Raising standards in Quantum Technology
Quantum technology is a fast-growing commercial sector. Recent years have seen a growing number of university spin outs, SMEs and tech giants translating years of laboratory research into real-world products. A similar momentum can also be found in the public sector, where national and international bodies such as the EU, the US and China are pledging increasing sums of money to realise the practical applications of quantum research. Whether in quantum computing, communication or metrology, there are a variety of different technologies being explored and developed for commercialisation.
The increase in the commercialisation, and variety, of quantum technology raises new questions about standardisation – an important factor in ensuring end-user adoption of new products. This article gives an overview of standardisation and its current state in the quantum technology sector. We explore what role technology standards might play in the development of quantum technology commercialisation, and the effect it may have on intellectual property (IP) strategies.
Formal standardisation and SEPs
Standards have been around in one form or another for millennia, going all the way back to ancient Egypt, but not until the French revolution did something resembling the modern systematic process of standardisation first develop. It was during these years that the metre, litre and gram units were created. The first standards were developed through scientific commissions/conferences organised with this predetermined intent in mind, and thus arose the first set of standards approaching the generally accepted definition of a modern standard.
Quantum standardisation
Standards are nothing new within the field of quantum technology. In fact, there are some types of standards, such as unit and terminology standards, that have been present in quantum research for a long time. However, these early standards relate to scientific principles rather than the practical, and patentable, applications of quantum technology. And as quantum has begun to find these applications, there has been a growing shift in focus within quantum standardisation to place more emphasis on fostering progress and growth within industry.
Patents and standards – concluding remarks
Patents and standards are often seen as being somewhat at odds with each other. The purpose of standards is to encourage industry to use a particular technology, methodology or approach. Conversely, patents provide a monopoly right which can be used to gatekeep the use of particular technologies, seemingly in opposition to the aims of technology standards. Therefore, some may question why the future direction of quantum standardisation should factor into their IP considerations.
But differences in the aims of SDOs and those of the patent system does not mean that one cannot affect the other. SEPs provide a very obvious example of this, showing how the advanced nature of some technology makes it very hard to avoid overlap with patented material.
© 2024 Mewburn Ellis
