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SINGAPORE

Patent Landscape Report

2016

This patent landscape report is commissioned by the National Research Foundation (NRF) Singapore and produced by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS).

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Disclaimer

The information, analysis, and opinions (the “Content”) contained herein are based on information reasonably available and accessible as of the date of the analysis. While IPOS endeavours to ensure that the Content is correct as of the date of the analysis, IPOS does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of the Content. The Content in this report does not constitute any legal, business or financial advice and nothing contained herein shall be construed as such. Neither IPOS nor any of its affiliates shall be liable for any claims, expenses or liabilities which may arise from this report.

I Singapore Patent Landscape 2016

Contents

Introduction

1

Worldwide Patent Landscape

3

Smart Digital Technologies on the Rise – Paving the Way for Industry 4.0

5

Singapore Innovators

7

Fostering Innovation by Building on Singapore’s Strengths

10

Additive Manufacturing Presents Opportunities to Build a Globally Competitive Manufacturing Sector

11

Building on Singapore’s Foundation in Biomedical Sciences for Future Growth

11

Spotlight on IT Methods for Management

12

Spotlight on A*STAR, NUS and NTU

16

Conclusion

19

Annex 20

Annex A – Methodology 20

Annex B – Search String 22

Annex C – IPC Concordance Table 23

Annex D – Singapore Patent Statistics (2006 – 2015) 27

II Singapore Patent Landscape 2016

List of Figures

Figure 1: Technology Intelligence Framework

2

Figure 2: Worldwide Patent Share-Growth Matrix of 35 Technology Fields (2010 – 2014)

4

Figure 3: Core Domains of Smart Digital Technologies

5

Figure 4: Singapore Innovators' Patenting Activity Compared with the World (2010 – 2014)

8

Figure 5: Patenting Activity in ITMM (Singapore vs World) (2010 – 2014)

13

Figure 6: Categories of Patent Filings in ITMM (Singapore vs World)

14

Figure 7: Top Singapore Innovators (2005 – 2014)

16

Figure 8: Portfolio Analysis of A*STAR, NUS and NTU across 35 Technology Fields in Five Technology Sectors (2005 – 2014)

17

Figure 9: Patent Filing Trend in Singapore

27

Figure 10: Breakdown of Patent Applications in Singapore (Singapore Residents and Non-Singapore Residents)

27

Figure 11: Top 10 Applicant Countries in Singapore

28

Figure 12: Top 10 Patent Applicants in Singapore 28

III Singapore Patent Landscape 2016

List of Tables

Table 1: Singapore Innovators' Strengths (2010 – 2014)

10

Table 2: Number of Patent Applications Filed in Singapore Across Technology Fields

29

1 Introduction

Introduction

Singapore is a small and open economy,

largely dependent on international

investments and trade for growth and

economic prosperity. Under the intense

pressure of rapid technological changes and

globalisation, it is no longer adequate for

Singapore to keep up with the evolution of

technology. Instead, staying ahead of the

technological innovation cycle is the key to

sustainability and survival across all levels of

granularity, be it enhancing an individual’s

employability in a global workforce

environment, upgrading business efficiency or

strategising nationwide policies.

In the present knowledge-based economy,

innovations arising from R&D are captured in

the form of intangible intellectual assets

known as patents. From a strategic

standpoint, it is advantageous for companies

to seek patent protection early in the product

life-cycle and consequently, patent

information is often available before the

product launch. As such, patent information is

a lead indicator of commercialisation.

While companies and organisations file

patents primarily to protect new technologies

from competitors, and occupy and bolster

market presence, there are other strategic

considerations at play.

Some companies apply patents to avert

litigation in a hotly-contested technology

space; others use patents to increase their

bargaining power in business IP negotiation or

as a means to generate revenue through

licensing fees. Analysis of a company’s patent

portfolio can thereby provide precious

insights into its business objectives. On a

larger scale, an analysis of a collection of

patents filed by companies and/or

organisations in a technology field can

uncover gaps and opportunities in the

technology space.

2 Singapore Patent Landscape 2016

Figure 1: Technology Intelligence Framework

Key insights derivable from patent analytics

are summarised in Figure 1. Patent analytics

supports the practice of evidence-based and

data-driven decision making. Combining this

capability with other information sources such

as market data and non-patent literature

allows us to make a holistic assessment of the

R&D landscape.

In the context of this report, IPOS draws

insights from the patent dataset with the

intent to answer one crucial question: Moving

ahead in this innovation-centric world, how

can Singapore tap on new opportunities to

complement its existing strengths?

To this end, the report delivers a snapshot of

the worldwide and Singapore patent

landscape over 2010 – 2014.

Leading questions relating to the worldwide

patent landscape include: What are the fast-

growing technologies? What is the underlying

key driver of growth? What do these trends

mean for Singapore?

Shifting its focus to Singapore as a source of

innovations, some leading questions include:

Where does Singapore stand globally in the

different technologies? What are the strengths

of our Singapore innovators? How can we

utilise our strengths to boost our key economic

sectors?

We hope that our study can provide insights

to help companies and organisations

understand the worldwide patenting trends

and pivot on the strengths of Singapore

innovators.

R&D ADDRESSABLE MARKET ECOSYSTEM

Contextual knowledge (e.g. company strength, regulatory environment)

Collaborators, competitors, corporate vehicles,

regulatory environment

Gaps and opportunities, growth potential

R&D interest

Insights derived from patent analytics

Identification of potential collaborators and

competitors

Alignment with national R&D priorities

Scientific activity (non-patent literature)

Applied R&D activity

Business trends and market intelligence

Technology adoption

Market coverage

3 Worldwide Patent Landscape

Worldwide Patent Landscape

A Broad Look at Worldwide Technology Trends

Globalisation has been and remains vital to

Singapore’s growth and productivity, as it

blurs physical boundaries, and thus provides

access to global markets, ideas and talent.

