Context-Function based Approach to Identifying Opportunities of Technology Use Scenarios

Technology opportunity discovery strategies play an important role in the success of R&D. Numerous studies have analyzed the functional information of technology using patent data, however, few have considered the context in which these functions are applied, thereby overlooking the varying value of a technology depending on its application. Thus, this study proposes a context-aware approach for discovering technology opportunities in the form of ‘technology use scenarios’ by analyzing both context and function information. The proposed approach involves: 1) collecting patent data; 2) extracting context and function expressions; 3) defining technology use scenarios by linking context-function clusters; 4) identifying technology opportunities by constructing a Scenario Opportunity Map that evaluates R&D Activity and technological impact. A case study on autonomous vehicle technology was conducted to verify the applicability of the proposed approach. Technology opportunities identified at the scenario level can contribute to establishing more concrete development directions for technology planning.