Lenovo 06 years of R & D investment 2 billion 500 million digest 1500 IBM patents

You see, keyboard, keyboard in red, cylindrical battery, these are IBM exclusive patented." December 21st, Lenovo Group CTO, Lenovo Institute president He Zhiqiang took a Think laptop to reporters show.

Lenovo's acquisition of IBM in December last year, PC, the most talked about He Zhiqiang is the acquisition is completed, the original IBM more than 1500 patents are owned by lenovo.

He introduced the patent, for the exclusive use of some IBM, some are used together with other manufacturers, other manufacturers use these patents to get IBM authorization, now you need to get new Lenovo and Lenovo authorized to pay royalties.

In this way, coupled with previously owned more than 1000 patents, Lenovo now has a total of more than 2500 patents.

According to He Zhiqiang introduction, many patents are hidden in the details: the keyboard, for example, IBM spent more than other PC manufacturers in mind, including beating each key, the key is concave downward depth, otherwise, you tap the keyboard, why do you think Think laptop notebook more comfortable?"

Digestion IBM patent

Prior to the acquisition of IBM PC Department of Lenovo's R & D center only distributed in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu three, the Beijing research institute focused on the development of desktop PC, server; Shanghai branch focus on mobile phone, notebook development; Chengdu branch focus "project of highly reliable digital equipment research and development".

"After the acquisition of IBM PC, the original IBM is located in the United States, Japan and Japan's Rowley research center into the new Lenovo group. After the integration, Lenovo set up a R & D center in Beijing, and R & D center, Rowley R & D center, three R & D center management team basically no change, the team leader is directly to me." He Zhiqiang said that the new Lenovo has formed a global R & D layout.

He introduced the research and development center is mainly focused on the notebook (the original Think notebook, Rowley R & D team) R & D center mainly focused on desktop development, software development, product definition and quality control, China three R & D center is mainly desktop, server, mobile phone R & D, but also some notebook (the original R & D team Lenovo notebook), after the integration of R & D team, and R & D center and Rowley Research Center, R & D personnel more than 300 people; with the acquisition of IBM PC, Lenovo in the 1100 R & D personnel in Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu have three, Lenovo has nearly 1800 people R & D team.

However, the digestion of IBM patents is far more than just the integration of R & D department, sit down to collect royalties so simple.

Lenovo Think X41, Think Center after the computer is only the original IBM R & D team, and management team, marketing team, is not the original Lenovo and IBM R & D team, to really prove that Lenovo R & D integration success, also need to launch a truly innovative products, before the market has not been proved Lenovo, R & D will be how to further digest IBM PC?

He Zhiqiang admits, with more than 1500 patents, the most important thing is to continue to innovate on the basis of this, if you lose the ability to continue to innovate, these patents will someday become obsolete patents. He believes that keep the same team, the same development process, the same management system, can maintain the original IBM that continuous innovation ability.

He introduced the so-called "the same process, the same management system" refers to a market to explore the needs of users, from research to innovation and research and development of products, including research and development, strategic decision-making process, the acquisition of IBM PC, Lenovo notebook, commercial desktop in the development process, research management has absorbed the original idea of IBM.

In addition, after the completion of the acquisition, Lenovo employees a total of about 19000 people, the proportion of R & D personnel is about 10%, so that a low proportion of R & D personnel will not affect the patent R & D, continuous innovation ability?

He Zhiqiang explained, "about 10 thousand people, is the production line workers, workers removed, Lenovo's R & D personnel more than 20%, which compared with any one of the world's PC manufacturers, is not a low proportion." Inheritance of two R & D system

In order to maintain the ability of continuous innovation, Lenovo also hopes to invest in R & D.

Lenovo provides figures show that Lenovo will invest 2% of the annual revenue to product research and development and technological innovation. According to sources, Lenovo 2006 R & D investment of about 2 billion 500 million yuan, compared with other global PC manufacturers, this is not a low investment.

Lenovo in 2005 second quarter report (July 1st to September 30th), the Lenovo quarter revenue of HK $28 billion 500 million, net profit of HK $374 million, net interest rate is less than 2%, and in such a profit rate, Lenovo how to continue such a high investment? In addition, any R & D investment is always with risk, Lenovo will be how to control this risk?

In He Zhiqiang's view, because of this, only to play the original advantages of IBM is not enough, also need to play the advantages of the original development of Lenovo, the advantage is that he called the two R & D system -- Lenovo Central Research Institute and the Department of R & D cooperation, short-term and long-term strategic goal of combining research and development system. Among them, the short-term development can timely to market products, generate profits, "in addition, two R & D system to solve the problem of large R & D investment risk too, of course, but also the entire company help to improve profit margins."

He Zhiqiang introduction, Lenovo Beijing research