Presentation of SECPHO, the cluster of photonic technologies, in Madrid
The main actors of photonics met in Madrid in a conference that brought together companies, research centres, institutions and the entire supportive environment of a sector that is already setting the geopolitical agenda in research and development at an international level. Josep Mª Pujals, lawyer at PONTI, presented the important implications that Intellectual Property can have on the protection and transfer of R&D results.
Behind photonic technologies, there is something as simple yet complex at the same time as the “potential” of light, which will exponentially increase the speed of data transmission and processing, digital image quality, laser technologies and photovoltaics.
As far as patents are concerned, quantum physics, and more specifically photonic technology, is set to become a disruptive field in the coming years. The evolution of the studies and projections of the European Patent Office show a clear alignment of blocks in terms of the territorial origin of patent applicants: The US, Europe and China, closely followed by Japan. At this point, Intellectual Property provides a defining value throughout the value chain, not only in its traditional role in the protection of research results through patent registration, but also in the initial stages, based on the huge volume of information generated by patent publication and which, ultimately, after its filtering and analysis, allows for the optimisation of the R&D efforts of all those involved.
Article by Joan Salvà