Market Context — Why This Technology, Why Now

The rapid expansion of global connectivity, driven by LEO satellite constellations and the integration of 5G/6G networks, is creating unprecedented demand for reliable mobile satellite communication. Industries from autonomous vehicles to IoT and defense require rigorous testing of communication stability under diverse, challenging conditions. This technology addresses the market pressure to innovate faster and more cost-effectively, enabling companies to meet stringent performance requirements and accelerate product cycles in a highly competitive landscape.

Key Competitive Advantages
01

Reduces development costs by up to ~70% by eliminating the need for physical field tests, potentially saving hundreds of thousands of USD annually (AI est.).

02

Accelerates development time by 3x by streamlining the testing and verification cycle, speeding up market entry for new services.

03

Replicates high-precision signal attenuation based on movement speed and obstructions, enabling detailed analysis and optimization of congestion control algorithms.

Market Opportunity
Satellite Communication System Development
$20B globally (AI est.)
The proliferation of LEO satellites and integration with 5G/6G is intensifying competition in new communication service development, driving urgent demand for high-precision testing environments.
Major telecom equipment manufacturers Satellite constellation operators 5G/6G infrastructure developers
Automotive and Aerospace
$13.5B globally (AI est.)
High-reliability, low-latency satellite communication is critical for autonomous vehicles and Urban Air Mobility (UAM). This technology addresses the need for validating communication stability in challenging environments.
Autonomous vehicle technology developers UAM system integrators Aerospace communication component suppliers
Defense and Critical Infrastructure
$10B globally (AI est.)
Establishing robust communication infrastructure for disaster response, remote areas, and defense applications is a national priority. Improving the reliability of mobile satellite communication is an urgent requirement.
Defense contractors Government communication agencies Emergency response technology providers
IoT Device Development
$10B globally (AI est.)
As wide-area satellite IoT devices increase, ensuring communication quality across diverse environments becomes crucial. There is a growing need for development efficiency in this sector.
Satellite IoT module manufacturers Industrial IoT solution providers Smart agriculture technology developers
IP Defensibility — Why Competitors Can't Replicate This
What This Patent Covers

This patent protects the core 'output means for outputting time-series simulated signals' within a mobile satellite communication system simulation device, covering its functionality across six claims. The robust patent was granted after successfully addressing examiner objections, indicating a strong and stable right with low invalidation risk.

Competitive White Space

This patent primarily covers the simulation of signal attenuation. White space exists in developing physical hardware solutions for real-time attenuation mitigation or integrating this simulation capability into comprehensive network optimization and management platforms.

Economic Impact
~$0.8M/year estimated in development cost savings per facility (est.).
estimated ROI · USD · AI analysis
ROI Calculation Logic

Traditional field tests for mobile satellite communication systems incur annual costs estimated at ~$0.65M (AI est.), including ~$325K for 5 personnel, ~$200K for equipment maintenance, and ~$150K for operational expenses. This technology could reduce these costs by approximately 60%. Including the accelerated time-to-market benefits from a 3x reduction in development time, the total economic impact is estimated at ~$0.8M annually (AI est.).

Speed to Market
6× faster than in-house development
This technology's mechanism for outputting time-series simulated signals, reflecting mobile speed and obstruction attenuation, is already established and has completed theoretical verification. This allows licensees to build a testing environment significantly faster than developing a similar system from scratch. Rapid deployment and early verification are expected by integrating with existing communication system development environments.
Competitive Positioning

X: Development Cycle Efficiency
Y: Simulation Accuracy (Real-World Fidelity)

Business Models & Applications
🔑 Licensing Model
Provide licenses for companies to integrate this technology into their development and verification processes. This enables licensees to rapidly establish high-precision simulation environments and accelerate product development.
🤝 Joint Development Model
Collaborate to develop customized simulated signal output systems based on this technology, tailored for specific industries or applications. This fosters deeper technical collaboration and responsiveness to market needs.
🧪 Test Service Provision Model
Offer simulated signal output services utilizing this technology to small and medium-sized development companies or startups without their own systems. This allows resource-limited companies to access advanced verification capabilities.
Adjacent Application Opportunities
🛰️ Satellite IoT Device Development
LEO Satellite IoT Protocol Verification
For IoT devices interacting with numerous Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, this technology could efficiently verify the robustness of communication protocols and data transmission algorithms under various attenuation conditions without physical movement. This could significantly reduce development time and costs, accelerating the market introduction of highly reliable devices.
🚗 Autonomous Driving & Connected Cars
In-Vehicle Satellite Communication Outage Prediction and Route Optimization
Stable satellite communication is crucial for autonomous vehicles. This technology could be applied to predict satellite signal attenuation from buildings or terrain along a driving route, assessing the impact of communication outages. This could contribute to developing route optimization algorithms that minimize communication interruptions and verify redundant systems.
🚁 Drones & UAM (Urban Air Mobility)
Aircraft-to-Satellite Communication Quality Assessment
Satellite communication is essential for wide-area control and data transmission in drones and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) aircraft. This technology could simulate satellite signal attenuation due to flight paths and surrounding environments (e.g., high-rise buildings, mountains), assessing communication quality while considering changes in aircraft attitude and speed. This could contribute to developing safe and reliable aerial systems.
Integration Roadmap — Estimated 12-Month Deployment
Technology Evaluation & Requirements Definition
Duration: 3 months
Evaluate the core functions of this technology and its compatibility with the licensee's existing development environment. Define specific test requirements and system integration specifications, then formulate an implementation plan.
System Integration & Pilot Operation
Duration: 5 months
Integrate the simulated signal output device into the licensee's test environment based on defined requirements. Conduct initial setup and internal tests to confirm basic functionality.
Full Operation & Algorithm Optimization
Duration: 4 months
Operate the integrated system at full scale, conducting simulated tests across various scenarios. Utilize the gathered data to optimize mobile satellite communication system algorithms and develop new features.
Technical Feasibility
This technology is a simulated signal output device for mobile satellite communication systems, with patent claims clearly describing an 'output means for outputting time-series simulated signals.' Integration is deemed relatively easy at the software level by standardizing interfaces with existing communication protocols and simulation environments. It is highly probable that it can be implemented as an add-on to existing verification environments, without requiring extensive hardware modifications or specialized capital investment.
Success Scenario
Upon adopting this technology, companies could significantly reduce the verification period required for traditional physical field tests. This is estimated to accelerate product development cycles by over 20% annually, shortening time-to-market. Furthermore, the ability to pre-verify communication quality under diverse attenuation environments could enhance product reliability and improve customer satisfaction.
Patent Record
APPLICATION NO.
特願2021-119066
REGISTRATION NO.
7705651
FILING DATE
2021/07/19
GRANT DATE
2025/07/02
EXPIRATION DATE
2041/07/19
PATENT HOLDER
国立研究開発法人情報通信研究機構
Examination History
2024年06月11日
出願審査請求書
2025年04月15日
拒絶理由通知書
2025年05月23日
手続補正書(自発・内容)
2025年05月23日
意見書
2025年06月17日
特許査定