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Multiple patent network analysis for identifying safety technology convergence

Jeonghwan Jeon (Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering/Engineering Research Institute, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, The Republic of Korea)
Yongyoon Suh (Department of Safety Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan, The Republic of Korea)

Data Technologies and Applications

ISSN: 2514-9288

Article publication date: 14 June 2019

Issue publication date: 2 September 2019

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Abstract

Purpose

Using the large database of patent, the purpose of this paper is to structure a technology convergence network using various patent network analysis for integrating different results according to network characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

The patent co-class analysis and the patent citation analysis are applied to discover core safety fields and technology, respectively. In specific, three types of network analysis, which are centrality analysis, association rule mining analysis and brokerage network analysis, are applied to measure the individual, synergy and group intensity.

Findings

The core safety fields derived from three types of network analysis used by different nature of data algorithms are compared with each other to understand distinctive meaning of cores of patent class such as medical safety, working safety and vehicle safety, differentiating network structure. Also, to be specific, the authors find the detailed technology contained in the core patent class using patent citation network analysis.

Practical implications

The results provide meaningful implications to various stakeholders in organization: safety management, safety engineering and safety policy. The multiple patent network enables safety manager to identify core safety convergence fields and safety engineers to develop new safety technology. Also, in the view of technology convergence, the strategy of safety policy can be expanded to collaboration and open innovation.

Originality/value

This is the initial study on applying various network analysis algorithms based on patent data (class and citation) for safety management. Through comparison among network analysis techniques, the different results are identified and the collective decision making on finding core of safety technology convergence is supported. The decision maker can obtain the various perspectives of tracing technology convergence.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2018S1A5A8027985).

Citation

Jeon, J. and Suh, Y. (2019), "Multiple patent network analysis for identifying safety technology convergence", Data Technologies and Applications, Vol. 53 No. 3, pp. 269-285. https://doi.org/10.1108/DTA-09-2018-0077

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited

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