Fuel Cell Technology Innovation Trend Analysis
Based on Patent Map
Yurong Huang
a
, Yuanyuan Hou, Xiaochuan Wei and Jing Qiao
Beijing Institute of Science and Technology Information, Beijing, China, 100044
a
Keywords: Fuel Cell, Patent Map, Technology Innovation, Technology Life Cycle.
Abstract: This paper analyses the international fuel cell technology innovation trends nearly 10 years with the method of
patent map, and visualizes the international trend of fuel cell technology innovation, the main innovation
countries distribution, main institutions and the technology layout. The research result can provides effective
intelligence supports for the strategic decision of government, as well as the technology research of enterprises
and looking for partners.
1 INTRODUCTION
Under the background of the global petrochemical
resources depleting and the ecological environment
worsening, energy and environmental protection
have been becoming the main two questions
hindering the economic developing sustainably,
looking for alternative energies becoming the
world's key methods to solve energy and
environmental problems. Fuel Cell is a kind of
power generation device which turns chemical
energy exists in the fuel and oxidant into electrical
energy directly. Because the character of safety,
environmental protection, high energy conversion
efficiency and low noise, fuel cell becomes the key
technology to research and development of the
national energy strategy.
Patent is the important symbol of technology
marketization and industrialization, and it also is the
important basis of enterprise technology innovation
and guides to imitate innovation.(Guo Jieting, Xiao
Guohua 2008; Huang Lei and Zhang Lu 2015; Shi
Xingguang and Lu Ping 2003) The paper analyses
the international fuel cell technology information
through the perspective of patent information, and it
accurately shows the international trend of
technology innovation, and provides reference for
domestic enterprise technology innovation.
2 DATA SOURCES AND
ANALYSIS
The research patent data searched from Derwent
Innovation patent database, and the patent search
strategy is compiled by combining the key words,
IPC classification number, and the manual code, and
obtained the international fuel cell 64548 patents
from 2006 to 2016. Then the patent has been
processed normally by using the data analysis
software TDA of Thomson Corporation. Then the
patent data was visualized analysis by using the
method of patent measuring and patent map.
3 TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION
PROCESS ANALYSE
3.1 Technological Innovation Trends
Figure1 is the patent development trend of the
international fuel cell technology nearly ten years, it
shows that the global fuel cell technology patent
application and publication declines since 2006 after
experiencing the rapid development, although there
was a short rebound trend from 2012 to 2013, but
the overall trend shows down.
Huang, Y., Hou, Y., Wei, X. and Qiao, J.
Fuel Cell Technology Innovation Trend Analysis Based on Patent Map.
In 3rd International Conference on Electromechanical Control Technology and Transportation (ICECTT 2018), pages 141-145
ISBN: 978-989-758-312-4
Copyright © 2018 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved
141

Figure 1. Fuel cell patent application and publication trend
3.2 Patent Technology Life Cycle
Patent technology life cycle is divided into bud,
development, maturity and decline four stages,
patent information analysis of specific technology
can show the development stage and trend of the
technology. (Liu Binqiang and Jiang Yude 2011; Li
Chunyan 2012) Figure2 is the fuel cell technology
life cycle, it shows that the global fuel cell
application number and the applicant number is
declining since 2006. But each year the patent
application number is still at a certain level, expect
the technical breakthrough in this field.
Figure 2. Fuel cell patent life cycle
4 SUBDIVISION TECHNOLOGY
ANALYSIS
4.1 Subdivision Technology Layout
Fuel cells can be divided into the Proton Exchange
Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC), Solid Oxide Fuel
Cell (SOFC), Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC),
Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell (MCFC), Phosphoric
Acid Fuel Cell (PAFC), Alkaline Fuel Cell (AFC)
according to the different electrolyte and fuel
(HouMing and Yi Baolian 2012). Figure3 is the
patent application number of six type fuel cells, it
shows that the patent number of PEMFC and SOFC
is significantly higher than other types of fuel cells.
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
10000
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Number of Patent
Year
Number of Application Patent
Number of Publication Patent
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142

