**2. Methodology**

#### **2.1 Data extraction procedure**

In accordance with the suggestion of the WIPO Guide to Using Patent Information, the bibliographic records of patent documents were retrieved from a commercial database based on keywords and IPC codes related to amorphous and metallic glass alloys [23]. In the present study, we employed patent data to survey the development trends of amorphous alloy technology, as well as their technological impacts on the metallurgy industry. The patent information was gathered and analyzed by the following steps: (1) patent data retrieval, (2) patent data mining, and (3) patent data analysis.

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*Insight into Bulk Metallic Glass Technology Development Trajectory: Mapping from Patent…*

To find the patent information, we modified the search formula as follows: [("amorphous alloy\*" OR "metal\*glass\*" OR "glass\*alloy\*")] (step 1). Furthermore, the IPC search expression, namely [C\*], was also included in the overall retrieval process. It should be emphasized that we performed keyword searches for the above formula appearing only in an independent claim to ensure that accurate patent information was found. Our intention was to exclude any information not involving the amorphous material industry. Patent data mining techniques were used in commercial software (WIPS 2.0) to quantify the patent information and analyze patent trends (step 2). In the final step, all the collected patent information was developed into various indicators and presented in tables or graphs plotted in commercial Microsoft software (step 3). Moreover, to avoid incorrect explanations of the trends, patents filed in 2016 and 2017 were not included in the present study, since most patents are not available before publication (i.e., for 18 months after the patent is filed). Therefore, the total number of patents that could be analyzed was 2857. The commercial patent database WIPS 2.0 was selected for the overall search process because it includes full-text patents from 11 patent offices and abstract and bibliographic information from 75 countries. This commercial database also provides other advantages not included in other databases. For example, full-text translations of patents from Asian countries, such as China, Japan, and Korea, are

The analyzed indicators in the present study mainly included the progress of patent documents, percentages of various categories of amorphous alloys in the development of metallic alloy technology, patent activity in different countries, technology life cycle analysis, evolution of patents filed by different assignees and countries, analysis of top ten patent assignees, analysis of technological development of the top five patent families, and five most-cited patents. It should be emphasized that the numerical indicators analyzed here were based on suggestions from the field of quantitative research in science and technology and comments

All evolution indicators were plotted in periods of 5 years from 1971 to 2015. Furthermore, assignees' names were also unified carefully to avoid incorrect interpretation during patent-filing trends in different countries and analysis of the top 10 assignees. To evaluate the evolution of the amorphous alloys, all IPC codes were collected and analyzed as follows: Fe as the major constituent element (C22C 45/02), Ni or Co as the major constituent element (C22C 45/04), Be as the major constituent element (C 45/06), Al as the major constituent element (C22C 45/08), and Mo, W, Nb, Ta, Ti, or Zr as the major constituent element (C22C 45/10). We further named these classifications as follows: Fe-based alloys, Ni- or Co-based alloys, Al-based alloys, and Ti- or Zr-based alloys. However, the Be-based alloys were not included in the present analysis due to their rarity (only 8 patents found).

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.81733*

provided, which facilitates complete search and analysis.

from experts in the field of amorphous materials [7, 12, 15].

**3.1 Amorphous alloy development: evolution of patent application**

The evolution of the number of patents and assignees in every decade since the 1970s is shown in **Figures 1** and **2**, respectively. Both figures show obvious increments in the numbers of both patents and assignees after 1990. From subsequent analysis, it was found that the first apparent growth in the number of patent

**2.2 Detail of data analysis**

**3. Results and discussion**

#### *Insight into Bulk Metallic Glass Technology Development Trajectory: Mapping from Patent… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.81733*

To find the patent information, we modified the search formula as follows: [("amorphous alloy\*" OR "metal\*glass\*" OR "glass\*alloy\*")] (step 1). Furthermore, the IPC search expression, namely [C\*], was also included in the overall retrieval process. It should be emphasized that we performed keyword searches for the above formula appearing only in an independent claim to ensure that accurate patent information was found. Our intention was to exclude any information not involving the amorphous material industry. Patent data mining techniques were used in commercial software (WIPS 2.0) to quantify the patent information and analyze patent trends (step 2). In the final step, all the collected patent information was developed into various indicators and presented in tables or graphs plotted in commercial Microsoft software (step 3). Moreover, to avoid incorrect explanations of the trends, patents filed in 2016 and 2017 were not included in the present study, since most patents are not available before publication (i.e., for 18 months after the patent is filed). Therefore, the total number of patents that could be analyzed was 2857.

