Identifying patent conflicts: TRIZ-Led patent mapping

This paper presents a novel method of patent mapping for visualising conflicts between patent claims that incorporates the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ). The method uses TRIZ engineering parameters as the criteria for evaluating dissimilarities between patent claims, producing a visualisation based on Multi-Dimensional Scaling (MDS) that can be compared with legal judgments. The advantages of the method are that it (a) reduces evaluation complexity by transforming claim-to-claim comparisons into claim-to-criteria comparisons, and (b) provides a means of comparing judgment standards between different legal authorities in mechanical engineering terms. Reliability and validity of the method are tested through focus groups using a case study on aircraft seats. The scope of the method is limited to the field of mechanical inventions

Coverage & cooperation: Completing complex tasks as quickly as possible using teams of robots

As the robotics industry grows and robots enter our homes and public spaces, they are increasingly expected to work in cooperation with each other. My thesis focuses on multirobot planning, specifically in the context of coverage robots, such as robotic lawnmowers and vacuum cleaners. Two problems unique to multirobot teams are task allocation and search. I present a task allocation algorithm which balances the workload amongst all robots in the team with the objective of minimizing the overall mission time. I also present a search algorithm which robots can use to find lost teammates. It uses a probabilistic belief of a target robot’s position to create a planning tree and then searches by following the best path in the tree. For robust multirobot coverage, I use both the task allocation and search algorithms. First the coverage region is divided into a set of small coverage tasks which minimize the number of turns the robots will need to take. These tasks are then allocated to individual robots. During the mission, robots replan with nearby robots to rebalance the workload and, once a robot has finished its tasks, it searches for teammates to help them finish their tasks faster

