XNUMX. XNUMX.Introduction

　In recent years, the penetration of cloud-related technologies such as AWS into society has been remarkable, and it is expected that cloud-related themes will increase in the content of patent searches.I have also conducted cloud-related research, but at that time, I felt the difficulty of both classification and KW selection.Therefore, this time, we considered why cloud-related research is difficult, the definition of the cloud, services in the real world, and how they are represented as patent publications and granted patent classifications.

Two.　what is cloud

　The concept of the cloud includes the network and computer technology that support it as a foundation, as well as the services provided on it, but this column will examine the latter.
　In the white paper of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications,

The cloud is an abbreviation of "Cloud Computing", and it is a computer that stores data and applications.Resources via networkIt is a mechanism used in
(*bold author)

Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications White Paper on Information and Communications in XNUMX Overview of Cloud Services

It has been with.

On the Microsoft Azure site,

Simply put, cloud computing is the delivery of computing services-including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence-over the Internet (“the cloud”) to offer faster innovation, flexible resources, and economies of scale. You typically pay only for cloud services you use, helping you lower your operating costs, run your infrastructure more efficiently, and scale as your business needs change.
(Author's translation: "Simply put, cloud computing is computing that includes servers, storage, databases, networks, software, analytics, intelligence, etc.Providing services over the Internet (“cloud”)to provide faster innovation, flexible resources, and economies of scale.Cloud services typically pay for what you use, allowing you to reduce operating costs, operate your infrastructure more efficiently, and scale up or down as your business demands change. ”)
(*bold author)

Microsoft Azure websiteWhat is cloud computing?

It has been with.

　What the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications calls computer "resources" is Microsoft's computing "service".
　Combining the concepts of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and Microsoft Azure, the cloud isVia the network"so"use/provide resources/servicesIt can be said that it is a thing.
　further,"use/provide resources/services", usually "Use/Offer" means, for example, as provided by AWS when you register an account, "between othersInUse/Offer"Means.
There are also clouds that are offered within private realms, but I'm omitting them here for the sake of simplicity.
　By being a composite of these two concepts, the "cloud" can be distinguished from mere network technology and the use/provision of traditional resources/services.
　Based on this, individual specific services provided by cloud computing are defined as "ク ラ ウ ド"*"Content of resource/service'
つ ま り
"Via the network"*"use/provide resources/services among others"*"Content of resource/service'
It is a combination of the three concepts of

04.Regarding Patent Classification (FI) H67L00/XNUMX "Network Arrangements or Protocols for Supporting Network Services or Network Applications"

H04L67/00"network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or network applications"

　First, let me explain the patent classification (FI), H04L67/00. I had the impression that H04L67/00 was included in a relatively large number of cloud-related publications, and I thought it would be useful for searches.
　H04L67/00 is one of a series of network-related main groups that have joined the FI subclass H2022.01L "Transmission of digital information, e.g. telegraph communication" under the IPC04 revision.With regard to additional intentions, in the EPO proposal "Request for Revision of the IPC" dated 2018/12/12:

Data switching networks are not adequately covered by the IPC.
(Author's translation: Data exchange networks are not well covered by IPC. This project provides a new main group scheme for this technology, based on existing CPC subdivisions.)

WIPO website, international Patent Classification, Project F075 (SUSPENDED)

There is.

　According to our research, the top H04L67/00 is mainly the old FI, G06F13/00,351 "Digital input from one or more remote stations, or digital output to such a station" (October 2021 Deprecated) seems to be given as a transition destination after many deprecations of the subclass.
　In the first layer of H04L67/00 is

H04L67/01"·protocol",
H04L67/14"session management", and
H04L67/50"Network service"

And so on, it is a classification established for network technology from the background, especially the lower "Network service" seems to be useful for cloud search at first glance.However, looking at the subgroups and below, when applied to the cloud, it is a classification that corresponds to the network technology that supports it rather than the services provided on it.
　For reference, the publications with H04L67/00 have recently been filed by the companies shown in the figure.

XNUMX.Reverse examination of the search method from the application of the actual cloud service

XNUMX Actual service

　This time, in order to verify the usefulness of the classification, we first set "cloud smart home service" and "cloud face recognition" as hypothetical research targets.The reason for this selection is that there are several products in the real world that clearly claim the cloud, so we can judge the effectiveness of the classification and keywords by comparing them with those that have been documented as patents.
　For example, in the "cloud smart home service", SHARP's HEMS is mentioned.