Along with these benefits, globalisation also

brings competition. In order for Singapore to

stay relevant in a global knowledge economy,

it is important to keep abreast of the changing

technology landscape and seize opportunities

in a timely fashion.

“Technological progress becomes

even more exciting when it enters

into the service of the social idea

which demands that not only a

small elite but humanity at large

should profit by it.”

Rudolf Christoph Eucken German Philosopher, 1846 – 1926

1908 Nobel Prize for Literature


An overview of the worldwide patent trends

and technology landscape is illustrated in a

plot of worldwide patent share against

worldwide growth rate for 35 technology

fields (refer to the WIPO IPC technology

concordance table in Annex C) using PCT data

from 2010 – 2014 (Figure 2). The patent share

represents intensity of global patenting

activity in respective fields accumulated over

the five-year period, while the growth rate

serves as a proxy for the interest in the

technology and the potential demand in the

future.

Detailed analysis shows that the matrix can be

divided into two radial bands. A large cluster

of the 35 technology fields fall within the

inner radial band and are “conventional”

technologies such as Pharmaceuticals,

Biotechnology and Semiconductors. These

technologies are experiencing slower growth

and lower patent share worldwide.

Technology fields in the outer radial band are

the faster-growing ones: Digital & Wireless

Communication, Computer Technology,

Electrical Machinery and Energy, Medical

Technology, Measurement, Transport, IT

Methods for Management (ITMM) and

Control.

Figure 2: Worldwide Patent Share-Growth Matrix of 35 Technology Fields (2010 – 2014)

5 Worldwide Patent Landscape

Smart Digital Technologies on the Rise – Paving the Way for Industry 4.0

Digital & Wireless Communication and

Computer Technology stand out at the top

right corner of the chart, having the largest

patent share and experiencing high growth in

the five-year period.

The Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data &

Analytics, and Cybersecurity, which are the

core domains classified under the fields of


Computer Technology, support the

widespread digitalisation across industries

and are experiencing high patent growth

(Figure 3). In this report, technologies within


Computer Technology are referred to as

“smart digital technologies” since they impart

or enable “smartness” (i.e. gathering large

datasets, making sense of the data and having

a predictive element).

The high growth of smart digital technologies

is a testament that IoT and Big Data are more

than hyped-up buzzwords. These smart digital

technologies are also key enablers of

phenomena such as Industry 4.0, which is the

digitalisation of the manufacturing industry

due to the rising demands in automation and

data exchange, as well as the Internet of

Everything (IoE) which weaves together

people, processes, data and things to create a

network of connections.

Internet of Things (IoT) (+10.1%)

Classified under Digital & Wireless Communication

Innovations in communication protocols and infrastructure

Applications in E-commerce (marketing and advertising), FinTech (contactless payments and mobile wallets) and Healthcare (medical patient record access, telemedicine)

Big Data & Analytics (+31.1%)

Classified under Computer Technology

Innovations in database structures and information retrieval methods have increased with the aim of realising more efficient and real-time retrieval of Big Data

Cybersecurity (+10.6%)

Classified under Computer Technology

Crucial in the age of the Internet of Everything

Innovations in network security and user authentication techniques have increased, particularly in biometrics

Figure 3: Core Domains of Smart Digital Technologies


The other six technology fields, namely

Electrical Machinery and Energy, Medical

Technology, Measurement, Transport, Control

and ITMM, round up the list of faster-growing

technologies in the outer radial band.

In-depth analysis reveals that innovations in

these technology fields are given a boost

when they assimilated smart digital

technologies. Indeed, innovation

opportunities abound if smart digital

technologies can be applied into respective

industries.

7 Singapore Innovators

Singapore Innovators

Singapore Innovators’ Strength in Smart Digital Technologies Provides Growth Opportunities

As demonstrated in the previous section,

smart digital technologies are indeed

experiencing high growth and high patent

share, and have a “multiplier effect” on

conventional technologies. As such, smart

digital technologies present opportunities for

Singapore to strengthen key economic

sectors, diversify growth, and drive the Smart

Nation and Sustainable Singapore initiatives.

The next question that needs to be answered

is: Does patent information indicate that

Singapore innovators1 possess capabilities in

smart digital technologies to seize the

opportunities?

1 Singapore innovators refer to inventors or companies with a registered address in Singapore.

“The Singapore story is the story of ordinary

Singaporeans doing extra-ordinary things

together.”

Lee Hsien Loong Prime Minister of Singapore

2017 New Year Message


Figure 4: Singapore Innovators' Patenting Activity Compared with the World (2010 – 2014)2

A comparison of the patenting activity of

Singapore innovators with the worldwide

patenting activity reveals our relative strength

and interest in smart digital technologies

(Digital & Wireless Communications and

Computer Technology). Figure 4 illustrates

Singapore innovators’ interest and global

market interest in the 35 technology fields, as

well as the patenting strength of Singapore

innovators in each field, the bubble size

representing the number of Singapore

innovators’ patents and the bubble colour

corresponding to the percentage share of

total global patents (light orange: >2.0%,

orange: 0.7 – 2.0%, white: < 0.6%).

2 The 35 technology fields were arbitrarily divided into three bands. The top 20% of the technology fields corresponded to a percentage share of total global patents of more than 2%; most of the technologies fell within the band of 0.7 – 2.0% of total global patents; each of the remaining technology fields had less than 0.6% of total global patents. 3 The Global Innovation Index 2016: Winning with Global Innovation, Cornell University, The Business School for the World & WIPO, 2016, pg. 278 and 380. https://www.globalinnovationindex.org/gii-2016-report

In the field of Digital & Wireless

Communication, both Singapore innovators

and the World display strong interest.

