Optimal design of technical standards and patent pools for the competition policy

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K23190
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0107:Economics, business administration, and related fields
• Research Institution: Hitotsubashi University (2019, 2023); Kyoto University (2020-2022)
• Principal Investigator: KADOWAKI Makoto 一橋大学, 社会科学高等研究院, 特任講師 (90845041)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 知的財産権制度 / 競争政策 / 特許の藪 / 公知技術

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study examined the effects of “patent thicket” (i.e., higher final product prices, lower market transaction, lower consumer welfare, and lower firm profits, by royalty stacking of patent rights) using an econometric model. It also examined the effects of technological standards and patent pools on economic welfare, and conducted a counterfactual analysis to evaluate the economic welfare in case where vertical integration and vertical separation occur, and in case where technology-specific patent pools are constructed, and in case where only certain leading firms refuse to cooperate. Next, It conducted a theoretical analysis of the incentives for participants in technology standards and patent pools to conduct additional R&D. Finally, It examined the dynamic complementarity of patented technologies using patent data before and after the introduction of Japan's pre-grant publication system (early publication system).

Free Research Field

経済学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

特許技術間の補完性がもたらす経済非効率性については、これまでも理論的に検討されてきたが、具体的にどの程度の相互依存関係があるかを定量的に示した研究は少なく、またその非効率性を解消する技術標準・パテントプールの効果についてもほとんど検証されてこなかった。こうした現状を鑑みて、特許間の補完性の実態把握や、技術標準・パテントプールの競争効果および反競争効果についての、競争政策の判断材料となりうる一般的な知見を提供する。