An Analysis of the Liquid Crystal Cell Patents of LG and Samsung Filed at the USPTO

This paper analyses the liquid crystal cell (LCC) patents filed at the USPTO by two Korean firms, namely, LG and Samsung from 1987 to 2004 for the purpose of assessing the state of Korean LCC research and research linkages with science and technology. Patents classified under class 349 were retrieved from the USPTO database using the assignee name. The patent statistics, citation analysis, inventor productivity and collaboration measures were then compiled. The annual patent counts from LG and Samsung were used to assess the LCC research effort in Korea. This indicated a steady and consistent innovation effort on the part of both companies, reflecting their continued interest in improving the LCC technology. The results also indicate the possibility that LCC research may have reached a level of maturity where the focus could be shifting to the applications of LCC in visual display products such as liquid crystal displays for computers and mobile phones, rather than on the LCC technology itself