What is HEMS?
Abbreviation for "Home Energy Management System."You can manage and save energy by "visualizing" the amount of energy used in your home and "controlling" home appliances and equipment. ”

SHARP HEMS website

　Cloud-linked energy controller (HEMS) and "cloud" are clearly mentioned, and it is indicated that data of home appliances, storage batteries, etc. will be sent to the cloud server and managed, and analysis by AI will also be provided.
　For "cloud face recognition", there is Panasonic's face recognition cloud service "KPAS Cloud".

How will these be expressed when they become patent documents, and what classification will they be given?

XNUMX　Examples of public notices for cloud smart home services

XNUMX Gazette overview

　Regarding the publication of the "cloud smart home service" system, let's take a look at Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-97296 of Noritz, which sells water heater remote controls that link with the aforementioned Sharp HEMS and the cloud.

[Publication number] JP 2022-97296
[Title of Invention] Hot water supply device and hot water supply system
[Applicant] Noritz Corporation
[Problem] To provide a hot water supply apparatus and a hot water supply system capable of reducing communication load on a server when implementing a function of transmitting data used in connection with maintenance of the water supply apparatus to the server.
"External communication network XNUMX is connected to server XNUMX for managing remote control of water heater XNUMX. Kitchen remote controller XNUMX is connected to server XNUMX via router XNUMX and external communication network XNUMX." When the mobile terminal device XNUMX exists in the home HXNUMX, the mobile terminal device XNUMX communicates with the server XNUMX via the router XNUMX and the external communication network XNUMX."

JP 2022-97296

　And there is a high probability that it fits the definition of "cloud" where data is sent from the home to the outside, probably to the server of the business operator via the network and processed.

XNUMX　Patent Classification (FI)

　For FI, at the time of publication,

F24H1/00H"Water Heaters, e.g. Boilers, Continuous Flow Heaters or Storage Heaters/Operation and Remote Operation"
(Former classification, transferred to those with characteristics in the F24H15/40 fluid heater control/controller model)
G06F13/00,351N"Interface with central processing unit, etc."
(Old classification, moved to H04L67/00)

is given,
after that,

H04L43/00"arrangements for monitoring or testing data exchange networks"
as well as the
H04L67/00"network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or network applications"

is given.

　When organized, the concept of water heater and the concept of network are classified.
　this is"Via the network"*"use/provide resources/services among others"*"Content of resource/service, among ``Via the network"When"Content of resource/service”, any classification is ``use/provide resources/services among othersIt does not include the cloud concept of ”.
　By the way, although it is not given in this application, as a classification of smart home system, for example,

H04Q9/00"arrangement for selectively calling a substation from a main station in a remote control or telemetry system, which substation selects a device of interest and applies a control signal to that device. , or from which measurements are obtained.”
H04M11/00,301"A telephony system specially adapted for coupling with other electrical systems/adapted for remote control, remote monitoring, or communication and cooperation between appliances in the H2021L10/04 appliance network, granted October 12. control"

etc., but all of them are limited to network use and do not have a concept limited to the cloud.

XNUMX Keywords

　"Cloud" does not appear as a keyword in the statement. "Via the network"so"use/provide resources/services among othersWhen broken down into concepts, there are keywords related to "via network" such as "external communication network", "server", and "portable terminal device".use/provide resources/services among others” is not specified,

The hot water supply system XNUMX transmits status information such as a function of remotely controlling (remotely operating) the hot water supply apparatus XNUMX from the mobile terminal apparatus XNUMX and setting information of the hot water supply apparatus XNUMX to the mobile terminal apparatus XNUMX via the server XNUMX. function to

JP 2022-97296

It is thought that the part of

XNUMX　Search strategy for this publication and similar documents

　When actually searching for "water heaters that work with the cloud", we multiply the categories and keywords of "network" and "water heaters", and further search for those that simply communicate via the network. "use/provide resources/services among others” must be multiplied by the keyword.Regarding this point of view, as in this publication, even if it seems to be an application for an actual cloud service, it may not be clearly stated, so it is necessary to be careful not to limit the keywords too much, but inevitably there will be a lot of noise. is expected.

XNUMX　Cloud face recognition publication example

XNUMX Outline of publication

　Regarding "cloud face authentication", let's take a look at JP 2022-113749, an application filed by Panasonic, which provides face authentication cloud services.

