1. Nanotechnology

What is nano?

10¯⁹ m – Quantum Effect

Big areas

Pharmaceutical, dendrimers, canbon nanotube, fullerences, nanowires

2. Carbon Nanotube

2-1. Carbon Nanotube

3. Properties

Mechanical Property200 times stronger than Iron, but much lighter

Electrical Property1,000 times better than silver and copper

Thermal Property20 times better than copper

Other Property

4. Application

Display Panel (electron emission)

High-condensed Semiconductor

5. Patents

Patents on how to produce Carbon Nanotube1. NEC (Dr. Ijima, Japen) ; Chemical Method2. CNI (Nobel Laureate, Richard Smalley, Rice University) ; Laser Method

Patents on applications1. Samsung Electronics2. Hitachi, LTD.3. LG Electronics

5-2.PatentsTop assignees - 257 patents in total

Countries Number of patents

Samsung Electronics and Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.

Korea 23

Rice University USA 14Hyperion Catalysis International, Inc.

USA 10

The United States of America USA 9University of Kentucky Research Foundation

USA 8

Industrial Technology Research Institute

Taiwan 8

NEC Corp. and Research Institute, Inc.

Japan 7

Iljin Nanotech CO., Ltd. Korea 6

Battelle Memorial Institute USA 5The Regents of the University of California

USA 4

Agency of Industrial Science and Technology

Japan 4

Hitachi, Ltd. Japan 4

LG Electronics, Inc UK 4

Stanford University USA 4

6. Infringement

As of late March 2005, 3,818 U.S. nanotechnology patents had been issued with another 1,777 patent applications awaiting judgment.

Many problems occurred

Lots of patents overlapped!

6-2. Infringement

6-3. Infringement

Examples of overlapped patents

One covers silicon nanocrystals having average diameter between 1 and 30nm.Another covers any nanocrystal emitting light in a spectral range no greater than than 60nm.

(from Law Firm, Foley Lardner) Reasons

competitiveness ( Gold Rush )

Lack of uniform handling in US PTO (140 examiners for 257 patent on nanotubes)

6-4. Infringement

Want to start NEW business, BUT!!

Cross licenses should be considered

Thank you

Reference

1. Carbon Nanotubes - Who Owns the Patents and IP Rights for Carbon Nanotubes?, ETC Group

2. Nanotechnology Patent Explosion, Stephen B. Maebius, Foley Lardner

3. Carbon Nanotubes - Who Owns the Patents and IP Rights for Carbon Nanotubes?, Peter Herbert, Lux Research, Inc.

4. Many other sources from the Internet