Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) has been ranked as having the most valuable high-tech patent portfolio in the global semiconductor manufacturing industry, according to IEEE Spectrum magazine.
TSMC, which was listed among the top 10 companies in that category last year, consolidated its dominance in the semiconductor manufacturing sector by rising to the top spot this year.
The ranking is based on a “Patent Power Scorecard,” which is compiled annually by the magazine based on the patent portfolios of leading global players in various industries.
The world’s largest contract chipmaker invests billions of US dollars in research and development every year, and the top ranking reflects its continuous efforts in the areas of innovation, patent portfolio and strategy.
TSMC vice president and general counsel Sylvia Fang (方淑華) said that one of the company’s goals is to build a world-class patent portfolio to secure its technology leadership and support business development.
IEEE Spectrum, the flagship publication of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, this year listed more than 6,000 leading commercial enterprises, academic institutions, nonprofit organizations and government agencies worldwide in 17 different categories in its Patent Power rankings.
It said the benchmarking is quantitatively evaluated and takes into account the size and quality of the patent portfolios, including factors such as growth, impact, originality and general applicability.
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