In a company, researchers’ ideas evolve into technologies through time and effort and are ultimately reflected in finished products. These technologies, once realized, require protection in the market. This is where patents play a vital role. A patent legally protects an invention developed through R&D, granting exclusive rights that prevent unauthorized use.
To turn an idea into a patent, it must be discovered, refined, and filed with a well-crafted claim scope—a process that forms the foundation of intellectual property (IP) competitiveness. In this article, we meet Youngjoo Han from LG Display’s IP Prosecution Team, who helps cultivate early-stage employee inventions—or IP Seeds—into patents that serve as strong legal and strategic assets.
#1. From Idea to Intellectual Property,
Designing the Entire Patent Filing Process
I’m Youngjoo Han from the Intellectual Property Prosecution Team. LG Display’s IP Division is composed of five specialized teams—filing, strategy, legal, analysis, and licensing/litigation—each responsible for addressing the company’s diverse IP needs.
Our team’s goal is to secure IP competitiveness for LG Display’s products and emerging technologies. We work closely with inventors to identify and refine differentiating factors compared to prior art, and based on these, we define optimal claim scopes and file patents. Taking into account product characteristics and technology trends, we strategically respond to office actions to ensure that our patents effectively protect the company’s core assets.
We also analyze our existing registered patents—our intangible IP assets—through the lens of shifting market trends. By identifying high-value patents, we play a critical role in reinforcing LG Display’s long-term IP strategy.
#2. A Team of Real Patent Experts
Defending Our Innovation Edge
After joining LG Display’s IP Division, I gained a deep appreciation for how meticulously the company builds its patent portfolio to distinguish its technologies from competitors. As a B2B company, LG Display proactively files patents and trademarks worldwide to protect its technologies and brands—and even turns them into business assets through licensing.
Patents provide exclusive rights for 20 years from the filing date. Each patent, therefore, encapsulates much more than a technical explanation—it represents the full journey of invention, examination, and registration. From identifying the core differentiators, to responding to prior art with sound legal arguments, to defining claim scopes across jurisdictions, and eventually applying the registered technology to products—this entire lifecycle informs future IP strategies.
The accumulated know-how from each patent becomes a valuable asset in filing new inventions and expanding our strategic IP portfolio. To broaden perspectives and deepen expertise, the IP Division encourages cross-functional experience through rotation, allowing team members to engage with all facets of patent work. As a result, the IP Filing Team is home to some of the most experienced and knowledgeable true patent experts at LG Display.
#3. Expertise and Dedication Power Our IP Edge
First Mover, LG Display
Patents are a way to add high value to LG Display’s proprietary and differentiated technologies. When we successfully register unique, hard-to-replicate technologies as patents in Korea and abroad, we not only secure exclusive rights as patent holders, but also create an environment where we can deliver those technologies safely and confidently to our customers.
To encourage employee-led innovation, LG Display operates an IP Recognition Program, which rewards those who contribute to the company’s IP competitiveness. Since the scope of eligible recipients expanded last year, participation has grown significantly. Awardees gain both financial rewards and recognition, inspiring even greater engagement.
According to official data, LG Display accounted for 24.9% of all global LTPO OLED patent filings over the past 10 years (2013–2022), with 649 filings across Korea, the U.S., China, the EU, and Japan—ranking us No. 1 in total filings. In 2024 alone, we registered over 2,100 domestic and 4,800 global patents, bringing our cumulative global patent count to over 66,000.
These achievements reflect the inventiveness of our employees, the technical excellence of our R&D teams, and the IP team’s strategic expertise in turning employee inventions into strong, enforceable patents. Working as ‘One Team, One LGD’, we minimize IP risk, reinforce our leadership as a first mover, and actively block second followers.
#4. Instilling Pride in Those Who
Drive Technological Differentiation
In a first-to-file patent system, the right goes to whoever files first. Examination, enforcement periods, and renewal deadlines are all based on the filing date.
Also, IP professionals must coordinate with inventors and domestic/overseas patent attorneys to define the optimal scope of rights. We review and compare English patent specifications, identify differentiators, and draft claims ourselves—so clear communication and foreign language skills are essential.
As display technology becomes more competitive, understanding the distinctions between display types, market trends, and the prior art used in actual products is crucial. This means being open to new knowledge, absorbing it quickly, and actively developing the technical expertise required for smart patent filing.
IP Efforts to Deliver Differentiated Customer Value Will Continue
Youngjoo Han continues to strengthen LG Display’s IP competitiveness, enabling the company to maintain its edge in products and technology across global markets. The journey of LG Display’s IP experts—dedicated to protecting the company’s future assets—goes on.
