Innovation Management
Corporate R&D Initiatives
R&D Aimed at ESG Management
The Corporate Research and Development Group is pursuing a mission to develop pioneering, groundbreaking, proprietary technology that creates new ecosystems and new and expanded businesses contributing to the realization of a sustainable society.
To put into practice ESG-focused management, Sharp is using “One Sharp” partnership and collaboration to step up its contributions to carbon neutrality, carry out digital transformation in infrastructure and other areas, and accelerate new business development in growth fields that will help create a more comfortable living environment. In particular, Sharp is pursuing people- and earth-friendly innovations centered on the application and deployment of AI technology, which is an area where rapid technological innovation is taking place.
Amidst an increasingly diverse and complex array of issues facing society and to realize sustainable societies and management, the Corporate Research and Development Group is contributing to Sharp’s continued growth through technological development aimed at creating innovative services and solutions that capitalize on change.
Notable Initiatives
Sharp aims to change the game by creating technologies that will serve as the core engine of future company growth. With a focus on achieving industry DX and AI/robotics applications, lifestyle innovation, green innovation, and communication innovation, we are working towards the early realization of new businesses that drive sustained growth into the future.
Turning to communications technology, Sharp holds more than 7,500 patents of critical importance for communications standards in more than 50 countries worldwide, and it grants licenses to numerous leading companies.
Sharp has dived headfirst into activities to create standards in the field of video communications and is contributing to creating the social infrastructure that will realize innovation and DX.
As part of its open incubation activities, Sharp is also strengthening inter-company collaboration with external partners in order to promote technological development and early commercialization. Focusing on the areas of generative AI and digital transformation, Sharp will incorporate the wealth of ideas and knowledge offered by startups, expand the results of its research and development into new business areas, and accelerate technological innovation by engaging in cross-industry co-creation.
Searching for the Next Innovation
In the fields of AI, next-generation communications, and EVs, which Sharp sees as new industries, the company will accelerate its search for the next innovation using two perspectives: improving added value by strengthening technological capabilities and expanding business domains. Sharp will continue to challenge itself to create unique new value by developing people- and society-oriented AI that utilizes Sharp’s proprietary CE-LLM* edge AI technology, next-generation communication technologies that will become increasingly important in the future, and by treating mobility as a living space.
- CE-LLM (communication edge-LLM) is a registered trademark of Sharp Corporation.
Sharp’s Direction for Technological Development—Expanding CE-LLM Edge AI Technology to All Businesses
Intellectual Property Protection
Intellectual Property Strategy and Management System
Sharp regards its intellectual property strategy as one of its critically important management strategies, and it is promoting it together with its business strategy and R&D strategy. By aggressively obtaining patents, Sharp is boosting the superiority of its product and device businesses and strengthening its business foundation. The company’s intellectual property department was spun off into Sharp IP Infinity Co., Ltd. (SIPI), with a view to making it a profit center of Sharp. Because SIPI is well versed in Sharp’s products, technologies, and businesses, it can offer a high level of specialized service and improved efficiency. SIPI gives Sharp more driving force in its intellectual property management, generating strong patents and economic value from Sharp’s state-of-the-art technologies.
Regarding patent applications, Sharp defines core technology areas with respect to each business and strategically files patent applications that are tightly coupled with its business development. Sharp is also acquiring useful patents invented in cooperation with other companies or derived from the activities of alliances, such as industry-university cooperation.
In addition, Sharp is filing applications and registering rights for designs and trademarks globally under its brand strategy.
Protecting Intellectual Property
Sharp maximizes the use of its intellectual property by linking it to its business strategy and R&D strategy. It is also firmly committed to protecting its own intellectual property rights, while also respecting the intellectual property rights of others. While Sharp takes an amicable approach to resolving issues of infringement, it is the company’s policy to seek the judgment of a third party, such as the courts, when its intellectual property rights are not respected.
Sharp is also working to bolster protection for trade secrets and to prevent unauthorized disclosure of production technologies and manufacturing know-how, particularly those that are unique or critically important to Sharp. Further, counterfeit Sharp-brand products have had a growing impact in overseas markets in recent years, and Sharp is taking measures to counter these imitations through cooperation with industry groups and with regulatory authorities taking enforcement actions.