Japan Patent Office (JPO) has issued a patent on the artificial intelligence-based image recognition technology by FPT Software, a subsidiary of FPT Corporation. The patent is a significant embodiment of the company’s strength and excellence in world-class research, as well as representing FPT Software’s commitment to deliver AI-enabled services and solutions to hundreds of clients globally.

The methodology, data processing mechanism and AI architecture is protected by JPO across Japan territory, which means either partial or full adoption of the technology into any product development by an individual or business, will need to be licensed by FPT Software.

The patent granted by JPO for FPT Software’s AI technology in May 2023

This technology introduces a new neuron mapping architecture that de-aggregates imaging components while still retaining the spatial connection of data, across molecular spots on the surface of the image. This neuron mapping architecture is not only applicable in local-density approximation exercises (examples include for people or vehicles in traffic), but also for other applications in computer vision.

The inventor, Dr. Dao Huu Hung, is currently the Principal AI Scientist at AI Center, FPT Software. According to Dr. Hung, the data processing mechanism introduced in this patent is similar to that of Vision Transformer (ViT) models, the variation of well-known Transformer models in ChatGPT (Generative Pretrained Transformer) in the field of image recognition.

“FPT Software has filed the application for the patent in August 2019, one year prior to ViT, which was firstly released in October 2020. As a result, we have submitted an extended application to expand the protection scope of our technology, which covers a part of ViT’s”, Dr. Hung elaborated. “If successful, we will continue filing to seek protection in the US and Europe, where ViT technology has been integrated into many commercial products”.

Dr. Dao Huu Hung, the patent’s investor and FPT Software’s Principal AI Scientist
 
He also emphasised that FPT Software’s newly granted patent was a rare exemption to the final’s round of queries, and went through a reviewing period of only less than 4 years since application commenced. This is considered a significantly short period in Japan, considering the usual initial and public reviews by JPO takes over 1 and 2 years, respectively, not to mention the lead time for administration, content verification and final round processing.
 
According to Dr. Hung, the patent from JPO is a testament not only to FPT Software’s world-class AI capabilities but also his own research and creativity. Dr. Hung is an author of around 20 scientific papers at some of the world’s leading AI conferences, and has represented FPT Software Japan at technology conferences to introduce researches in computer vision, machine learning, and most notably the mechanism aggregating visual features in image patches to extract spatial coherent image features for pattern analysis, identification and recognition. 
 
In June 2022, the Research team at FPT Software AI Center also successfully applied for a patent for their technology solution, "Group-equivariant convolutional neural networks for 3D point clouds", granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office - USPTO. The solution is related to a neuron mapping architecture that addresses 3D point clouds, mainly used in 3D object and image reconstruction.
 
With Artificial Intelligence being the forefront enabler for digital transformation in Vietnam and globally, FPT Corporation and FPT Software specifically have been making major investments in comprehensive, multi-dimensional AI research since 2013. In June 2023, the company renewed a three-year partnership with Mila - Quebec AI Institute, the world’s leading AI research institute to further advance its scientific capabilities, as well as training and exchanging world-class AI talents.
With Mila’s consultation, FPT Software will also establish its framework for Artificial Intelligence ethics to ensure reliability, safety, transparency and fairness in the research, development and application of AI technology.
Japan Patent Office, or JPO for short, was established on 18 April 1885 and is a governmental agency in charge of industrial property right affairs, under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan.