Search

In the ever-changing global landscape, economic development opportunities arise from novel circumstances. Economic globalization and the rapid internationalization of enterprises are promoting international economic growth. Concurrently, domestic economies transition from high-speed growth to superior-quality growth. Amidst this complexity, innovation emerges as a catalyst for enhancing enterprise quality and global competitiveness. China's pilot free trade zones (FTZs), established in 2013, serve as experimental platforms to drive policy experimentation, attract foreign investment, and streamline cross-border trade. This study examines the impact of these zones on enterprise innovation using patent application data from China's A-share listed companies between 2011 and 2020. While existing research often focuses on macroeconomic FTZ impacts, this study explores microeconomic implications on individual enterprises. Using Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share listed companies, a multi-period difference-in-differences method is employed to explore the influence of FTZ establishment on innovation output. The findings reveal that FTZs enhance enterprise innovation output, with heterogeneity across technology-intensive and state-owned enterprises. Financial constraints are identified as a mechanism linking FTZs to innovation. Theoretical implications emphasize the positive correlation between FTZs and innovation output, highlighting policy-driven incentives. Heterogeneity insights offer tailored interventions for diverse enterprise profiles. The study enriches innovation understanding, contributing to policy formulation. Managerial implications underscore FTZs' dynamic catalyst role in enterprise innovation. Recommendations are offered for policymakers and practitioners to leverage FTZs for fostering innovation and economic growth. Ideas for future research suggest longitudinal analyses, global comparisons, and in-depth policy mechanism exploration. As the world economy evolves, FTZs emerge as key players in shaping innovation trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzing the impact of economic openness and institutional environment on technological innovation is of great significance for China to build a new system of open economy. This study investigates the short- and long-run effects of economic openness and institutional environment on innovation by applying a dynamic panel regression model and two-step system generalized method of moments (GMM) method to dynamic panel data of China's 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government (referred to as provinces hereafter) from 2008 to 2017. Results indicate that trade openness impedes innovation, whereas foreign direct investment (FDI) significantly promotes China's innovation particularly in the long-run. The continuous improvement of institutional environment promotes domestic innovation particularly in the long run. The integration of economic openness and institutional environment magnifies the effects of trade openness and FDI on innovation. The effects of economic openness and institutional environment on innovation differ by region with a descending pattern from China's Eastern to the Central andWestern regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern toothpastes are complex formulations with various ingredients. The aim of this study was to analyze the improvement of toothpaste formulations from 1900 to 2023 focusing on active ingredients with remineralizing, antibacterial, or plaque-removing effects, and to discuss their influence on caries prevention. For this, worldwide patent applications were searched using the international database Espacenet from the European Patent Office. Additionally, toothpaste products were searched using the Mintel product database from 1996 to 2023. The searched ingredients were (in alphabetical order): calcium carbonate, calcium phosphates, hydrated silica, sodium fluoride, sodium lauryl sulfate, triclosan, xylitol, and zinc salts as they are known from the scientific literature to be remineralizing or antibacterial/antiplaque agents. It was shown that the number of patent applications containing these ingredients significantly increased since the 1970s. As these ingredients have remineralizing, antibacterial, or plaque-removing effects, they all can contribute to caries prevention. In conclusion, and within the limitations of this approach, this study shows that toothpaste formulations have greatly improved over the past decades by using various active anticaries ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the dynamics of scientific and technological innovation and cooperation in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. It focuses on unraveling the intricate web of influences that steer patenting and transformation within 34 universities in this region. The study reveals the spatial spillover of university patent applications and delves into the nuanced choices universities make in transforming patents. The findings underscore the antecedents of university patent applications and reveal their propensity for spatial spillovers across the region. Key determinants, in particular the government funding and the economic prosperity of the region in which the university is located, do not positively affect university patent applications. Interestingly, institutional distance can assist colleges in the region in generating more patents. Moreover, the study delineates two central pathways for patent transformation within universities: one involves the strategic allocation of internal resources, while the other depends on collaborative ventures between universities and their respective regional ecosystems. This dual approach illuminates viable pathways for the evolution of university patents and provides insights into leveraging internal dynamics and fostering collaborative networks with the broader regional innovation milieu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review focuses on the promising technology of solid-state batteries (SSBs) that utilize lithium metal and solid electrolytes. SSBs offer significant advantages in terms of high energy density and enhanced safety. This review categorizes solid electrolytes into four classes: polymer, oxide, hybrid, and sulfide solid electrolytes. Each class has its own unique characteristics and benefits. By exploring these different classes, this review aims to shed light on the diversity of materials and their contributions to the advancement of SSB technology. In order to gain insights into the latest technological developments and identify potential avenues for accelerating the progress of SSBs, this review examines the intellectual property landscape related to solid electrolytes. Thus, this review focuses on the recent SSB technology patent filed by the main companies in this area, chosen based on their contribution and influence in the field of batteries. The analysis of the patent application was performed through the Espacenet database. The number of patents related to SSBs from Toyota, Samsung, and LG is very important; they represent more than 3400 patents, the equivalent of 2/3 of the world's patent production in the field of SSBs. In addition to focusing on these three famous companies, we also focused on 15 other companies by analyzing a hundred patents. The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the strategies employed by various companies in the field of solid-state battery technologies, bridging the gap between applied and academic research. Some of the technologies presented in this review have already been commercialized and, certainly, an acceleration in SSB industrialization will be seen in the years to come. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the complex interplay among innovation, research and development (R&D), and entrepreneurship within the context of European nations. The focus of the study is also on the contributory role of tertiary educational institutions in nurturing entrepreneurial activities. To deepen the understanding of these multifaceted relationships and their subsequent impact on regional economies, the research introduces a novel metric termed the Innovation Readiness Environment (IRE) index. This index combines various indicators such as R&D expenditure, patenting rates, firm size, and educational levels, thereby providing a framework for evaluating firms' innovative capabilities and entrepreneurial success in a given region. Utilization of this index offers policymakers and stakeholders a nuanced understanding of the regional innovation ecosystem, facilitating the identification of strengths and deficiencies. This, in turn, enables the formulation of targeted policy interventions to enhance innovation and entrepreneurship. One relevant conclusion drawn from this study is the pivotal role of tertiary education in catalyzing entrepreneurial ventures. The findings posit that higher levels of entrepreneurial education significantly supplement an individual's likelihood of entrepreneurial success by imparting the requisite skills and knowledge indispensable in a competitive business milieu. By fostering an environment conducive to innovation, higher education institutions emerge as critical agents in cultivating entrepreneurial acumen and stimulating economic expansion. The study further incorporates a spatial analytical framework to elucidate the regional specificities of innovation at the pan-European scale.