정보시각화를 이용한 GTM 기반 지도의 개발 및 활용

학위논문 (박사)-- 서울대학교 대학원 : 산업공학과, 2012. 8. 박용태.정보시각화의 주요 목적은 어떠한 정보를 시각적 형상으로 표현함으로써 그 정보를 묘사하고 탐색하는 프로세스를 구축하는 것으로써 방대한 양의 정보를 분석할 때 정보시각화의 활용은 여러 가지 장점을 가지고 있다. 즉, 시각화는 인간의 인지능력을 증폭시키고 특정한 활동을 수행하기 위해서 필요한 복잡한 인지과정을 줄여준다. 또한, 큰 그림을 보여줌으로써 통찰력을 제공하기도 한다. 따라서 본 학위논문은 기술경영의 변화에 따라서 계속적으로 그 중요성이 더해지고 있는 기술 및 서비스 영역에서의 지금까지 개발되지 않은 공백을 발견하고 그 트렌드를 분석하기 위해서 정보시각화를 이용한 기술지도를 개발하고 활용한다. 이는 군의 무기체계 개발 및 획득에 필요한 기술개발에 활용할 수 있어서 국방력 강화에 크게 이바지할 수 있을 것으로 판단된다. 본 학위논문은 3개의 연구로 구성된다. 3개의 연구 안에서 1) Generative topographic mapping (GTM) 기반의 특허 공백지도를 이용해서 기술 공백을 발견하고 2) GTM 기반의 서비스 공백지도를 이용해서 서비스 공백을 발견하며 3) Generative topographic mapping through time (GTM-TT) 기반의 서비스 트렌드 지도를 활용해서 서비스 트렌드를 분석하는 접근법을 제시한다. 방대한 양의 문자 데이터로부터 중요한 정보를 추출하고 분석하기 위해서 텍스트 마이닝 기법을 바탕으로 벡터 공간 모형을 활용하여 비구조화된 문서를 구조화된 자료로 변환한다. GTM은 다차원의 데이터 공간을 저차원의 잠재공간으로 그리고 그 역방향으로 사상시킬 수 있는 확률적 모델이며 베이지안 이론에 기초한 확률적 방법을 활용한다는 측면에서 self organizing map (SOM)의 대용 모델이라고 할 수 있다. GTM-TT는 시간 기반 군집화와 시각화를 동시에 수행함으로써 다변량 시계열자료의 탐색적 분석을 위한 GTM의 확장 모델이다. 첫 번째 연구는 GTM 기반의 특허 공백지도를 이용하여 특허공백을 파악하고 이를 통해서 새로운 기술 기회들을 발견하는 문제를 다룬다. 특허지도는 잠재되어 있는 기술적 정보를 얻기 위한 유용한 도구로써 오랫동안 인식되어 왔다. 다른 영역 중에서도 새로운 기술의 탐색되지 않은 영역으로 정의되는 특허공백을 발견하고자 하는 연구영역이 주목을 받아왔다. 그러나 이전의 연구들에서는 특허지도에서 특허공백을 발견함에서 있어서 특허공백을 주관적으로 그리고 수동적으로 파악해야 하는 한계가 있어왔다. 따라서, 본 연구에서는 특허공백을 자동적으로 그리고 객관적으로 발견하기 위해서 GTM 기반 특허 공백지도라는 기술지도를 제안한다. GTM은 다차원의 데이터 공간을 저차원의 잠재공간으로 사상하고 그 역사상이 가능하므로 특허공백을 자동으로 발견하고 해석하는데 기여한다. 제안하는 접근법은 크게 3가지 단계로 구성되어 있다. 첫 째, 텍스트 마이닝을 이용해서 특허문서들을 구조화된 데이터인 키워드 벡터로 변환한다. 둘 째, GTM을 적용하여 특허지도를 만들고 지도에서 비어있는 영역으로 표현되는 특허공백을 발견한다. 마지막으로, 특허지도를 키워드 벡터로 역사상하여 특허공백을 새로운 기술 기회로 해석한다. 사례연구는 반도체 공정에서 필요한 리소그라피 (lithography) 기술 관련된 특허를 대상으로 실시한다. 본 연구는 특허공백을 발견하여 새로운 기술 기회를 발견하기 위한 시간과 노력을 절약할 수 있을 뿐만 아니라 객관성과 신뢰성을 증진시킬 수 있을 것으로 기대된다. 두 번째 연구는 기술 영역을 다루었던 첫 번째 연구와는 달리 GTM 기반 서비스 공백지도를 이용하여 서비스 공백을 도출함으로써 새로운 서비스 기회를 발견하고자 하는 문제를 다룬다. 새로운 서비스 기회에 대한 전략적 기술적 중요성에도 불구하고 새로운 서비스 기회의 지능적 탐색과 체계적 발견에 관한 연구가 상대적으로 부족하였다. 본 연구에서는 새로운 서비스 기회를 발견하기 위한 GTM 기반 서비스 지도를 개발하고 활용하는 접근법을 제안한다. 스마트폰 사용자들에게 모바일 애플리케이션 서비스에 접근할 수 있도록 하는 웹서비스를 제공하는 애플의 앱스토어 (AppStore) 로부터의 모바일 애플리케이션 서비스를 활용하여 사례연구를 실시한다. 세 번째 연구는 GTM-TT 기반의 서비스 트렌드 지도를 개발하고 이를 이용하여 서비스의 트렌드를 파악하고자 한다. 최근, 서비스의 폭발적인 증가로 인해 기업들은 직관적이고 객관적으로 서비스의 패턴과 트렌드를 분석해야 하는 문제에 직면해 있다. 이러한 상황에서 서비스 트렌드 지도라는 것이 활용될 수 있다. 일반적으로 지도는 사람들이 방대한 양의 정보를 시각화할 수 있는 시각화 도구로서의 잠재성 때문에 상당한 주목을 받아오고 있다. 특히, GTM-TT는 시간 기반 군집화와 변화 경로를 제공함으로써 동태적 분석에 적합한 모델이다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 서비스의 트렌드를 분석하기 위해서 서비스 군집 지도와 서비스 경로 지도로 구성된 GTM-TT 기반 서비스 트렌드 지도를 제안한다. 본 연구는 크게 데이터베이스 구축, 데이터 전처리, GTM-TT 서비스 트렌드 지도의 개발, 해석의 4가지 단계로 구성되어 있으며 다른 서비스 영역에서도 동태적 서비스 트렌드를 파악하는데 도움을 줄 수 있을 것으로 기대한다.Implementing information visualization has various advantages when to analyze voluminous information since the primary objective of information visualization is to construct a process that describes and explores specific information through graphical representation. That is, visualization amplifies humans cognitive ability and reduces the complex cognitive work necessary to perform certain activities. As well, unexplored insights are able to be provided through showing big pictures. Accordingly, this doctoral dissertation proposes a systematic approach to development and application of GTM-based maps using information visualization to identify new opportunities and explore trends or changes in technology or service. The dissertation is composed of three studies each of which addresses each of the three subjects: 1) systematic approach to identifying new technology opportunities through the generative topographic mapping (GTM) based patent vacuum map, 2) approach to identifying new service opportunities through the GTM-based service vacuum map, and 3) approach to analyzing service trends by the generative topographic mapping through time (GTM-TT) based service trend map. Text mining techniques are employed to transform unstructured textual items into structured data by using the vector space model for extracting and analyzing valuable information from voluminous textual data. The GTM is a probabilistic model to mapping multidimensional data space onto a low-dimensional latent space and vice versa and provide to be a creditable alternative to the self organizing map (SOM) in terms of using a probabilistic method based on Bayesian theory. The GTM-TT is one such extension of GTM for the exploratory analysis of multivariate time series by performing simultaneous time series clustering and visualization. In this research, discovering patent vacuums to identify new technology opportunities using GTM-based patent vacuum map is conducted. The patent map has long been considered as a useful tool for mining latent technological information. Among others, the detection of patent vacuums, defined as unexplored areas of new technologies, deserves intensive research. However, previous studies for identifying patent vacuums on the patent map have been subjected to some limitations, stemming from the subjective and manual identification of patent vacuums. To address these limitations, this study proposes a GTM-based patent vacuum map, which aims to automatically identify a patent vacuum. Since GTM is a probabilistic approach of mapping multidimensional data space onto a low-dimensional latent space and vice versa, it contributes to the automatic detection and interpretation of patent vacuums. The proposed approach consists of three stages. Firstly, text mining is executed in order to transform patent documents into keyword vectors as structured data. Secondly, the