Innovation Management

Corporate R&D Initiatives

R&D Aimed at ESG-Focused Management

Corporate R&D divisions will lead the creation of new businesses and next innovations for the entire company by creating core technologies for renewed growth and future advancements.

In terms of core technologies, Sharp will apply its proprietary CE-LLM*1 edge AI technology to all business areas, as well as deepen the development, and expand the application, of image analysis technology that will be foundational for labor-saving digital transformation, next-generation communications technology that will support infrastructure in the AI era, and other technologies that will be key to achieving carbon neutrality, generating environmentally friendly energy, pursuing quality of life, and more.

CE-LLM Edge AI Technology As a Tool for Utilizing AI

Sharp will provide innovative, people-oriented AI solutions by optimally switching between edge AI and cloud AI to improve the responsiveness and quality of conversations, while also utilizing CE-LLM to protect privacy and reduce data traffic.

Development of Industrial Digital Transformation Business

Sharp will develop its business into industrial digital transformation by integrating and furthering elemental technologies, such as high-definition image measurement and analysis technology, high-quality image transmission technology, and sensing technology, which are applied to construction digital transformation and infrastructure digital transformation, with AI applications and robotics technology.

Notable Initiatives

To accelerate new innovation creation, Sharp is utilizing I-Pro*2, a company-wide project, along with strengthening collaboration both inside and outside the company aimed at quickly launching businesses associated with themes for development.

As social issues become more diverse and complex, Sharp is pursuing ESG-focused management grounded in its business philosophy and is contributing to the realization of a sustainable society through its provision of new value and technologies.

• CE-LLM (communication edge-LLM) is a registered trademark of Sharp Corporation.
• I-Pro (Innovation Accelerator Project) is a company-wide project to accelerate business growth.

Intellectual Property Protection

Intellectual Property Strategy and Management System

Sharp regards its intellectual property strategy as one of its critically important management strategies, and it is promoting it together with its business strategy and R&D strategy. By aggressively obtaining patents, Sharp is boosting the superiority of its product and device businesses and strengthening its business foundation. Because SIPI is well versed in Sharp’s products, technologies, and businesses, it can offer a high level of specialized service and improved efficiency. SIPI gives Sharp more driving force in its intellectual property management, generating strong patents and economic value from Sharp’s state-of-the-art technologies.

Regarding patent applications, Sharp defines core technology areas with respect to each business and strategically files patent applications that are tightly coupled with its business development. Sharp is also acquiring useful patents invented in cooperation with other companies or derived from the activities of alliances, such as industry-university cooperation.

In addition, Sharp is filing applications and registering rights for designs and trademarks globally under its brand strategy.

Protecting Intellectual Property

Sharp maximizes the use of its intellectual property by linking it to its business strategy and R&D strategy. It is also firmly committed to protecting its own intellectual property rights, while also respecting the intellectual property rights of others. While Sharp takes an amicable approach to resolving issues of infringement, it is the company’s policy to seek the judgment of a third party, such as the courts, when its intellectual property rights are not respected.

Sharp is also working to bolster protection for trade secrets and to prevent unauthorized disclosure of production technologies and manufacturing know-how, particularly those that are unique or critically important to Sharp. Further, counterfeit Sharp-brand products have had a growing impact in overseas markets in recent years, and Sharp is taking measures to counter these imitations through cooperation with industry groups and with regulatory authorities taking enforcement actions.