Singapore ranks among the top ten in the

provision of infrastructure for information &

communication technologies and also relies

heavily on ICT in businesses3. Top Singapore

innovators in Digital & Wireless

Communication include MediaTek, Lenovo,

A*STAR, IBM and Panasonic. These

multinational corporations (MNCs) have set

up either innovation centres or Asia-Pacific

headquarters in Singapore. The patent

portfolio of Singapore innovators centres on

innovations related to LAN configuration,

https://www.globalinnovationindex.org/gii-2016-report


digital signal processing and digital security

protocols.

Although Singapore innovators’ interest in

Computer Technology is moderate compared

to the strong global market interest,

Singapore is well-positioned to seize

opportunities in this field due to the patenting

strength present, as indicated by the large

bubble size and light orange bubble

corresponding to a percentage share of total

global patents of more than 2.0%. Patenting

areas include data analytics, information

retrieval and computer-aided design (CAD)

(Figure 4).

Another technology field that is worth

highlighting when considering the strengths of

Singapore innovators in smart digital

technologies is IT Methods for Management

(ITMM). As evident from the term “IT

Methods for Management”, IT is integral to

this technology field, and patents filed in this

field possess many elements of smart digital

technologies. This field represents software

specially adapted for administrative,

commercial, financial, managerial, supervisory

or forecasting purposes. ITMM is located at

the top right corner of the chart, and is the

technology field that the World is most

interested in. Mirroring the world trend,

Singapore innovators show the highest

interest in ITMM (Spotlight on IT Methods for

Management, page 12), as well as patenting

strength (light orange bubbles),

demonstrating their ability to apply smart

digital technologies.

Continued emphasis and skills development in

smart digital technologies is encouraged as

these technologies present opportunities

when combined with conventional

technologies. For example, Big Data &

Analytics can be applied across all four

domains under RIE2020 and support

Singapore’s Smart Nation efforts: (a) Services

and Digital Economy – e.g. Biometric

authentication in online banking, (b) Urban

Solutions and Sustainability – e.g. Smart Grids

and Precision Farming, (c) Health and

Biomedical Sciences – e.g. Precision Medicine,

and (d) Advanced Manufacturing and

Engineering – e.g. Industrial Internet of

Things.


Fostering Innovation by Building on Singapore’s Strengths

Singapore innovators’ other strengths (Figure

4, light orange bubbles) include

Semiconductors, Basic Communication

Components, Micro-structural and Nano-

technology, Audio-Visual Technology as well

as Control. A summary of the top Singapore

innovators and top areas of patenting is

provided in Table 1. The top Singapore

innovators are from MNCs in all fields of

technology except in Micro-structural and

Nano-technology, where the top innovators

are from public institutions.

As collaborative work accelerates innovation,

opportunities lie in the integration of multiple

disciplines. Expertise in these technology

fields can be applied synergistically with smart

digital technologies, creating endless

possibilities. For example, semiconductor

companies can partner biopharmaceutical

businesses to develop biochips for diagnostic

purposes.

Table 1. Singapore Innovators' Strengths (2010 – 2014)

Strengths % Share4 Top Innovators Top Areas

Semiconductors 7.5

− STATS ChipPAC

− GlobalFoundries

− Unisantis Electronics

− Details of semiconductor or other solid state devices

− Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof

− Semiconductor devices adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching, or capacitors or resistors with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier

Basic Communication Components

6.0

− Avago

− MediaTek

− A*STAR

− Networks comprising electromechanical or electro-acoustic devices; electromechanical resonators

− Amplifiers

− Coding and decoding

Micro-structural and Nano-technology

5.0

− A*STAR

− NUS

− NTU

− Nanoparticles

− MEMS

− Carbon nanotubes

Audio-visual (AV) Technology 4.1

− Siemens

− MediaTek

− Lenovo

− Deaf-aid sets

− Television systems

− Methods for magnetic recording of information on a record carrier

Computer Technology

2.9

− Lenovo

− Avago

− IBM

− Hardware operations

− Software processing operations e.g. information retrieval, CAD

− Data analytics

IT Methods for Management

2.1

− Mastercard

− VISA

− IBM

− Payment architecture, schemes and protocols

− Finance, insurance, tax strategies

− Commerce

Control 2.0

− Lenovo

− IBM

− Rockwell Automation

− Automatic systems for regulating electric variables

− Programme-control systems

− Traffic control systems for road vehicles

4 % share calculated with reference to total global patents. Singapore innovators’ percentage share of total global patents was calculated based on the number of inventions by Singapore innovators which were filed in any jurisdiction as a percentage of the total number of PCT applications in the corresponding technology field.


Additive Manufacturing Presents Opportunities to Build a Globally Competitive Manufacturing Sector

The role of manufacturing in Singapore’s

economy was emphasised in the report of the

Committee on the Future Economy 2017,

which recommended building a globally

competitive manufacturing sector at around

20% of GDP.

Conventional manufacturing involves

mechanical engineering expertise in the

design, production and operation of

machinery. Singapore innovators’ patenting

activity in mechanical engineering, particularly

Engine Systems, Machinery Parts and Heating

and Cooling Systems (Figure 4, white

bubbles), is lower compared to the World,

having less than 0.6% share of total global

patents in each field. Singapore innovators’

interest in Engine Systems and Machinery

Parts is also significantly lower than the global

market interest.

Advanced manufacturing technologies, such

as Additive Manufacturing, present

opportunities to boost innovation in the

manufacturing sector.

Building on Singapore’s Foundation in Biomedical Sciences for Future Growth

In 2000, the government identified biomedical

sciences as the fourth pillar of the economy in

order to diversify the economy and propel

Singapore up the value chain5 and has since

provided strong support in the biomedical

sciences. The biomedical industry is not only

capital-intensive, but a knowledge-intensive

one as well. However, with evident R&D

progress and continued strong government

support, this seemingly high barrier to entry is

one which Singapore is well-placed to

overcome.

