Hon Hai leads patent applications, approvals

“This indicates Hon Hai is not just a mere original equipment manufacturer. It has also placed a strong focus on patents and intellectual property,” said Wang Mei-hua, director general of IPO.

According to the agency, in 2011 a total of 82,988 patent applications were received, a rise of 3.1 percent from 2010.

Hon Hai has clinched the No. 1 place for both categories for ten years in a row. In terms of patent applications, the No. 2 and No. 3 places went to the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and AU Optronics, respectively. In terms of patent approval, Far East University and ITRI took the second and third places.

For foreign companies, Sony led with 528 applications and 309 approvals, making a comeback after losing the No. 1 position for two to three years.

“Japan has been active in applying for patents in Taiwan,” Wang said. “Last year, a total of 13,366 patent applications were submitted by Japanese firms, a rise of 16.64 percent year-in-year. Of the total, 11,833 were for new inventions, a rise of 18.52 percent.”

U.S. firms, on the other hand, made fewer applications at 7,715 last year, down 5.87 from 2010. Of the total, 7,088 were for new inventions, a decline of 6.88 percent from 2010.

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