The commercial patent database WIPS 2.0 was selected for the overall search process because it includes full-text patents from 11 patent offices and abstract and bibliographic information from 75 countries. This commercial database also provides other advantages not included in other databases. For example, full-text translations of patents from Asian countries, such as China, Japan, and Korea, are provided, which facilitates complete search and analysis.

## **2.2 Detail of data analysis**

*Solid State Physics - Metastable, Spintronics Materials and Mechanics of Deformable...*

processing routes [7–11], and (3) potential application fields [12–15]. In efforts to achieve new bulk metallic glasses (BMG) with high glass-forming ability (GFA), many studies have focused on establishing a relationship between the GFA and the chemical compositions of metallic materials. For example, in the Al-based metallic system, both types of metal elements, transition metal elements, and rare earth metal elements can increase the GFA of Al-based alloys [15, 16]. On the other hand, various processing routes, such as melt spinning [7], magnetron sputtering [8], pulsed laser quenching [9], and liquid splat-quenching [10] have also been developed to overcome the crucial constraint on the size and geometry of metallic glass samples. For instance, a high-throughput strategy, named the combinatorial approach via co-sputtering, has been developed for producing and characterizing substantial compositional libraries at the same time [11]. In addition, several studies have also focused on discovering potential fields of application, such as structural materials [3], hydrogen storage materials [12], soft magnetic materials [13], and

Although several research articles concerning metallic glass materials have been published, almost no studies have conducted patent analyses of metallic glass materials, to the author's best knowledge. Patent information is useful because it contains valuable research results for the researcher, business planner, R&D manager, and policymaker [17–20]. The reason is that a patent application is a costly and time-exhausting process; the willingness of the applicant to invest time, money, and effort in the process generally indicates that the patent can provide commercial benefits and technical contributions. Therefore, as pointed out by Daniel Gredel et al., patent documentation is the most comprehensive of all research resources. Nearly 70% of the technical information contained in these documents is not available in any other type of information source, and it can be used for detailed analysis [21]. For instance, patent data can be used to analyze competitors, track the evolution of technology, master crucial technologies, and identify the trends and conditions of

In the present research, patent data were analyzed to explore the technological development of metallic glass materials. The variations in numerous patents and assignees, technology life cycle, and categories of patents for metallic materials were studied. Furthermore, the top ten patent assignees and the trends of their patents filed, patent families, and patent citations were analyzed. The top five families and

The article is structured as follows. Section 2 presents the study methodology and the details of the information analysis. Section 3 presents an analysis of amorphous alloys patenting activity and possible explanations for the data. In Section 4,

In accordance with the suggestion of the WIPO Guide to Using Patent Information, the bibliographic records of patent documents were retrieved from a commercial database based on keywords and IPC codes related to amorphous and metallic glass alloys [23]. In the present study, we employed patent data to survey the development trends of amorphous alloy technology, as well as their technological impacts on the metallurgy industry. The patent information was gathered and analyzed by the following steps: (1) patent data retrieval, (2) patent data mining,

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biomaterials [14].

**2. Methodology**

**2.1 Data extraction procedure**

and (3) patent data analysis.

patent development in different markets [22].

five most-cited patents are also explored in the present study.

the final section, the implications and conclusions are presented.

The analyzed indicators in the present study mainly included the progress of patent documents, percentages of various categories of amorphous alloys in the development of metallic alloy technology, patent activity in different countries, technology life cycle analysis, evolution of patents filed by different assignees and countries, analysis of top ten patent assignees, analysis of technological development of the top five patent families, and five most-cited patents. It should be emphasized that the numerical indicators analyzed here were based on suggestions from the field of quantitative research in science and technology and comments from experts in the field of amorphous materials [7, 12, 15].

All evolution indicators were plotted in periods of 5 years from 1971 to 2015. Furthermore, assignees' names were also unified carefully to avoid incorrect interpretation during patent-filing trends in different countries and analysis of the top 10 assignees. To evaluate the evolution of the amorphous alloys, all IPC codes were collected and analyzed as follows: Fe as the major constituent element (C22C 45/02), Ni or Co as the major constituent element (C22C 45/04), Be as the major constituent element (C 45/06), Al as the major constituent element (C22C 45/08), and Mo, W, Nb, Ta, Ti, or Zr as the major constituent element (C22C 45/10). We further named these classifications as follows: Fe-based alloys, Ni- or Co-based alloys, Al-based alloys, and Ti- or Zr-based alloys. However, the Be-based alloys were not included in the present analysis due to their rarity (only 8 patents found).