GTM is employed to develop the patent map, subsequently leading to the discovery of patent vacuums, which are expressed as blank areas in the map. Lastly, the meaning of each patent vacuum is interpreted as new technology opportunities by the inverse mapping of patent vacuums onto the original keyword vector. The case study is conducted with lithography technology-related patents. We believe the proposed approach not only saves time and effort for identifying patent vacuums, but also increases objectivity and reliability. Unlike the above first study deals with technology area, second study concerned with identifying new service opportunities through derived service vacuums using GTM-based service vacuum map. Despite the strategic and technological gravity of new service opportunities, relatively little research has been devoted to the intelligent exploration and systematic identification of new service opportunities. This study proposes a unique approach for developing and utilizing GTM-based service vacuum maps to discover new service opportunities. The detailed procedure of the approach is illustrated for the case of mobile application services from Apples AppStore, which is a web service that allows smartphone users to access mobile application services. The proposed approach is expected to aid the discovery of new service opportunities from various information systems. Lastly, identifying trends of service using GTM-TT service trend map is dealt with. Recently, due to the explosive increase of services, firms have faced with challenges to analyze patterns and trends in services in an intuitive but objective ways. The notion of service map can be adapted to this end. Maps, in general, have been receiving a great deal of attention because of their potential as visualization tools that can allow people to visualize massive amounts of information. Specifically, the GTM-TT algorithm is suitable for dynamic analysis since GTM-TT provides a time-based clustering and change path. In response, this study proposes an approach for developing and using GTM-TT service trend maps consisting of a service clustering map and a service sequence map for analyzing service trends. The proposed approach, broadly, is comprised of four steps: 1) the construction of a database, 2) data preprocessing, 3) development of a GTM-TT service trend map, and 4) interpretation. The proposed approach is expected to aid in the identification of dynamic service trends for other service areas as well.Chapter 1. Introduction 1 1.1 Background and motivations 1 1.2 Purposes 5 1.3 Scope and framework 13 1.4 Dissertation outline 16 Chapter 2. Background 17 2.1 Theoretical background 17 2.1.1 Information visualization 17 2.1.2 Trend analysis 22 2.1.2.1 Concept of trend analysis 22 2.1.2.2 Methods, tools, and techniques for trend analysis 23 2.1.2.3 Application of trend analysis 24 2.2 Methodological background 26 2.2.1 Text mining 26 2.2.2 Generative topographic mapping (GTM) 27 2.2.2.1 Basic concept of the GTM 27 2.2.2.2 The algorithm of the GTM 30 2.2.3 Generative topographic mapping through time (GTM-TT) 32 Chapter 3. Identifying vacuums: The GTM-based vacuum map 34 3.1 The GTM-based patent vacuum map for identifying technology vacuums 34 3.1.1 Overall research framework 34 3.1.2 Detailed processes 35 3.1.2.1 Data preprocessing 35 3.1.2.2 Development of GTM-based patent vacuum map 37 3.1.2.3 Detection of patent vacuums 39 3.1.2.4 Interpretation of patent vacuums 40 3.1.3 Case study: lithography technology 41 3.1.3.1 Data collection 42 3.1.3.2 Data preprocessing 43 3.1.3.3 Development of GTM-based patent vacuum map 44 3.1.3.4 Detection of patent vacuums 45 3.1.3.5 Interpretation of patent vacuums 46 3.1.4 Discussions 50 3.2 The GTM-based service vacuum map for identifying service vacuums 57 3.2.1 Overall research framework 57 3.2.2 Detailed processes 58 3.2.2.1 Step 1: Construction of the database 58 3.2.2.2 Step 2: Preprocessing 59 3.2.2.3 Step 3: Development of a GTM-based service vacuum map 63 3.2.2.4 Step 4: Exploration of new service opportunities 65 3.2.3. Case study: navigation mobile application service 70 3.2.3.1 Data collection 70 3.2.3.2 Data preprocessing 73 3.2.3.3 Developing a GTM-based service vacuum map 76 3.2.3.4 Exploring new service opportunities 77 3.2.3.2 Evaluation of new service opportunities 86 3.2.4 Discussions 88 Chapter 4. Identifying trends: GTM-TT-based trend map 91 4.1 The GTM-TT service trend map for identifying trends of service 91 4.1.1 Overall process 91 4.1.2 Detailed procedures 92 4.1.2.1 Construction of the database 92 4.1.2.2 Data preprocessing 93 4.1.2.3 Development of a GTM-TT service trend map 95 4.1.2.4 Interpretation 97 4.1.3 Advantage of the Proposed Approach 98 4.1.4 Case Study: Camera Technology-Based Mobile Application Service 98 4.1.4.1 Construction of database 99 4.1.4.2 Data preprocessing 102 4.1.4.3 Development of a GTM-TT service trend map 102 4.1.4.4 Interpretation for the service cluster map 104 4.1.4.5 Interpretation for the service sequence map 107 4.1.5 Discussion 107 4.1.5.1 Dynamic analysis 107 4.1.5.2 Period determination of GTM-TT service trend map 115 Chapter 5. Conclusions 119 5.1 Summary and contributions 119 5.2 Limitations and future research 122 Bibliography 124 Appendix 138 Appendix A. Generative topographic mapping: GTM 138 Appendix B. Generative topographic mapping through time: GTM-TT 141 Appendix C. Keyword list about navigation mobile application services 144 Appendix D. Keyword list about camera technology-based mobile application service 147Docto

