Technique of product technology evolutionary potential mapping based on patent analysis

Intellectual property rights are an important driver of innovation and productivity in the knowledge-based economy. And the intellectual property rights in the form of patents provide a source of technological information that can be used by researchers and inverters to find new solutions to technical problems. Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) is a systematic approach that developed on the basis of patent information currently being applied internationally to find innovative solutions for technical problems. The patterns and lines of technology evolution that summarized from patent analysis of TRIZ are applied to identify evolutionary potential (EP) of a technical system and help decision-makers to make strategic decisions for product development. A searching method for EP is put forward and the method to construct the plot structure of EP is introduced. A sequential process of evolutionary potential mapping of product based on patent analysis is then formed. As an illustration, a butterfly valve case study shows the application of the process.