been the pillars of our business. Whiledeveloping a wide range of products aroundthe world in the fields of infrastructure suchas telecommunications and energy, as wellas in the fields of automotive components
and electronics, we are contributing to theachievement of a sustainable society.
We published our latest issue, No. 52 “Special
Issue: Laser Processing for Copper” in August2021. This is the first time for Furukawa Electric
Review to receive two contributions from outside
the Group.
Papers (PDF files) on No. 18 and later issues(since May 1999) are available from the following
site:
https://www.furukawa.co.jp/en/rd/review/

Furukawa Electric Review Contents

Special Issue：Laser Processing for Copper

On issuing

Furukawa Electric Group has upheld the theme of “Growth through the creation of businesses that solve the social issues” with the aimof achieving the Vision 2030. And under the evolutional slogan of “Open, Agile, Innovative”, the Group is promoting the formation ofpartnerships especially with outsiders to the Group as a materiality, which is an important management issue.
This is the first time for Furukawa Electric Review to receive two contributions from outside the Group. Both are from strong partners
who have mastered the technology and shared the success of our business in the field of the “Laser Processing for Copper”.
Including these contributions, we hope that the author’s passion for “Laser Processing for Copper” entrusted to each paper can be felt.
Furukawa Electric Review Chief Editor, Intellectual Property Dept. General Manager Michio Ohkubo

Opening Remarks
Solving the Social Issues Through Marketing Orientation and Solution Proposals

Advances in Material Processing Technology of Copper Using Short Wavelength Lasers– The Role of Blue Diode Lasers in The Smart Country Concept –Professor, Joining and Welding Research Institute, Osaka University Masahiro Tsukamoto
Yuji Sato, Ritsuko Higashino, Nobuyuki Abe, Yoshinori Funada,
Yu Sakon, Seigo Ouchi, Kohhei Asano, Koji Tojo

Principal Researcher, NICHIA CORPORATION Shinichi NagahamaHigh Quality Processing of Copper Using Fiber Lasers
Keigo Matsunaga, Taro Murayama…… 15

Development of the High-Power Blue Laser Diode Module and its Laser System
Naoki Hayamizu, Hajime Mori…… 21

The Features of the Blue-IR Hybrid Laser and the Copper Processing Technique– High Quality Copper Welding by Using the Blue-IR Hybrid Laser –Masamitsu Kaneko, Nobuyasu Matsumoto, Takashi Shigematsu…… 25

Development of Laser Welding Applications With Blue-IR Hybrid-Laser
Tomomichi Yasuoka, Nobuyasu Matsumoto, Masamitsu Kaneko, Takashi Shigematsu…… 29

New Products
Blue-IR Hybrid Laser “BRACE”…… 33

Regular Papers
Communications Solutions Hollow Core Fiber Cable

Kazunori Mukasa…… 36

Communications Solutions The Development of a Nano-ITLA for Digital Coherent Datacenter Interconnects

Masayoshi Nishita, Noritaka Matsubara, Junichi Hasegawa, Kazuki Yamaoka,
Maiko Ariga, Yusuke Inaba, Masayoshi Kimura, Masaki Wakaba, Masahiro Yoshida,
Kazuomi Maruyama, Toshihito Suzuki, Hiroyuki Ishii, Yasumasa Kawakita…… 44

New Products
Communications Solutions Super High End Fusion Splicer S185ROF / S185PMROF…… 49

Communications Solutions Ultra-high Fiber Count (UHFC) 6912-Fiber Cable With 200 μm 16-Fiber Rollable Ribbon,

Ribbon Fiber Mass Fusion Splicer S124M16 and Related Tools
Electronics & Automotive Systems Roughening Copper Plating With High Resin Adhesion

August 2021

Laser Processing for Copper

No. 51March 2020

Collaborations for New Business Creation

No. 50March 2019

Challenges to New Technologies and New Products

No. 49March 2018

OneF Automotive Technology*

No. 48March 2017

R&D Group and Global Expansion

No. 47

March 2016—

No. 46

March 2015

Optical Communication

No. 45

March 2014

Polymer Material

No. 44

October 2013

Automobile Electronics

No. 43

March 2013

Smart Grid

FURUKAWA ELECTRIC GROUP…… 10Papers

No. 5213…… 2

Development of High-Power Blue Laser Diodes

Special Issue* “OneF” is the abbreviation for “One Furukawa Electric.”

Kazuyuki Umeno …… 1

Special Contribution

Furukawa Electric Review Previous Special Issues
Issued〉〉No.52 ＜2021.8 ＞

…… 51
…… 54

5 Topics
Registered Recycling Technology on WIPO GREEN
The Furukawa Electric Group has joined “WIPO GREEN” as a partner.
It is a platform for promoting the utilization of green technologies run by
the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). We registered ourintellectual property related to green technologies, such as waste plastic
recycling technology, to the database managed by WIPO GREEN topromote the technologies. By doing so, we contribute to the achievementof a sustainable society through our entire value chain.
The Furukawa Electric Group has formulated the “Furukawa ElectricGroup Environmental Vision 2050” to strengthen our efforts to tackle theproblems of the intensification of abnormal weather due to climate change
and marine plastics of recent years. We will strengthen the “creation ofenvironmentally-friendly businesses” and the “development of businessactivities that consider climate change,” important management issues(materiality) in the “Furukawa Electric Group Vision 2030.”■ For details on the “Furukawa Electric Group Environmental Vision 2050,”

please go to the following news release

https://www.furukawa.co.jp/en/release/2021/kei_20210304.html

Received the “Clarivate Top 100 Global Innovators 2021 Award”
We were chosen among the “Top 100 Global Innovators 2020” by
Clarivate, a global information service company. This is the sixth award
and the fourth-consecutive award since 2018 for Furukawa Electric.

About Issuing the Intellectual Property Report 2021
The importance of intellectual property and intellectual
property activities has been increasing more and more in
recent years. This year, Japan's Corporate Governance
Code jointly established by the Financial Services Agency
and the Tokyo Stock Exchange has been revised toinclude items regarding intellectual property for the firsttime. We are entering a new era where effective utilizationof our intellectual property is crucial for improving ourcorporate value.
The Furukawa Electric Group has been promoting its
intellectual property activities from the perspectives of
Risk Minimization that we have conventionally practiced
to stabilize our business, and Chance Maximization aimed

14
FURUKAWA ELECTRIC GROUP

at expanding business opportunities and driving company
growth. We expect that such intellectual property activities
will truly contribute to our business and ultimately achieveenhanced company value and social contribution.
We hope that you will have a better understanding of
the intellectual property activities of the Furukawa ElectricGroup after reading the report.

October 2021
General Manager,
Intellectual Property Department

Michio Ohkubo

Drawing on more than a century of expertise in thedevelopment and fabrication of advanced materials,
we will contribute to the realization of a sustainable
society through continuous technological innovation.

Intellectual Property Report 2021

Intellectual Property Department