Potential of patent image data as technology intelligence source

With recent advances in natural language processing and data analytics techniques, useful in-sights can be extracted not only from bibliographic data but also from the descriptive data of patents. Now, those advances have enabled the use of patent image data as a source of technol-ogy intelligence in addition to the two conventional types of patent data. Accordingly, this study focuses on the potential of patent image data and proposes an analysis method for investigating product/service/technology structures using block diagram images among the several types of im-ages in patent documents. Using keywords extracted from patent block diagrams, the following four applications were introduced: (1) analysis of technology evolution, (2) in-depth investigation of technological elements, (3) comparative analysis with competitors, and (4) search for similar patents. The research findings of a case study on mobile earphone technology indicate that key -words are closely related to technological elements, and the four applications are found to be feasible. This study is among the first attempts to support technology intelligence using patent image data. It is also expected to be beneficial in subsequent studies and in practice, wherein patent image data convey valuable information regarding inventions.