China's IC Patent Applications Increase

In 2009, the international financial crisis had a great impact on the global semiconductor market. China's IC industry also suffered a negative growth for the first time. However, under the background of vigorously developing strategic emerging industries, 3G, mobile communications, semiconductor lighting, automotive electronics and other emerging fields are developing rapidly. The huge market bred by them will enable our IC industry to find opportunities for development in the face of severe challenges. With the implementation of the 01 and 02 major projects specified in the national medium and long term plan for science and technology development and the compilation of the "12th Five-Year plan" for the integrated circuit industry, the domestic IC industry will usher in a new round of development climax.

　　 The proportion of domestic patents for design patents is increasing.

A total of 13135 design patent applications were published in 2009. From the macro statistical analysis of the changes in patent applications over the years, we can see that from 2001 to 2005, the National IC design patent application volume entered a period of rapid growth, the annual growth rate remained above 30%, and gradually slowed down after 2006. It should be noted that the decline in the curve from 2008 to 2009 may be derived from the early public delay review of Chinese patents, so it can not be used as a basis for determining the trend of patent applications.

In 2009, the number of design patent applications was the highest in China, accounting for 8323, accounting for 63% of the total number of patent applications. The US and Japanese companies followed closely, ranking second and third, 1385 and 1115 respectively, accounting for about 19% of the total patent applications.

From 2005 to 2009, China accounted for more than half of the total annual patent applications in the field of IC design, and the growth rate remained above 35%, indicating that China's R & D capabilities and technological achievements in this field have remained at a relatively high level in recent years. However, the developed countries such as the United States and Japan still occupy a certain share of China's patent applications. At the same time, European countries and South Korea are also actively arranging and constructing the patent system. The proportion of Japanese applicants showed a downward trend, and has entered negative growth in 2008. The decline in growth rate in 2009 may be derived from the early open delay review of Chinese patents, so it can not be used as a basis for determining the trend of patent applications. But in the long run, domestic applicants will continue to take the lead in this field. {page_break}

　　 The quality of manufacturing patent applications has been improved.

By the end of December 31, 2009, there were 58642 invention patents and utility models patents for integrated circuit manufacturing in China, including 55420 patents for invention patents, about 94.5%, and 3222 utility models, accounting for about 5.5%.

Over the past 5 years, the number of domestic applicants in the manufacturing field has surpassed those of developed countries such as Japan and the United States. 2008 was the main turning point, not only for the first time, but also for some 40% growth. The reason may be the stimulation of relevant policies in 2007. By 2009, the advantages of domestic applicants have been further consolidated. It is expected that the new patent law and its implementation regulations will continue to play a leading role under the influence of the new patent law and its implementation regulations.

　　 The number of patent applications is increasing year by year.

According to the search, as of December 31, 2009, there were 21517 patents for inventions and utility models of integrated circuit packaging in China, including 18507 patent applications, 86%, and 3016 utility models, accounting for 14%. There are 3295 invention patents and utility models patents for integrated circuit testing in China, including 2664 patent applications, 80.8%, and 631 utility models, accounting for 19.2%.

In order to get a clearer and accurate understanding of the distribution of patents in the field of IC packaging and testing in China, and explore its distribution trends and centralized distribution points, we have classified the patent applications in this field with the reference of the classification system of the International Patent Classification (IPC) table.

From the IPC distribution of the integrated circuit packaging and testing class, we can see that in 2009, the majority of patents in China's integrated circuit packaging field were concentrated in h01l21 (specially used for manufacturing or processing semiconductor or solid devices or parts) and h01l23 (semiconductor or other solid-state components), with a total number exceeding 1500. In addition, it is foreseeable that h01l25, which is composed of multiple single semiconductors or other solid-state devices, may become one of the hotspots of this technology. {page_break}

　 Enterprises attach importance to intellectual property and make use of them to a new level.

During the period from 1985 to 2009, the number of patent applications of integrated circuits in China has greatly leaped. Since 2000, the average annual growth rate of patent applications has exceeded 40%, which is consistent with the rapid development of China's IC industry. In particular, the implementation of the outline of the national intellectual property strategy in 2008 and the introduction of the "electronic information industry revitalization plan" in 2009, including the newly revised Patent Law and its implementation rules, will bring new importance to the intellectual property rights.

Judging from the trend of patent application at home and abroad, the most prominent design in 2009 is IC design. Although the total number of patents has declined in the early days of patent delaying censorship and the impact of the international financial crisis, China's share has risen to 60% compared to that of foreign countries. At the same time, in the United States, Japan and other suffered negative growth, the annual growth rate of more than 4% achieved good results. It fully shows that domestic IC enterprises should emphasize independent innovation in the global unfavorable situation. Taking advantage of a series of measures to expand domestic demand, we should effectively integrate the value chain and continue to grow and develop with intellectual property as the commanding point. From the perspective of technological development, there have been some changes in various fields. For example, in the field of encapsulation, the patent application is based on h01l21, which is mainly used for manufacturing or processing semiconductor or solid devices or parts, and parts of h01l23 (semiconductor or other solid state devices). In the field of testing, g05f1, which can detect the deviation of one or more predetermined values from the output of the system and feed it back to one of the devices in the system, so that it can be restored to one or more predetermined values of its automatic adjustment system, may become a new direction of technology development. The above technology points can provide reference for the development and sale of packaging and testing enterprises.

It is predicted that in 2010, the domestic IC industry will achieve greater growth under the dual impetus of the recovery of the global semiconductor industry and the continued domestic demand market. Correspondingly, the patent applications of integrated circuits in all directions except for the design field also show a continuous upward trend. Under the complex background of opportunities and challenges, integrated circuit enterprises should increase investment in science and technology research and development, enhance their capability of independent innovation, implement the intellectual property strategy systematically, and pay attention to the quality and efficiency of intellectual property rights, so as to stand out in the cruel international competition and provide support for China's transformation of economic development mode, thus helping our country achieve the strategic goal of improving the level of intellectual property creation, application, protection and management.