[Publication number] JP 2022-113749
[Title of Invention] Face authentication system and face authentication method
[Applicant] Panasonic IP Management Co., Ltd.
[Summary] "(Omitted) Multiple face authentication devices XNUMX and face matching server XNUMXnetworkA plurality of face authentication devices are connected via a camera XNUMX to photograph a target person, detect a face region included in the image data acquired from the camera XNUMX, and detect a plurality of face regions from one image data. select the face area to be targeted for face recognition, and the face image data of the selected target personface matching serverSend to
(*bold author)

JP 2022-113749

This is an application for a certain face recognition cloud service.

XNUMX　Patent Classification (FI)

　By the way, regarding the FI of JP 2022-113749,

G06F21 / 32``anything that uses a security device/user authentication/biometric data to protect a computer, its parts, programs, or data from fraud''
G06T7/00,510F"Personal matching system by image analysis/image processing/Personal matching/Face matching"
G06V40/16,A"Recognition of biometric patterns, human-related patterns or animal-related patterns in image or video data/human or animal body, e.g. vehicle occupant or pedestrian; body part, e.g. hand/human face , e.g. facial parts, sketches or expressions/facial recognition.”

, all three are given from the viewpoint of face recognition, and there is no FI from the viewpoint of the network.

XNUMX Keywords

　Regarding this document,

"Face authentication server XNUMX (cloud server)"　　　

JP 2022-113749

　You can search with the keyword "cloud".However, in similar documents, there may be cases where the term "face authentication server" is used without parentheses, and generally speaking, the term "cloud server" indicates that the server is in the cloud, that is, "Via the network"use/provide resources/services among others” cannot be determined.

"face management server XNUMXThen,admin loginis received, the administrator group (administrator type) of the logged-in administrator is acquired, and based on the administrator group and the access permission group to which the target user belongs, the user's information Determine whether access (reference, update and delete) is possible,Allow access to your informationdo. ”
(*bold author)

JP 2022-113749

The description is rather "Via the network"*"use/provide resources/services among othersIt can be said that it expresses well.

XNUMX　Search strategy for this publication and similar documents

　Regarding this document, FI does not have a network perspective, so we have to supplement it with keywords.In addition, the keyword "cloud" is used, but for the above reason, the service itself is not a cloud, and not only does it increase noise, but if a cloud server is simply called a "server" in a similar invention, it cannot be picked up. becomes "Network" and "use/provide resources/services among others” point of view must be supplemented with appropriate keywords, such as “access permission”.

XNUMX.Summary

　The cloud isVia the network"*"use/provide resources/services among others"*"Content of resource/service"" is a concept that is composed of multiple conventional technologies, but when I looked at the publications corresponding to cloud services in the real world, it became clear that "cloud" was not necessarily expressed as a single keyword or a single classification.
　H04L67/00 "Network arrangements or protocols to support network services or network applications"", there is also H04L67/50 "Network Service" below, and "Via the network"*"use/provide resources/services among others", and there is an impression that it is relatively assigned when searching for cloud related, but it is not actively assigned at present, and it will be handled after the abolition of the old G06F13/00,351 and lower classifications. It seems that there is only a high-level concept given as a migration destination because there is no subdivided classification to do.

　However, if the invention is about the cloud, especially about the content of the service, "Via the network"*"use/provide resources/services among others” is always given H04L67/00, and in addition to that, if FI representing “resource/service content” is given, it would be easier to search.

　For fields represented by complex concepts similar to the cloud, such as the IoT field, the Patent Office used to respond by establishing the facet ZIT, and currently FI and G16Y are used. Regarding G16Y, there is an explanation that it is a mandatory additional classification as follows.

Mandatory additional classification and mandatory supplementary classification when including the IoT perspective

(Japan Patent Office Establishment of Japanese Patent Classification (FI) G16Y for IoT-related Technologies）

G16Y“Information and Communication Technologies Specially Adapted to the Internet of Things [IoT]”

　This is an IPC-compliant operation, but I felt that it would be convenient if H04L67/00 or the like was used as a mandatory additional classification for the cloud as well.
　Not only cloud, but also network and software technology have developed, and now there are many inventions represented by abstract concepts. I think it is important to conduct a thorough analysis before searching.

Above

Research Division Kato