Putting design thinking into the patent deployment practice of dimming LED driver SMEs

This research focuses on the use of design thinking and patent information as the basis for a set of operation processes. These will investigate how enterprises can find new business opportunities based on the demands of the market through patent deployment and technology road-mapping, starting with the establishment of a top management team and an industrial development model to proposing strategic patent deployment patterns. Four aspects of technology road-mapping were then developed to support decisions regarding connecting technologies with the market. The four aspects of the road-mapping include technologies, patents, products, and the market. The research produced six patent deployment models and three feasible patent deployment schemes. The technology road-mapping of the case company was then completed so as to realize the long-term blueprint of connecting technologies with market goals. The results won high praise from the company. This research believes that using SPDT process and patent information at the same time will produce complementary effects, and enhance the objectivity and reliability of the patent deployment. Using just patent information may have limitations because the information only comes from the outside. However, using it together with SPDT can guarantee the extraction of more valuable technological information from internal discussions with the company, and provide patent deployment and technology road-mapping for the company.