A study on the utilization of prior patent data for product design : focusing on the product design of an active sound wave sensor-based road condition detection system

This study focuses on a product design case for an active sound wave sensor-based road condition detection system, with the objective of presenting an effective approach for utilizing patent data to solve product-related issues. To achieve this, prior patents in the same field that implement similar target functions were investigated, and the types of derived patent data were classified to extract ideas that could be applied to product problem-solving. Additionally, based on the derived ideas, prior patents from different fields were analyzed to secure original gap technologies, and specific details were proposed for developing ideas that fulfill the target functions while distinguishing them from existing technologies. Subsequently, the product structure capable of implementing the proposed ideas was reviewed, and the final design was proposed through 3D modeling and rendering. The final design was then reviewed for potential patent infringement and the possibility of securing new patents. This study offers product designers methods for utilizing patent data and proposes a new product design for a road condition detection system using active acoustic sensors, contributing to the implementation of smart cities. In conclusion, the value of this research lies in providing a new perspective on utilizing patent data to solve product-related issues within the traditional product design process.