The Role of Intellectual Property Management Software at Bridgestone Corporation  

Mr. Sei Aoki, Assistant Manager, IP Portfolio Design Department shares Bridgestone Corporation’s pressing IP goals and challenges and explains why the company chose Questel’s IP management software to support its ambitious roadmap for growth.   

Mr. Aoki first joined Bridgestone Corporation as a researcher, working within the R&D department for approximately 15 years before transitioning to the IP department in order to gain a clearer global perspective of the company’s technological assets. 

In this interview, he discusses the key missions of his IP department and how the migration to Questel’s IP management software has supported him in achieving these strategic objectives. 

• What is the Role of an Intellectual Property Department in Companies such as Bridgestone Corporation? 

“Ultimately, the mission of an IP department is to convert intellectual property (IP) into social and corporate value. To ensure that IP is effectively linked to corporate profits, an IP department cannot operate in isolation within an organization. It must be closely aligned with the departments that generate IP. When developing a corporate patent strategy or trademark strategy, it is also the IP department’s responsibility to pursue overall optimization and ensure that the company’s freedom to operate is properly secured.

To achieve this, the role of an intellectual property department is to share information across internal business units and to act in the interest of the entire organization by collaborating with related departments throughout the entire lifecycle of IP from the creation of inventions, to the filing, prosecution, and enforcement of rights, and every step in between.”

• How Does Bridgestone’s IP Department Approach this Goal? 

“Throughout our long history, Bridgestone has embraced the mindset of Genbutsu Genba, which can be roughly translated as ‘go and see for yourself’. If you work in a patent filing department, you should not simply remain at your desk or develop a corporate IP strategy in isolation. Instead, you should actively engage with the departments that are creating the inventions you are responsible for protecting.

In the past, it was sufficient for the IP department to wait for inventions to be submitted by the engineering teams, and then proceed with granting IP rights without delay. Today, however, there is a real risk that valuable inventions may go unnoticed unless the IP department proactively builds direct relationships with inventors.

One of the core principles of our department is to meet directly with inventors, speak with them, and ask them to demonstrate the actual product or technology. For example, if I am asked to review a contract, I will personally meet the relevant person and ask them to explain the background, the counterparty, and the sequence of events that led to the need for the agreement. In my view, this hands-on approach should be a fundamental practice of any modern IP department.”

• What Were the Main Drivers for Changing Your IP Management System (IPMS)? 

“We needed to upgrade our IP management software, as the support and maintenance for the existing system was coming to an end. The system we had been using had been haphazardly customized over many years, without any proper documentation recording the reasons, circumstances, or technical specifications behind those customizations. As a result, the IPMS had become difficult to use for anyone not familiar with its historical context, and it was generally unpopular within the company.

When we began evaluating different IP management systems and conducting a full IPMS software review, it was essential that the new system be cloud-based, in order to reduce the maintenance workload and associated man-hours. It was also important that the solution be accessible to group companies both in Japan and internationally, ensuring consistent use across the global organization.”

• Why Did You Select Questel’s IPMS—What Were the Crucial Deciding Factors? 

“One of the major deciding factors was that Questel in Japan was the only Japanese-based IPMS provider offering robust cloud-based functionality. While overseas vendors also provided cloud solutions, we had concerns about the reliability and responsiveness of their local Japanese support structures. At the same time, domestic vendors did not appear to differ significantly in terms of functionality or support capabilities. 

Following a quantitative evaluation of required features and a comprehensive series of IP management software reviews, we determined that the Japanese version of Questel’s IP management software, Equinox, had the highest alignment with our operational needs and would require significantly less customization development. 

Naturally, cost was also a key consideration. Reduced customization requirements directly translated into lower implementation costs, which ultimately became one of the decisive factors in selecting Questel’s solution.” 

• What Was Your Experience Migrating to Your New IPMS? 

“We issued our request for proposals (RFP) in July 2020, and the decision to implement Questel’s system was made in October 2020. During the first five months of 2021, we focused on defining our system requirements. In my view, this requirements definition phase is critical, as it establishes a shared understanding between the vendor and the end users.

To define our user requirements, we organized working groups involving different members of the IP department and appointed a Project Management Officer (PMO) from the IT department. This approach enabled us to strengthen our common understanding and transition smoothly into the system development phase.

The migration was successfully completed in November 2022, and operations officially began. As we anticipated a high volume of initial inquiries, we set up a dedicated email address and created an inquiry contact list. All requests were consolidated and shared with the Questel Japan team for centralized management.

The Questel team also organized weekly meetings with our internal team, allowing us to ask questions directly and learn how to use the system more effectively. This continuous communication proved highly effective in resolving issues quickly and ensuring a smooth system adoption process.”

• To Date, What Have Been the Main Benefits of Migrating to Questel’s IPMS? 

“From an IP management perspective, the introduction of cloud-based functionalities has significantly reduced required man-hours. In terms of day-to-day operations, system response times have improved considerably, enabling users to work in a more efficient and stress-free environment.

In addition, the implementation of the new IPMS provided a valuable opportunity to review and reassess our internal processes, allowing us to redefine our operations in alignment with the system’s functional capabilities.”

• What Are Your Future Goals for IP at Bridgestone Corporation—and What Role Will Your Intellectual Property Management System Play?  

“I feel that the scope of intellectual property (IP) that must be managed by the IP department continues to expand. In the past, IP management was largely limited to patents, designs, and trademarks. Today, however, we are also required to manage a wider range of IP assets, while new categories such as business model patents are also emerging.

In this context, it is increasingly important to ensure that all IP rights created within the company are managed consistently, accurately, and without omission. Our IP management system (IPMS) plays a critical role in achieving this objective. We look forward to its continued evolution and enhancement.”

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