Identification and search for suitable Open Innovation partners

The main goal of this thesis is to find innovation-partner search approaches. The found approaches will be assessed regarding their suitability in Open Innovation, and then adapted to their implementation into SOI. This will respond to the demands from industry for a methodical support in finding partners for OI. The main questions stated for this research are: How can a firm identify suitable partners for OI collaboration within all SH/people and firms involved in the innovation process? Are there specific approaches for specific type of partner? What are the requirements for an “OI-partner search approach”? How can search approaches be looked for in a methodical system? How can these approaches be assessed regarding OI in order to classify them? How can these OI partner-search approaches be implemented by firms

Towards a Pedagogy for Teaching Computer Ethics in Universities in Bahrain

This study presents a critical investigation into the teaching of computer ethics. A qualitative pluralistic approach (a mixture of qualitative approaches) was used to investigate case studies of teaching computer ethics to university-level students from Bahrain. The main issue was that ethics to Arabs and Muslims is a matter of religion than a matter of philosophy whereas the dominant perception in the academic literature which discussed computer ethics teaching is that computer ethics is a form of practical philosophy and hence separate from religion. In order to shed light on this, the study investigated computer ethic’s perceptions and teaching practices which were occurring in universities in Bahrain. The study found that the issue was not a matter of perception but rather a matter of confusion and a misconception. Computer ethics was being confused with morality, religion, basic computer skills to name just a few. And such confusion was causing computer ethics to gradually disappear from the curriculum and become substituted with concepts which were not necessarily capable of building students’ ethical thinking. The study recommends that computer ethics teachers and policy makers from Bahrain distinguish computer ethics from religion, morality and from any other concept and identify it as an independent field of study, also teachers need to involve their students in social and ethical analysis of various kinds so that students understand that ethics is not a set of rules on what is forbidden and allowed aimed at providing straightforward answers to a given problem but rather ethics is a ‘cognitive tool’; a mechanism through which different competing ethical theories and standards are used to reflect on a given problem.The University of Bahrai