This study investigates the complex interplay among innovation, research and development (R&D), and entrepreneurship within the context of European nations. The focus of the study is also on the contributory role of tertiary educational institutions in nurturing entrepreneurial activities. To deepen the understanding of these multifaceted relationships and their subsequent impact on regional economies, the research introduces a novel metric termed the Innovation Readiness Environment (IRE) index. This index combines various indicators such as R&D expenditure, patenting rates, firm size, and educational levels, thereby providing a framework for evaluating the innovative capabilities and entrepreneurial success of firms in a given region. Utilization of this index offers policymakers and stakeholders a nuanced understanding of the regional innovation ecosystem, facilitating the identification of both strengths and deficiencies. This, in turn, enables the formulation of targeted policy interventions to enhance both innovation and entrepreneurship. One salient conclusion drawn from this study is the pivotal role of tertiary education in catalysing entrepreneurial ventures. The findings posit that higher levels of entrepreneurial education significantly supplement an individual's likelihood of entrepreneurial success by imparting the requisite skills and knowledge indispensable in a competitive business milieu. Higher education institutions, by fostering an environment conducive to innovation, emerge as critical agents in the cultivation of entrepreneurial acumen and the stimulation of economic expansion. The study further incorporates a spatial analytical framework to elucidate the regional specificities of innovation at the pan-European scale.

The article attempts to provide an overview of the pre-grant opposition against a patent application no 1219/DEL/2004 dated 30-06-2004 filed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The Pre-Grant Opposition was filed by M/s Hindustan Lever Limited by way of Representation u/s 25 (1) of Indian Patents Act, 1970. This resulted in the application being denied to CSIR, by the Assistant Controller of Patents & Design, Indian Patent Office (IPO), New Delhi. Subsequently, CSIR went on to file an appeal against the Order of Assistant Controller of Patents & Design at Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB), Chennai which ultimately resulted in the impingement of the decision of the Assistant Controller of Patents and Designs, IPO, New Delhi by the IPAB on 20-06-2013 and a direction to grant the Patent to CSIR was passed by IPAB, Chennai, and accordingly the Patent was granted to CSIR on 27-08-2015. This study provides an overview of the case, including comprehensive information on the Indian patent filing process, examination procedures, pregrant opposition, and strategies to address opposition. Furthermore, it presents a comparative analysis of similar cases, highlighting key legal interpretations, and offers suggestions for enhancing institutional IP due diligence processes and strengthening IP safeguards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Industrial Minerals & Processing / Huagong Kuangwu yu Jiagong is the property of Industrial Minerals & Processing Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Modern toothpastes are complex formulations with various ingredients. The aim of this study was to analyze the improvement of toothpaste formulations from 1900 to 2023 focusing on active ingredients with remineralizing, antibacterial, or plaque-removing effects, and to discuss their influence on caries prevention. For this, worldwide patent applications were searched using the international database Espacenet from the European Patent Office. Additionally, toothpaste products were searched using the Mintel product database from 1996 to 2023. The searched ingredients were (in alphabetical order): calcium carbonate, calcium phosphates, hydrated silica, sodium fluoride, sodium lauryl sulfate, triclosan, xylitol, and zinc salts as they are known from the scientific literature to be remineralizing or antibacterial/antiplaque agents. It was shown that the number of patent applications containing these ingredients significantly increased since the 1970s. As these ingredients have remineralizing, antibacterial, or plaque-removing effects, they all can contribute to caries prevention. In conclusion, and within the limitations of this approach, this study shows that toothpaste formulations have greatly improved over the past decades by using various active anticaries ingredients.

