Establishing a Unified System Among Business Strategy, Technology Strategy, and Intellectual Property Strategy Teams to Fully Utilize Intellectual Property in All Situations

Three departments — the Development Promotion Department, Licensing Department, and Litigation and Counsel Department — work in unison to develop an effective IP strategy, construct a patent portfolio, and foster value creation and utilization. Additionally, they actively promote the integrated use of NEC’s brand and product designs, along with other forms of intellectual property. Within this framework, the Development Promotion Department is responsible for creating and securing intellectual property rights; the Licensing Department aids in utilizing intellectual property, particularly through IP licensing and related efforts; and the Litigation and Counsel Department supports business development by strategically harnessing the value of intellectual property and offering sophisticated legal assistance.

NEC Patent Service, Ltd. supports the intellectual property activities of the NEC Group. Additionally, we collaborate with overseas research institutes and foreign government agencies to establish intellectual property centers in North America, Europe, and China. This effort is part of our commitment to strengthen our global IP portfolio.

Lately, we have also been focusing on developing an IP support system. This initiative aims to facilitate co-creative R&D projects with external partners and to support the creation of new business ventures.

Organizational Chart

Organizational Structure of the Intellectual Property Management Division

NEC’s organizational chart

Global sites

Cultivating IP Talent

Enhancing Opportunities for Intellectual Property Education.

Our goal is to rise the expertise of our Intellectual Property Management Division members to the highest global standards. For younger members, we offer personal coaching and mentoring, and support their participation in intellectual property training programs, such as those offered by the Japan Intellectual Property Association. We also provide opportunities for job training in the U.S., focusing on mastering foreign patent systems. Additionally, we facilitate the development of IP specialists who apply their specialized knowledge, acquired through education, training, and practical experience, to contribute to NEC’s business initiatives. This effort includes nurturing leaders who are tasked with the planning and implementation of IP strategies. Through these efforts, we offer career advancement opportunities tailored to the individual aspirations and skill levels of our team members.

We also focus our efforts to IP education for employees outside of the Intellectual Property Management Division. We consider IP literacy essential, not only for researchers and engineers, but also for sales staff as well. In addition, we offer level-specific education and other IP education programs tailored for different job roles on a company-wide basis.

Three Pillars of the Intellectual Property Management Division