All steering in the same direction? Patterns of patent activity and the development of fuel cell technology

This paper explores patenting activity in the development of fuel cell technology. Using American patent data, the paper analyses the flow of information through firms and individuals at a time when the automobile sector sees this technology as a key response to radical regulatory change. This regulation is stimulating incumbent automobile manufacturers to change their approach to new product development from the traditionally exclusive to a more inclusive orientation through the development of knowledge networks. However, problematic in this search for new knowledge networks are the competing variations of fuel cell technology currently under development. Technology research in other sectors suggests that the development of these knowledge networks may be highly dependent upon key individuals or gatekeepers within firms. This paper tests that proposition through analysis of the patenting activity of the individual firms engaged in fuel cell development. Using American patent data, indexes of patent quality and activity are constructed and assessed in order to explore who the key inventors and firms are in fuel cell development and how many are automotive based. In addition we explore the data to present a picture of the technological status and advances being pursued in fuel cell commercialisation. This allows us to group firms on the basis of technological focus and suggests the existence of networks of firms clustering activity around certain technological problems.