Bibliography of Lewis Research Center technical publications announced in 1977

This compilation of abstracts describes and indexes over 780 technical reports resulting from the scientific and engineering work performed and managed by the Lewis Research Center in 1977. All the publications were announced in the 1977 issues of STAR (Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports) and/or IAA (International Aerospace Abstracts). Documents cited include research reports, journal articles, conference presentations, patents and patent applications, and theses

Indigenous Peoples’ Access to Justice, Including Truth and Reconciliation Processes

Access to justice is a demand that increasingly underlies the major debates of our time, whether in the area of economic, political and social development, peace, human rights or culture. The issue is a bridge between the past, the present and the future as it refers to the entrenched marginalization of and systemic discrimination against members or groups of society. Access to justice is the stepping stone to address or remedy injustice. No area of human endeavor has given more meaning and normative content to the concept of access to justice than the human rights area, including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The solid international human rights framework developed in the past seventy years and the ways it is being given depth through the interpretation of international human rights bodies is providing access to justice with the normative contours and specificity needed for practical implementation. Thus, access to justice is at once a substantive and a procedural right. Major elements such as the rule of law, the right to truth and other fundamental normative frameworks have added new weight to access to justice. It is within this rich human rights context that the effort to breathe new life to the struggle of Indigenous Peoples’ access to justice should be viewed. The mobilization around access to justice is shedding light on the concrete steps that can be followed for Indigenous Peoples’ access to justice to materialize. The articles contributed to this book are written by Indigenous Peoples, researchers, policy-makers, practitioners and academics, capturing a variety of international and national perspectives, based both on theory and on the analysis of specific cases and examples. Most of the articles have been contributed by participants to the International Expert Seminar on Indigenous Peoples’ Access to Justice, including Truth and Reconciliation Processes held from February 27th to March 1st, 2013 at Columbia University in New York, co-hosted by the Institute for the Study of Human Rights and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and held to inform the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples’ Study on Access to Justice in the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In addition, the co-editors found it useful to invite some authors who were not present at the Seminar to make their contributions. Thus, this volume captures a variety of subjects that fall under the broad topic of “Indigenous Peoples’ Access to Justice.

Bibliometric approach to research in entrepreneurship

El emprendedor, genera un creciente interés que se sustenta en los valiosos beneficios económicos y sociales que produce, lo que ha supuesto casi sin excepción una de las principales motivaciones para su estudio. Las publicaciones sobre emprendimiento (entrepreneurship) han experimentado un crecimiento exponencial en los últimos años. El interés por el campo de investigación se encuentra en pleno auge. Progresivamente se ha generado un universo documental cada vez más inalcanzable tanto para investigadores como para responsables público-privados, incrementando la dificultad para interpretar, analizar y comprender aquellos hallazgos relevantes en contraposición de otros de naturaleza más prescindible. En esta tesitura surge la necesidad de plantear una investigación centrada en incluir el punto de vista bibliométrico para sentar las bases científicas de futuras investigaciones. La cuestión central que justifica la tesis es la necesidad de construir una referencia para impulsar el incremento y mejora de la calidad de los estudios bibliométricos sobre emprendimiento. Para ello, se realizan diferentes análisis: en primer lugar se caracteriza una muestra representativa de documentos altamente citados sobre emprendimiento; seguidamente se estudia el potencial que ofrecen métricas alternativas a las citas, vinculadas al consumo de información como posibles predictoras del impacto futuro de esos documentos; en tercer lugar se profundiza en la evolución temática que ha seguido la disciplina a través del análisis de su contenido; finalmente, se recopilan los principales estudios bibliométricos que han analizado la disciplina de manera global con especial atención a sus características técnicas, objetivos, limitaciones y conclusiones. La tesis presenta importantes implicaciones para el futuro, actúa como nexo de unión entre dos conocimientos habitualmente desconectados. Pretende ser una referencia significativa para académicos interesados en el estudio del emprendimiento mediante herramientas bibliométricas. Aporta como principal contribución la incorporación del enfoque bibliométrico a este tipo de investigación. Entre los principales hallazgos se presentan evidencias que indican que la imagen ofrecida hasta el momento no incorpora la naturaleza multidisciplinar del emprendimiento y podría estar distorsionada. A su vez, detecta una serie de problemas inherentes a su realización, así como la necesidad de incorporar los últimos avances en bibliometría y mejorar la colaboración entre expertos de ambos campos para intentar solventarlos y avanzar hacia futuros progresos