Market Context — Why This Technology, Why Now

The global push for ubiquitous connectivity, driven by 5G, IoT, and autonomous vehicle initiatives, demands unprecedented network reliability and deployment efficiency. Telecom operators and infrastructure developers face intense competitive pressure to accelerate network rollout and optimize performance in complex urban landscapes. This technology directly addresses these challenges by enabling rapid, cost-effective network planning and superior service quality, mitigating the need for costly re-designs and preventing service disruptions in critical applications.

Key Competitive Advantages
01

Increases propagation prediction accuracy by 1.5x compared to conventional empirical models, optimizing wireless communication quality in complex urban environments.

02

Reduces network design and deployment time by 20% by minimizing simulations and field adjustments for base station placement and antenna tuning.

03

Establishes market leadership with high originality, evidenced by only 3 prior art documents, ensuring a robust competitive advantage and early market share acquisition.

Market Opportunity
5G/Beyond 5G Infrastructure
$1.0B globally (AI est.)
As next-generation communication standards expand, optimizing base station placement and maximizing coverage become critical, making high-precision propagation prediction technology indispensable.
Major telecom operators 5G infrastructure equipment providers Network planning software developers
IoT Networks
$0.5B globally (AI est.)
The demand for stable communication environments is increasing due to the connection of vast numbers of IoT devices in diverse settings such as smart factories and smart agriculture.
Industrial IoT platform providers Smart agriculture solution developers Enterprise network integrators
Smart City/Autonomous Driving
$0.5B globally (AI est.)
Real-time, high-precision propagation prediction is essential for digitalizing urban infrastructure and enabling V2X communication for autonomous driving, creating new market opportunities.
Smart city solution providers Automotive V2X communication developers Urban planning and infrastructure firms
IP Defensibility — Why Competitors Can't Replicate This
What This Patent Covers

This patent protects a propagation prediction system, method, and program, specifically covering the selection of dominant clutter and precise calculation of clutter-induced losses to enhance prediction accuracy. The robust claims, established through successful responses to examiner rejections, ensure strong enforceability and a clear technical advantage over competitors, with only three prior art documents identified.

Competitive White Space

This patent primarily covers the prediction algorithm. It does not extend to real-time adaptive network optimization systems or novel hardware for active signal manipulation, offering avenues for licensees to develop complementary IP.

Economic Impact
~$1.0M/year estimated network optimization cost reduction (est.)
estimated ROI · USD · AI analysis
ROI Calculation Logic

Assuming a company designs 100 base stations annually, this technology reduces simulation effort by 20% (from 100 hours/site to 80 hours/site), saving 20 hours/site. With a design cost of $35/hour (AI est.), annual design cost savings are $70,000 (AI est.). Furthermore, a 10% reduction in communication failures, assuming an annual loss of $6.5M (AI est.), could lead to $0.5M (AI est.) in loss avoidance. The total estimated economic impact is over $0.75M/year (AI est.).

Speed to Market
6× faster than in-house development
This technology's core propagation prediction algorithm is already established and validated with extensive research data from a national university. This offers an estimated 2.5-year development time reduction compared to in-house development. Its rapid integration as a software module into existing wireless network management and geographic information systems enables quick market entry and competitive advantage.
Competitive Positioning

X: Propagation Prediction Accuracy
Y: Network Design Efficiency

Business Models & Applications
💻 Software Licensing
Offer the technology's algorithm as a software module for integration into a licensee's existing systems or products. Revenue generated through initial fees and recurring royalties.
🤝 Joint Development & Customization
Collaborate on developing specialized propagation prediction systems for specific industries or applications (e.g., drone communication, satellite communication). Provide high-value solutions through tailored customization.
📡 Propagation Prediction as a Service
Provide cloud-based propagation prediction and network design optimization services leveraging this technology. Expand revenue through usage-based billing or subscription models.
Adjacent Application Opportunities
🛰️ Satellite Communication
Space and Atmospheric Propagation Loss Prediction
Apply this technology to accurately predict radio wave propagation loss through space and Earth's atmosphere for satellite communications. This could enhance communication stability and satellite operational efficiency by accounting for space debris and atmospheric conditions, potentially reducing signal degradation by up to 15%.
🚁 Drone Logistics
Urban Drone Communication Optimization
Predict drone communication paths in real-time within complex urban environments, reducing signal loss risks by an estimated 20%. This supports safe operation and efficient delivery route planning for logistics drones, accelerating urban drone delivery services.
🚧 Construction & Infrastructure
Construction Site IoT Communication Stabilization
Predict radio wave obstruction from structures and materials on construction sites to optimize wireless networks for heavy machinery and IoT sensors. This could improve site safety and operational efficiency by up to 10%, fostering smart construction initiatives.
Integration Roadmap — Estimated 12-Month Deployment
Phase 1: Technical Validation & Requirements Definition
Duration: 3 months
Analyze the licensee's existing system environment and integration requirements, optimizing the technology's algorithm parameters. Evaluate compatibility with existing Geographic Information System (GIS) data.
Phase 2: System Development & Integration
Duration: 6 months
Develop this technology as a software module and integrate it into existing network management systems and simulation platforms. Design API interfaces and data flows.
Phase 3: Validation & Operational Optimization
Duration: 3 months
Conduct real-world field tests to validate prediction accuracy and system performance. Perform final algorithm tuning based on actual communication data for optimal full-scale operation.
Technical Feasibility
This technology's algorithms for computation, I/O, clutter selection, and loss calculation are clearly defined in the patent claims. This enables easy integration as a software module into existing wireless communication network management systems and simulation platforms. Leveraging generic Geographic Information System (GIS) data, it requires no significant new hardware investment, indicating very high technical feasibility.
Success Scenario
Implementing this technology could reduce the time required for optimal 5G base station placement planning in urban areas by 20%. This may accelerate communication infrastructure deployment, potentially leading to hundreds of millions of dollars in annual capital expenditure efficiency and faster revenue generation. It could also ensure stable connectivity for IoT devices, accelerating the realization of smart cities and industrial digital transformation.
Patent Record
APPLICATION NO.
特願2020-170283
REGISTRATION NO.
7662174
FILING DATE
2020/10/08
GRANT DATE
2025/04/07
EXPIRATION DATE
2040/10/08
PATENT HOLDER
国立大学法人電気通信大学
Examination History
2023年09月26日
出願審査請求書
2024年11月26日
拒絶理由通知書
2025年01月23日
意見書
2025年01月23日
手続補正書（自発・内容）
2025年03月04日
特許査定