Patenting data shows the fruit of the labour,

with Singapore innovators having a higher

interest in the field of Biotechnology than the

World. With the digitalisation of the

biomedical sector, innovators can build upon

Singapore’s foundation in Biotechnology and

integrate smart digital technologies for future

growth.

Likewise, opportunities can be found in the

field of Medical Technology where our

Singapore innovators have a strong interest

(Spotlight on A*STAR, NUS and NTU, page 16).

Together with the strong base of high-quality

and ISO-certified suppliers that adhere to the

strict regulatory requirements necessary for

Medical Technology applications6, more

innovative medical technologies can be

developed and tested in Singapore.

5 The Biopolis Story: Commemorating Ten Years of Excellence, Biomedical Research Council (A*STAR) & JTC Corporation, 2013. https://www.a-star.edu.sg/portals/0/media/otherpubs/Biopolis_Comm%20Book.pdf 6 Medical Technology, Singapore Economic Development Board, 2017. https://www.edb.gov.sg/content/edb/en/industries/industries/medtech.html

https://www.a-star.edu.sg/portals/0/media/otherpubs/Biopolis_Comm%20Book.pdf

https://www.edb.gov.sg/content/edb/en/industries/industries/medtech.html


Spotlight on IT Methods for Management

ITMM Registered Strong Interest Both Locally and Globally ‘IT Methods for Management’ (ITMM)-related

patent applications worldwide registered the

highest growth rate (+15.7%) among the 35

technology fields in the past five years. This

high growth rate is also mirrored in the patent

applications filed by Singapore innovators,

where ITMM is also the fastest growing field

(+26.1%).

The technology field of ITMM constitutes data

processing and/or software methods which

are specially adapted for administrative,

commercial, financial, managerial, supervisory

or forecasting purposes.

Accordingly, this technology field comprises

systems or processes for:

Administration and management, such as

database processing and office

applications,

Payment architectures, schemes and

protocols,

Commerce, which includes buying,

selling, marketing or servicing of

products or services,

Finance, insurance and tax strategies,

Other business sectors, such as utilities,

healthcare and tourism.


Figure 5: Patenting Activity in ITMM (Singapore vs World) (2010 – 2014)

A comparison of Singapore innovators’

patenting activity in ITMM with some key

jurisdictions is shown in Figure 5 (patent

applications per million residents), with

Singapore ranking ahead of other developed

countries such as Germany, UK and Denmark.

Korea is the clear leader in this field, filing

more than twice the number of applications

per capita compared to second-placed USA.

0

100

200

300

400

500

600N

o.

of

app

licat

ion

s p

er

mill

ion

re

sid

en

ts

“In the digital age, it would not just be about things, in fact, it

will be about bits, it will be about designs. Therefore, it is

important for us to be part of the digital silk road of the future.

To be a port, a nodal point, for digital bits of the future. That is

where our future is – to be a digital port.”

Vivian Balakrishnan Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore Internet-of-Things Asia Conference 2016


Singapore Innovators are Patenting More in FinTech

Singapore innovators’ ITMM portfolio shows a

heavy focus on FinTech, having a higher

proportion of ITMM filings in FinTech

compared to the World. FinTech is the merger

of financial services with information and

communications technology, comprising two

of the six categories classified as ITMM,

namely payment architectures, schemes and

protocols and finance, insurance and tax

strategies (Figure 6).

Examples of such filings include:

Banking technologies (e.g. security,

customer relationship management),

Payment technologies (e.g. point of sale,

P2P money transfer),

Digital currency (e.g. blockchain, bitcoin,

wallets, cryptocurrency),

Business and personal finance (e.g. P2P

lending, wealth management),

Other traditional financial services

disrupted by smart digital technologies

(e.g. insurance technology, regulatory

technology).

Figure 6: Categories of Patent Filings in ITMM (Singapore vs World)

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

Paymentarchitectures,schemes and

protocols

Finance,insurance, tax

strategies

Administrationand

management

Commerce Systemsadapted for

specificindustrial

sectors

Others

Pro

po

rtio

n o

f IT

MM

pat

en

t fi

lings

Worldwide filings SG innovatorsFinTech


The larger proportion of FinTech-related

patent applications is reflective of Singapore’s

status as a global financial hub7, which

demands a robust IT infrastructure and

innovative solutions to facilitate the efficient

running of commercial operations.

Top Singapore FinTech innovators include

MasterCard, Visa, Global Blue, Citibank and

DBS Bank, which are large, well-established

financial institutions providing technologies

that facilitate financial services transactions.

Indeed, patenting activity of Singapore

innovators in these institutions shows a strong

integration of smart digital technologies into

traditional services such as electronic wallets

and cloud-based transactions.

Strong Core of Singapore Innovators Delivering Online Commercial Solutions

While MNCs appear to dominate the top

ranked patent assignees in the ITMM space, a

deep-dive into the patenting data reveals that

a significant number of Singapore innovators

are in fact locally-registered small-scale

enterprises which rely upon IT innovations as

platforms for providing online businesses and

commercial solutions. Examples of top

Singapore innovators in the small-scale

enterprise category include Lets Corp Pte Ltd

and Arcadier Pte Ltd, both of which are

offering business scaling solutions using their

patented IT systems.

Financial start-ups are also patenting actively

in specific niche areas to compete with the

incumbents. For instance, Numoni Pte Ltd, a

local FinTech enterprise, serves up

innovations to provide online platforms for

remittance, payments and loans; Fastacash

came up with a novel solution to manage

payment in social networks and mobile apps;

and M-Daq specialises in security trading in

multiple currencies to facilitate cross-border

transactions.