Background: As a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic, many intellectual property (IP) owners have signed on to the “Open COVID Pledge”, an agreement that makes corporate and university IP available free of charge for the purpose of facilitating the development of technologies that will end the pandemic and minimize the impact of disease. Joining this pledge is relatively straightforward for already-disclosed IPs. However, few, if any, has considered how to encourage owners of “non-disclosed patent applications” and “trade secrets” to sign on to this meaningful pledge. In other words, so far there is no proposal to extend the Open COVID Pledge for confidential pending patents and trade secrets. Methods: We propose an innovative and flexible framework to cover both non-disclosed patent applications and trade secrets to mobilize inventors to participate in the Open COVID Pledge. Results: By focusing on immediate publication of the patent-applying technology and extending provisional right to such applications which is subject to the Open Pledge during this pandemic, our recommendations are workable for inventors who would like to pledge their non-disclosed technologies for the detection, prevention and treatment of the COVID-19, in the meantime preserving their IP rights for the post-pledge period. Conclusion: This paper offers a way forward to guide pledgers and implementers who are interested in supporting the effort by addressing some of the issues associated with the free sharing of non-disclosed patent applications and trade secrets in the fight against COVID-19.

Germany is a global leader in environmental protection and has embraced a fast-track transition towards renewable energy adaptation. To support the continuous energy transition, an approximate sum of EUR 3000 billion needs to be mobilized by 2050, making it an exemplary case for examining the influence of green finance on renewable energy consumption and technological innovation. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of green finance and technological innovation on renewable energy consumption across 16 federal German states, utilizing panel data from 2008 to 2021. Two novel financial proxies, green investment and environmental protection-related sales, are introduced to capture the financial mechanisms underpinning the energy transition. MMQ (method of moments quantile) regression is employed to explore the short and long-run relationship among variables. The results reveal that while environmental protection-related sales consistently increase renewable energy consumption, the positive effects of green investment manifest only in the long term. Furthermore, the results indicate that solely increasing R&D funds does not necessarily boost renewable energy consumption. However, the positive interplay between R&D and patent applications significantly increases electricity generation from renewable sources. Indicating that integrated financial and technological strategies are essential for advancing Germany's renewable energy goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic, many intellectual property (IP) owners have signed on to the "Open COVID Pledge", an agreement that makes corporate and university IP available free of charge for the purpose of facilitating the development of technologies that will end the pandemic and minimize the impact of disease. Joining this pledge is relatively straightforward for already-disclosed IPs. However, few, if any, has considered how to encourage owners of "non-disclosed patent applications" and "trade secrets" to sign on to this meaningful pledge. In other words, so far there is no proposal to extend the Open COVID Pledge for confidential pending patents and trade secrets.Methods: We propose an innovative and flexible framework to cover both non-disclosed patent applications and trade secrets to mobilize inventors to participate in the Open COVID Pledge.Results: By focusing on immediate publication of the patent-applying technology and extending provisional right to such applications which is subject to the Open Pledge during this pandemic, our recommendations are workable for inventors who would like to pledge their non-disclosed technologies for the detection, prevention and treatment of the COVID-19, in the meantime preserving their IP rights for the post-pledge period.Conclusion: This paper offers a way forward to guide pledgers and implementers who are interested in supporting the effort by addressing some of the issues associated with the free sharing of non-disclosed patent applications and trade secrets in the fight against COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional patent statistics cannot accurately reflect the real development level of technology. In order to overcome this deficiency, this study adopts quantitative research methods to conduct empirical research on global artificial intelligence technology-related patent applications, and on this basis, provides suggestions for the government and enterprises on how to improve my country's innovation capabilities in the field of artificial intelligence. First, this paper analyzes patent application trends, technology application areas and innovation trends using the incoPat patent search database and information visualization tools. On this basis, the Herfindahl-Hirschman index is further used to measure and analyze the patent concentration of artificial intelligence technology patent applicants in various regions of my country. The analysis results show that my country has the largest number of patent applications in the area of artificial intelligence technology, but the proportion of high-value patents is relatively low, which needs to be further improved. Patents in the eastern region are relatively scattered, while patents in the western region are relatively concentrated. The government should introduce policies according to local conditions to avoid excessive concentration and dispersion of patents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]