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Nano/micro-electro mechanical systems: a patent view

Journal of Nanoparticle Research volume 17, Article number: 465 (2015) Cite this article

Abstract

Combining both bibliometrics and citation network analysis, this research evaluates the global development of micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) research based on the Derwent Innovations Index database. We found that worldwide, the growth trajectory of MEMS patents demonstrates an approximate S shape, with United States, Japan, China, and Korea leading the global MEMS race. Evidenced by Derwent class codes, the technology structure of global MEMS patents remains steady over time. Yet there does exist a national competitiveness component among the top country players. The latecomer China has become the second most prolific country filing MEMS patents, but its patent quality still lags behind the global average.

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Notes

  1. http://www.thomsonscientific.com.cn/productsservices/Derwentworldpatentsindex/.

  2. Please note the raw records extracted from DII are patent family, i.e., a group of related inventions on the same technical subject filed in different countries (Martínez 2010; Grupp and Mogee 2004). Globally it is becoming increasingly common for a single invention to be filed with multiple patent authorities for which legal protection is sought.

  3. The patent data indexed in DII for 2013 are incomplete due to collection lag; thus, we see a bit of a downward slope for that year.

  4. Triad patents refer to a set of patent applications related to the same invention filed at the three traditionally most prestigious patenting offices: JPO, EPO, and USPTO.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (#71273030) and Shanghai Soft Science Key Project (#14692102900). The findings and observations contained in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding agencies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Public Economics and Administration, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Shanghai, 200433, China

    Guangyuan Hu

  2. Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200052, China

    Weishu Liu

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  1. Guangyuan Hu
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  2. Weishu Liu
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Correspondence to Guangyuan Hu.

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Hu, G., Liu, W. Nano/micro-electro mechanical systems: a patent view. J Nanopart Res 17, 465 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-015-3273-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-015-3273-1

Keywords

  • MEMS
  • Research and development
  • Derwent Innovations Index
  • Text mining