Market Context — Why This Technology, Why Now

Global digital transformation initiatives are accelerating, placing immense pressure on industries to extract actionable insights from vast amounts of sensor data. This technology aligns perfectly with the need for robust, scalable, and energy-efficient IoT solutions, enabling companies to reduce operational costs, enhance predictive capabilities, and meet sustainability goals by extending device lifespans. It supports the transition to fully automated and remotely managed industrial ecosystems.

Key Competitive Advantages
01

Boosts network data collection efficiency by up to 2x by eliminating redundant transmissions.

02

Improves data reliability to over 99% by selecting optimal transmission times based on channel gain thresholds.

03

Decreases node battery consumption by up to 30%, significantly extending maintenance cycles.

Market Opportunity
Smart Factory Operations
$7.5B–$8.5B globally (AI est.)
High-precision, real-time data collection is critical for production line monitoring and predictive maintenance. This technology's efficiency improvements directly enhance productivity.
Industrial automation solution providers Manufacturing execution system (MES) developers Large-scale discrete and process manufacturers
Critical Infrastructure Monitoring
$3B–$3.5B globally (AI est.)
Demand for wide-area, low-power sensor networks is growing for remote monitoring of aging infrastructure and early detection of disaster precursors.
Civil engineering and construction firms Utility companies (power, water, gas) Public safety and disaster management agencies
Precision Agriculture & AgTech
$1B–$1.5B globally (AI est.)
Precise environmental data collection (temperature, humidity, soil conditions) drives yield increases and resource efficiency. Low power consumption is essential for large-scale farm operations.
Agricultural equipment manufacturers AgTech solution providers Large-scale commercial farming enterprises
IP Defensibility — Why Competitors Can't Replicate This
What This Patent Covers

This patent provides robust protection across sensor network systems, sinks, nodes, data communication processing methods, and programs. It successfully navigated rigorous examination against five prior art documents and a rejection notice, demonstrating clear differentiation and strong patentability, offering a stable foundation for business development.

Competitive White Space

While this patent secures efficient data collection and power management, adjacent areas for IP expansion include advanced edge computing for real-time sensor data analytics, novel sensor fusion techniques, and enhanced security protocols for data integrity and privacy within the network.

Economic Impact
~$10M/year estimated operational cost reduction per facility (est.)
estimated ROI · USD · AI analysis
ROI Calculation Logic

For large-scale sensor networks, this technology could halve node battery replacement frequency from four to two times annually. This translates to an estimated ~$3.5M (AI est.) in reduced maintenance staff costs (based on 0.5 full-time equivalent across 2 locations) and ~$15K (AI est.) in battery expenses ($6.50/unit for 1000 nodes, 2 replacements). Further optimization of data processing costs by ~$3.5M (AI est.) and communication bandwidth costs by ~$2M (AI est.) is also expected.

Speed to Market
6× faster than in-house development
This technology's core communication protocol and control algorithms are well-defined and established within the patent, significantly reducing the need for greenfield R&D. Being primarily software-centric, it can be rapidly integrated into existing hardware platforms and accelerate system design. The patent specification includes proof-of-concept data, enabling quick deployment post-licensing.
Competitive Positioning

X: Data Collection Efficiency
Y: Operational Cost Reduction

Business Models & Applications
🤝 Technology Licensing
Granting rights for licensees to integrate this technology into their products and services, adding high value to existing product lines.
💡 Joint Solution Development
Collaborating to develop joint solutions that address specific industrial challenges, fostering new market opportunities centered around this technology.
⚙️ Component Supply
Providing communication modules or software libraries implementing this technology as OEM components, shortening development cycles and accelerating market entry for licensees.
Adjacent Application Opportunities
🏥 Healthcare & Remote Patient Monitoring
Remote Vital Sign Monitoring Systems
Applicable to low-power, high-accuracy collection of patient vital data in hospitals or homes. This could reduce healthcare worker burden and enhance patient safety by providing reliable, continuous monitoring.
🚚 Logistics & Supply Chain Management
Warehouse Environmental Sensing & Inventory
Efficiently collects temperature, humidity, and location data across large warehouses for quality control and optimal inventory placement. This ensures stable data delivery with reduced communication load, improving supply chain visibility by up to 20%.
🌍 Environmental Monitoring & Disaster Prevention
Long-Term Remote Environmental Monitoring
Collects data on landslides, river levels, and air pollution in remote areas using long-life sensor networks. This could contribute to building early warning systems, potentially reducing disaster response times by 15-20%.
Integration Roadmap — Estimated 20-Month Deployment
Proof of Concept & Requirements Definition
Duration: 4 months
Define the application scope and integration requirements with existing systems. Conduct basic functional verification using a small-scale prototype to evaluate implementation benefits.
System Design & Development
Duration: 8 months
Based on defined requirements, proceed with detailed system architecture design and develop communication modules or software incorporating this technology.
Pilot Testing & Production Deployment
Duration: 8 months
Conduct pilot testing of the developed system in a large-scale environment, perform performance evaluation and optimization. Initiate final production deployment and operation.
Technical Feasibility
This technology primarily defines communication protocols and control logic in software for the sink and nodes. The patent claims specify functions for channel gain detection and transmission control, which are implementable on general-purpose wireless communication modules and microcontrollers. It offers high compatibility for integration into existing sensor network systems via software updates or additional modules, avoiding substantial capital investment.
Success Scenario
Upon adoption, this technology could boost data collection efficiency in a licensee's sensor network by up to 2x. This would alleviate communication bandwidth congestion, enabling real-time processing of more sensor data and accelerating data-driven decision-making. Consequently, it is estimated to reduce operational costs by over 10% annually, freeing up resources for new service development.
Patent Record
APPLICATION NO.
特願2020-150975
REGISTRATION NO.
7609399
FILING DATE
2020/09/09
GRANT DATE
2024/12/23
EXPIRATION DATE
2040/09/09
PATENT HOLDER
国立大学法人電気通信大学
Examination History
2023年08月02日
出願審査請求書
2024年07月02日
拒絶理由通知書
2024年08月26日
手続補正書（自発・内容）
2024年08月26日
意見書
2024年11月26日
特許査定