Indeed, this trend points to a growing breed

of local entrepreneurs who recognise IT as a

cost-effective method to achieve competitive

breakthroughs, thereby setting a promising

tone to the nation’s economy.

7 Singapore ranks 3rd in The Global Financial Centers Index (GFCI 20), China Development Institute & Z/Yen Group, 2016. http://www.longfinance.net/images/gfci/20/GFCI20_26Sep2016.pdf

http://www.longfinance.net/images/gfci/20/GFCI20_26Sep2016.pdf


Spotlight on A*STAR, NUS and NTU

A*STAR, NUS and NTU are Singapore’s top

publicly-funded institutions in terms of

patenting activity, filing both locally and

worldwide. Over the last decade, the three

institutions are the only publicly-funded

institutions which rank among the top ten

Singapore innovators, the rest being multi-

national corporations (Figure 7).

Figure 7: Top Singapore Innovators (2005 – 2014)


Figure 8: Portfolio Analysis of A*STAR, NUS and NTU across 35 Technology Fields in Five Technology Sectors (2005 – 2014)

The most intense patenting activity was

observed in the Biotechnology field (Figure 8).

This finding is consistent with the

government’s push towards developing

Singapore as a biomedical hub, where $3.7

billion out of the $16.1 billion committed to

R&D between 2011 and 2015 was dedicated

to enhancing existing biomedical R&D

infrastructure, integrating multi-disciplinary

research and translating basic science into

tangible outcomes8.

Substantial patenting activity was observed in

the fields of Semiconductors and Computer

Technology, which is unsurprising, considering

that both technology fields are the strengths

of Singapore innovators (Singapore innovators

page 7). NTU’s focus in the Semiconductors

field is evident both in patent and non-patent

literature, with the largest proportion of

8 Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology, Singapore Economic Development Board, 2017. https://www.edb.gov.sg/content/edb/en/industries/industries/pharma-biotech.html 9 Disruptive, Game-Changing Innovation: 2016 State of Innovation, Thomson Reuters, 2016. http://ttaturkey.org/upload/articles-useful-links/Distruptive_Game_Changing_Innovation_Report2016.pdf

Semiconductor applications in its patent

portfolio amongst the three institutions. NTU

was also listed as one of the world’s most

prolific scientific research institutions in

semiconductors, based on the number of

academic papers published from 2005-20159.

Although the Instruments sector formed a

smaller proportion (21%) of the patent

portfolio as compared to the Chemistry (42%)

and Electrical Engineering (32%) sectors,

significant patenting activity was observed in

the fields of Medical Technology and

Measurement within the Instruments sector.

Between 2010 and 2014, all three institutions

are among the top five Singapore innovators

in Medical technology and Measurement,

demonstrating innovative capacity in the two

fields.

https://www.edb.gov.sg/content/edb/en/industries/industries/pharma-biotech.html

http://ttaturkey.org/upload/articles-useful-links/Distruptive_Game_Changing_Innovation_Report2016.pdf

19 Conclusion

Conclusion

The success of transforming Singapore’s economy begins with an understanding of her core strengths as well as identifying opportunities to create new frontiers. Using patenting activity as a proxy for R&D interest, the report provides a succinct account of the innovative strength in Singapore, highlighting Singapore’s strong interest in smart digital technologies which can play a pivotal role in the sustainability and growth of industries in the local landscape. The worldwide landscape analysis in this study also identifies digital revolution as the key driver of global change. Indeed, patenting data shows that growth is strong when smart digital technologies such as the IoT and Big Data & Analytics are applied in conventional industries. Consequently, this key insight of leveraging on smart digital technologies provides strategic guidance to innovation processes at the enterprise, industry and national levels. Data-driven and evidence-based R&D decisions will ensure a smooth transition to a more knowledge-intensive and innovative economy. Going forward, Singapore looks well-equipped to apply new technologies to drive economic progress as well as achieve the vision of a Smart and Sustainable Singapore.

“”

Indeed, patenting data

shows that growth is strong

when smart digital

technologies such as the IoT

and Big Data & Analytics are

applied in conventional

industries.


Annex A – Methodology Data Collection

(a) Innovative Capacity (Patent

Applications Filed in Singapore and

Worldwide) of Singapore

Applicants/Inventors

The dataset consisted of all patent

applications filed by Singapore-

registered companies or local inventors,

between 2005 and 2014. These

applications included those which were

filed by foreign companies wherein one

of the inventors was residing in

Singapore. The dataset was retrieved

from the Derwent World Patents

Index™, a database of patent

applications and granted patents from

50 patent jurisdictions around the

world produced by ClarivateTM

Analytics, formerly the Intellectual

Property and Science business of

Thomson Reuters. The search syntax

used for data retrieval was:

(AY>=(2005) and AY<=(2014)) and

(paod=(sg) or paod=(singapore) or

inad=(sg) or inad=(singapore)). Data

retrieval was performed on 28 January

2016 and the dataset manually

reviewed for its relevance prior to

carrying out the analyses.

(b) Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)

Patent Applications (as a

Representative of Worldwide Patent

Filing Trend)

The dataset consisted of all patent

applications filed under the PCT

International Patent System

administered by the World Intellectual

Property Organization. The PCT

facilitates patent protection for an

invention simultaneously in 152

countries by filing a single

“international” patent application

instead of filing several separate

national or regional patent applications.

From a statistical perspective, the PCT

has become an increasingly popular

procedure for many jurisdictions since

the 2000s, making it a good

representation of the worldwide

patenting trend. In this report, patent

applications with application year

ranging from 2005 to 2014 were

examined. Data retrieval was

performed on 23 February 2016.

(c) Search String

The search strings (Annex B) used in

this study for the respective

technological domains were formulated

incorporating keywords (and their

variants) and/or patent classification

codes and indexing, e.g. International

Patent Classification (IPC) and

Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC).

The patent classification codes were

identified based on initial reviews of

highly relevant codes, as well as

statistical analysis of returned patent

datasets.

21 Annex A – Methodology

Classification of Technology Fields by

International Patent Classification (IPC)

The first International Patent Classification

(IPC) code (at subclass or main group level)

was used to match each application to the

respective technology sector/field as set out

by the WIPO IPC technology concordance

table (Annex C). IPC codes are assigned by

experienced patent examiners and/or patent

classifiers to categorise patent documents.

Generally, the most relevant technology is

represented by the first IPC code. It should be

noted that IPC codes are typically assigned a

few months after application. As such, newly-

filed patent applications and withdrawn

applications do not have assigned IPC codes.

Consequently, the technology sector/field

analysis was performed using dataset with

valid IPC codes. In this report, 99.4% of the

patent applications filed in Singapore and

worldwide by Singapore applicants/inventors

and close to 100% of the PCT patent

applications had valid IPC codes.

Calculation of Growth Rates

Growth rate was derived by using the best-fit

exponential line method for the set of data in

Microsoft Excel. y = a*ebx, where b is the

growth rate.

Refinement of Applicant Field: Subsidiaries,

Mergers and Acquisitions

Automated algorithms from VantagePoint

were used to group variations of an

applicant’s name together as these variations

represent the same applicant. For example,

spelling and punctuation mark discrepancies

were corrected. The refined results were

manually checked for accuracy. Additionally,

applicants were also checked for known

subsidiaries, mergers and acquisitions, and

then grouped and renamed according to the

parent company.

Grouping by Patent Family

A DWPI patent family is a group of patents

filed in various countries and related to a

single invention. Analyses that take into

account patent families reflect innovation

productivity more accurately as only one

invention is counted per patent family. In

contrast, considering individual patent

applications filed in multiple countries will

give an overestimation of the number of

inventions.


Annex B – Search String

Internet of Things

Main Keywords Used

IoT; Internet of Things; IIoT; Industrial Internet

of Things; connected systems; connected

devices; connected homes; networked

applications

Wireless networks; web services; wireless

devices; wireless systems; networks; smart

networks; intelligent homes; smart homes;

smart devices

Transmission control procedure; LAN; WAN,

communication processing; communication

control; network topologies; data networks;

self-organising networks; sensor networks

Main Patent Classification Codes Used

H04L29/08; H04L12/28; H04L29/06;

G06F15/16; G05B19/418; H04W84/18;

H04W4/00; G08C17/02; H04W72/04;

H04B7/26; H04L67/00

Big Data & Analytics

Main Keywords Used

Big data; data cloud; data warehouse; parallel

data processing

Data handling; data manipulation; data

analysis; forecasting; data optimisation; query

Hadoop; YARN data; ASTER data; Datameer;

FICO data; BLAZE data; Platfora; Splunk;

MapReduce


G06F17/30; G06F7/00; G06F15/16;

G06F17/00; H04L29/08; G06Q10/00;

G06F17/50; G06F12/00; G06F19/00;

G06F15/173; G06F; G06K; G06N

Cybersecurity

Main Keywords Used

Cybersecurity; protection; malicious; hacking;

backdoor; cryptography; cryptanalysis; cyber-

threats

IOT security; mobile security; cloud security;

endpoint security; network security;

telecommunication; communication security;

multimedia security; information security

User access; user control; verification;

authentication; biometrics; intrusion systems;

unified threat management; rootkit;

symmetric key

Encryption; decryption; ciphertext; malware;

anti-virus; phishing; DDoS; DoS, denial of

service; spam; botnet; black hat; white hat;

Trojan; worm; digital signatures; zero

vulnerability; ransomware; anti-spoof; data

loss prevention; DLP; intrusion detection

system; IDS


G06F21/00; H04L9/00; H04L29/06;

H04L63/00; H04W12/00; G06F12/14;

G07F7/08; G07F7/10; G07F7/12; G06F13/362;

G06Q20/40; G06K9/00; H05K9/00; G09C;

G06N

23 Annex C – IPC Concordance Table

Annex C – IPC Concordance Table The WIPO IPC technology concordance table links the International Patent Classification (IPC) codes

with thirty-five fields of technology. The concordance table10 is updated on a regular basis to reflect

revisions to the IPC. The version used in this report is February 2016.

Technology IPC code Remarks

Chemistry

Basic Materials Chemistry

A01N, A01P, C05B, C05C, C05D, C05F, C05G, C06B, C06C, C06D, C06F, C09B, C09C, C09D, C09F, C09G, C09H, C09J, C09K, C10B, C10C, C10F, C10G, C10H, C10J, C10K, C10L, C10M, C10N, C11B, C11C, C11D, C99Z

Typical mass chemicals such as herbicides, fertilisers, paints, petroleum, gas, detergents etc.

Biotechnology C07G, C07K, C12M, C12N, C12P, C12Q, C12R, C12S

Overlaps with pharmaceuticals. Applications with explicit co-classification in A61K are excluded.

Chemical Engineering B01B, B01D 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 15, 17, 19, 21, 24, 25, 27, 29, 33, 35, 36, 37, 39, 41, 43, 57, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, 69, 71, B01F, B01J, B01L, B02C, B03B, B03C, B03D, B04B, B04C, B05B, B06B, B07B, B07C, B08B, C14C, D06B, D06C, D06L, F25J, F26B, H05H

Technologies at the borderline of chemistry and engineering. It refers to apparatus and processes for the industrial production of chemicals.

Environmental Technology

A62C, B01D 45, 46, 47, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, B09B, B09C, B65F, C02F, E01F 8, F01N, F23G, F23J, G01T

A variety of different technologies and applications, in particular filters, waste disposal, water cleaning, gas-flow silencers and exhaust apparatus, waste combustion or noise absorption walls.