Figure 3. Fuel cell subdivision technology layout
5 MAJOR TECHNOLOGY
INNOVATION COUNTRIES
ANALYSIS
5.1 Major Patent Country
Figure4 is the patent priority countries of fuel cells
since the year 2006, which shows that the number of
patents of Japan is far higher than other countries,
and the technology innovation advantage is obvious.
The patent application of China ranks second. The
United States, Korea and Germany rank third, fourth
and fifth respectively.
Figure 4. Major patent countries
5.2 Technology Layout of Major
Countries
Figure5 is the layout of main countries in
subdivision technology of fuel cells, it shows that all
the countries layout patents in all subdivision
technologies, and all the countries’ technology
research focus on the SOFC and PEMFC technology.
The patent layout proportion in the field of PAFC of
China is higher than other countries. Korea pays
more attention to MCFC technology than other
countries.
Figure 5. Technology layout of major patent countries
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
PEMFC SOFC DMFC MCFC PAFC AFC
Number of Patent
0 10000 20000 30000 40000
DE
KR
US
CN
JP
Country
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
JP
US
KR
CN
DE
Number of Patent
AFC PAFC MCFC
DMFC SOFC PEMFC
Fuel Cell Technology Innovation Trend Analysis Based on Patent Map
143

6 MAJOR TECHNOLOGY
INNOVATION
ORGANIZATION ANALYSIS
6.1 Major Organizations Distribution
Figure6 is the international top 10 patentees of fuel
cells since the year 2006, it shows that automakers
are still the main innovation bodies, six of the top 10
patentees are automakers. There are six Japanese
enterprises, two Korean enterprises, one American
enterprise and one Germany enterprise among the
top 10 patentees. The number of patent of Toyota
motor corp. is higher than other companies
significantly, and occupies the leading position.
Figure 6. Major patentees distribution
6.2 Major Organization Competitiveness
Analysis
Figure7 is the comprehensive competitiveness of
top10 patentees, which is shaped using Innography
patent analysis model, abscissa represents the
enterprise technical strength, ordinate reflect
enterprise resources，including operating income,
patent infringement case and the inventors area. It
shows that the comprehensive competitiveness of
Toyota Motor Corp. is far above other organizations.
Figure 7. Major patentee competitiveness
0 5000 10000
Kyocera Corp
Toshiba Corp
General Motor Inc
Daimler AG
Hyundai Motor Ltd
Samsung SDI Ltd
Nissan Motor Ltd
Matsushita Electric Corp
Honda Motor Corp
Toyota Motor Corp
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144

7 CONCLUSIONS
The fuel cell technology research since 2006
presents the following features.
(1) The number of patent application and
publication all showed a trend of decline since 2006.
(2) The number of PEMFC patent and SOFC
patent are much higher than other fuel cells. The
patent application of PEMFC, DMFC, MCFC and
PAFC continue to fall since 2006, and the AFC
patent and SOFC patent application rose slightly
after the year 2011, but the pace is slow.
(3) The patent application of Japan, China, the
United States, Korea and Germany rank the top five
in the world. The patent application of four oversea
countries is on the decline. Unlike the four oversea
countries, the patent application has been on the rise
in China Since 2006.
(4) Automakers are still the main innovation
body of fuel cell technology, there are six
automakers among the top10 patentees. The
comprehensive competitiveness of Toyota Motor
Corporation is much higher than other companies.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This work was funded by the Youth Backbone
Project(201707) of Beijing Academy of Science and
Technology, Beijing Outstanding Talents Cultivation
Youth Backbone Project (2016400685627G232) and
Beijing Municipal Financial Research Program
(PXM2017_178214_000005), Special Grant for
Reform and Development of BISTI (2017)
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Guo Jieting, Xiao Guohua 2008 The study of patent
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pp12-14+11
Huang Lei and Zhang Lu 2015 Research on Patents
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Shi Xingguang and Lu Ping 2003 Using Patent
Information Promoting Technology
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Liu Binqiang and Jiang Yude 2011 Judgment and
Application of Technology Life Cycle Based on Patent
Information Truths and Facts pp77-79
Li Chunyan 2012. The Distinguishing Methods of
Technology Life Cycle Based on Patent Analysis
Journal of Modern Information pp98-101
HouMing and Yi Baolian 2012 Progress and Perspective
of Fuel Cell Technology Journal of Electrochemistry
pp1-13
Fuel Cell Technology Innovation Trend Analysis Based on Patent Map
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