News Article
Hynix, Samsung & Toshiba Most Innovative in Materials & Processes
The only semiconductor subsector showing growth in 2010 according to IP Solutions, a division of Thomson Reuters, was Materials and Processes.
Innovation levels, as measured by patent volume, shifted across 12 major technology areas from 2009 to 2010.
According to the IP Solutions report ”The 2010 Innovation Report: Twelve Key Technology Areas and Their States of Innovation”, the aerospace technology market has increased overall activity by 25% year over year. Furthermore, the largest aerospace subsector increase from 2009 to 2010 occurred in the field of Space Vehicles and Satellite Technology, which jumped up by 108%. IP says the three companies in this area were Japanese manufacturer Sharp, followed by Korean manufacturers LG and Samsung.
The Semiconductor technology area saw the largest drop in innovation activity across the 12 areas tracked, falling 9% last year. The drop was driven by subsector declines in Integrated Circuits; Discrete Devices; and Memories, Film & Hybrid Circuits.
The one Semiconductor subsector showing growth in 2010 according to IP Solutions, was Materials and Processes. The innovators with the most patent activity in this subsector were Korean manufacturers Samsung and Hynix Semiconductor, followed by Japan's Toshiba.
The report stated that “Computers & Peripherals” topped the list of the most innovative technology areas with the highest volume of patent activity for second consecutive year, despite an overall decline from 2009: The Computers & Peripherals technology area published 212,622 unique inventions in 2010, earning it the top slot among the 12 areas in the analysis. However, this is a 6% decline from the level seen in 2009.