Food Chemistry A01H, A21D, A23B, A23C, A23D, A23F, A23G, A23J, A23K, A23L, C12C, C12F, C12G, C12H, C12J, C13B 10, 20, 30, 35, 40, 50, 99, C13D, C13F, C13J, C13K

Does not include machines for food production (which is under Other Special Machines).

Macromolecular Chemistry, Polymers “Macromolecular Chemistry”

C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G, C08H, C08K, C08L

Chemical aspects of polymers.

Materials, Metallurgy “Materials”

B22C, B22D, B22F, C01B, C01C, C01D, C01F, C01G, C03C, C04B, C21B, C21C, C21D, C22B, C22C, C22F

All types of metals, ceramics, glass or processes for the manufacture of steel.

Micro-structural and Nano-technology

B81B, B81C, B82B, B82Y Some of the Micro-structural and Nano-technology-related applications are found directly under e.g. Semiconductors (FinFET) and Pharmaceuticals (drug nanoparticles).

10 For simplification purposes, phrases in italics have been adopted in this report to replace the original classification terms.


Organic Fine Chemistry A61Q, A61K 8, C07B, C07C, C07D, C07F, C07H, C07J, C40B

Primarily refer to pharmaceuticals. Documents with co-classification in A61K were excluded, except A61K 8 which refers to cosmetics.

Pharmaceuticals A61K 6, 9, 31, 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, 41, 45, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 101, 103, 125, 127, 129, 131, 133, 135, A61P

Surface Technology, Coating “Surface and Coatings”

B05C, B05D, B32B, C23C, C23D, C23F, C23G, C25B, C25C, C25D, C25, C30B

Coating of metals, generally with advanced methods. Also covers electrolytic processes, crystal growth and apparatus for applying liquids to surfaces.

Electrical Engineering

Audio-Visual Technology G09F, G09G, G11B, H04N 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 101, H04R, H04S, H05K

Technologies underlying consumer electronics.

Basic Communication Processes “Basic Communication Components”

H03B, H03C, H03D, H03F, H03G, H03H, H03J, H03K, H03L, H03M

Basic technologies such as oscillation, modulation, resonant circuits, impulse technique, coding/decoding. These techniques are used in Telecommunications, Computer Technology, Measurement, Control.

Computer Technology G06C G06D, G06E, G06F, G06G, G06J, G06K, G06M, G06N, G06T, G10L, G11C

Electrical digital processing.

Digital Communication “Digital & Wireless Communication”

H04L, H04N 21, H04W Border between Telecommunications and Computer Technology.

Electrical Machinery, Apparatus, Energy “Electrical Machinery and Energy”

F21H, F21K, F21L, F21S, F21V, F21W, F21Y, H01B, H01C, H01F, H01G, H01H, H01J, H01K, H01M, H01R, H01T, H02B, H02G, H02H, H02J, H02K, H02M, H02N, H02P, H02S, H05B, H05C, H05F, H99Z

Non-electronic part of electrical engineering, for instance, the generation, conversion and distribution of electric power, electric machines but also basic electric elements such as resistors, magnets, capacitors, lamps or cables.

IT Methods for Management

G06Q Software for special purposes.

Semiconductors H01L Methods for production, integrated circuits or photovoltaic elements.

Telecommunications G08C, H01P, H01Q, H04B, H04H, H04J, H04K, H04M, H04N 1, H04Q

Instruments

Analysis of Biological Materials “Biological Material Analysis”

G01N 33 Analysis of blood for medical purposes (mainly biotechnological methods).

Control

G05B, G05D, G05F, G07B, G07C, G07D, G07F, G07G, G08B, G08G, G09B, G09C, G09D

Controlling and regulating electrical and nonelectrical systems and referring test arrangements, traffic control or signalling systems etc.

Measurement G01B, G01C, G01D, G01F, G01G, G01H, G01J, G01K, G01L, G01M, G01N 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 29, 30, 31, 35, 37, G01P, G01Q,

25 Annex C – IPC Concordance Table

G01R, G01S, G01V, G01W, G04B, G04C, G04D, G04F, G04G, G04R, G12B, G99Z

Medical Technology A61B, A61C, A61D, A61F, A61G, A61H, A61J, A61L, A61M, A61N, H05G

High technology and also less sophisticated products and technologies such as operating tables, massage devices, bandages etc.

Optics “Optics and lasers”

G02B, G02C, G02F, G03B, G03C, G03D, G03F, G03G, G03H, H01S

Optical elements and apparatus; laser beam sources.

Mechanical Engineering

Engines, Pumps, Turbines “Engine Systems”

F01B, F01C, F01D, F01K, F01L, F01M, F01P, F02B, F02C, F02D, F02F, F02G, F02K, F02M, F02N, F02P, F03B, F03C, F03D, F03G, F03H, F04B, F04C, F04D, F04F, F23R, F99Z, G21B, G21C, G21D, G21F, G21G, G21H, G21J, G21K

Non-electrical engines for all types of applications e.g. automobiles.

Handling “Handling systems”

B25J, B65B, B65C, B65D, B65G, B65H, B66B, B66C, B66D, B66F, B67B, B67C, B67D

Elevators, cranes or robots, but also packaging devices.

Machine Tools A62D, B21B, B21C, B21D, B21F, B21G, B21H, B21J, B21K, B21L, B23B, B23C, B23D, B23F, B23G, B23H, B23K, B23P, B23Q, B24B, B24C, B24D, B25B, B25C, B25D, B25F, B25G, B25H, B26B, B26D, B26F, B27B, B27C, B27D, B27F, B27G, B27H, B27J, B27K, B27L, B27M, B27N, B30B

Turning, boring, grinding, soldering or cutting with a focus on metals.

Mechanical Elements “Machinery Parts”

F15B, F15C, F15D, F16B, F16C, F16D, F16F, F16G, F16H, F16J, F16K, F16L, F16M, F16N, F16P, F16S, F16T, F17B, F17C, F17D, G05G

Fluid-circuit elements, joints, shafts, couplings, valves, pipe-line systems or mechanical control devices. The focus is on engineering elements of machines such as joints or couplings.

Other Special Machines A01B, A01C, A01D, A01F, A01G, A01J, A01K, A01L, A01M, A21B, A21C, A22B, A22C, A23N, A23P, B02B, B28B, B28C, B28D, B29B, B29C, B29D, B29K, B29L, B99Z, C03B, C08J, C12L, C13B 5, 15, 25, 45, C13C, C13G, C13H, F41A, F41B, F41C, F41F, F41G, F41H, F41J, F42B, F42C, F42D

Thermal Processes and Apparatus “Heating and Cooling Systems”

F22B, F22D, F22G, F23B, F23C, F23D, F23H, F23K, F23L, F23M, F23N, F23Q, F24B, F24C, F24D, F24F, F24H, F24J, F25B, F25C,

Applications such as steam generation, combustion, heating, refrigeration, cooling or heat exchange.


F27B, F27D, F28B, F28C, F28D, F28F, F28G

Textiles and Paper Machines

A41H, A43D, A46D, B31B, B31C, B31D, B31F, B41B, B41C, B41D, B41F, B41G, B41J, B41K, B41L, B41M, B41N, C14B, D01B, D01C D01D, D01F, D01G, D01H, D02G, D02H, D02J, D03C, D03D, D03J, D04B, D04C, D04G, D03H, D05B, D05C, D06G, D06H, D06J, D06M, D06P, D06Q, D21B, D21C, D21D, D21F, D21G, D21H, D21J, D99Z

Applications related to making of textiles and paper.

Transport B60B, B60C, B60D, B60F, B60G, B60H, B60J, B60K, B60L, B60M, B60N, B60P, B60Q, B60R, B60S, B60T, B60V, B60W, B61B, B61C, B61D, B61F, B61G, B61H, B61J, B61K, B61L, B62B, B62C, B62D, B62H, B62J, B62K, B62L, B62M, B63B, B63C, B63G, B63H, B63J, B64B, B64C, B64D, B64F, B64G

All types of transport technology and applications with dominance of automotive technology.

Other Fields

Civil Engineering E01B, E01C, E01D, E01F 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, E01H, E02B, E02C, E02D, E02F, E03B, E03C, E03D, E03F, E04B, E04C, E04D, E04F, E04G, E04H, E05B, E05C, E05D, E05F, E05G, E06B, E06C, E21B, E21C, E21D, E21F, E99Z

Construction of roads and buildings as well as elements of buildings such as locks, plumbing installations or strongrooms for valuables. Includes mining.

Furniture, Games A47B, A47C, A47D, A47F, A47G, A47H, A47J, A47K, A47L, A63B, A63C, A63D, A63F, A63G, A63H, A63J, A63K

Other Consumer Goods A24B, A24C, A24D, A24F, A41B, A41C, A41D, A41F, A41G, A42B, A42C, A43B, A43C, A44B, A44C, A45B, A45C, A45D, A45F, A46B, A62B, A99Z, B42B, B42C, B42D, B42F, B43K, B43L, B43M, B44B, B44C, B44D, B44F, B68B, B68C, B68F, B68G, D04D, D06F, D06N, D07B, F25D, G10B, G10C, G10D, G10F, G10G, G10H, G10K

Less research-intensive sub-fields.

27 Annex D – Singapore Patent Statistics (2006 – 2015)

Annex D – Singapore Patent Statistics (2006 – 2015) In this statistical compilation, the dataset consisted of all patent applications that sought protection

in Singapore i.e. filed with Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), including those that were

unpublished or withdrawn. Patent applications with application year11 dated 2006 to 2015 were

compiled herein in this Annex.

Figure 9: Patent Filing Trend in Singapore

Figure 10: Breakdown of Patent Applications in Singapore (Singapore Residents and Non-Singapore Residents)

11 The application year referred to the year when a patent application filed in Singapore was completely and successfully received at IPOS. This date may differ from the filing date of a PCT application entering the Singapore national phase. For our purpose, this application year took into account the entry of the application into Singapore and was most reflective of the patenting trend in Singapore.

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

No

. of

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s

Application year

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4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

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2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Pe

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ove

r to

tal n

um

be

r o

f ap

plic

atio

ns

No

. of

app

licat

ion

s

Application year

Non-SG resident filings SG resident filings SG resident filings (%)


Figure 11: Top 10 Applicant Countries in Singapore

Figure 12: Top 10 Patent Applicants in Singapore

29 Annex D – Singapore Patent Statistics (2006 – 2015)

Table 2: Number of Patent Applications Filed in Singapore Across Technology Fields


About The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS)

The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Law.

IPOS advises and administers the Intellectual Property (IP) regime, promotes its usage and builds

expertise to facilitate the development of Singapore’s IP eco-system. With IP fast becoming a critical

asset in today’s global markets, IPOS aims to be a trusted partner to empower all creators in our

knowledge economy. IPOS’ vision is for Singapore to be an IP Hub of Asia. More information on IPOS

can be found on www.ipos.gov.sg.

Contact Us

P Kiruthika

National Research Foundation Singapore

DID: +65 6694 5022 ▪ FAX: +65 6684 0384

Email: [email protected]

Ang Wunly

IPOS International, IPOS

DID +65 6330 8673 ▪ FAX +65 6339 0252

Email: [email protected]

http://www.ipos.gov.sg/