Revealing Development Trends in Blockchain-Based 5G Network Technologies through Patent Analysis

Fei Gao, Chen De-Li, Min-Hang Weng and Ru-Yuan Yang
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Fei Gao: School of Information Engineering, Putian University, Putian 351100, China
Chen De-Li: School of Information Engineering, Putian University, Putian 351100, China
Min-Hang Weng: School of Information Engineering, Putian University, Putian 351100, China
Ru-Yuan Yang: Graduate Institute of Materials Engineering, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung County 912, Taiwan

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 5, 1-21

Abstract: The fifth-generation (5G) network has special communication and security requirements including high reliability, low latency, precise automatic control, secure covert transmission, and evidence traceability. The 5G network combined with blockchain technology just meets this demand, so it is driving a rapidly growing volume of patent applications. This study proposes application scenarios, architecture diagrams, and patent analysis methods for blockchain-based 5G network technologies, beginning with a network architecture using mobile edge computing (MEC) and blockchain as independent platform components to solve MEC load pressure. In the patent analysis, a patent cluster map of blockchain-based 5G networks is proposed to analyze the intersection of technical application fields. The bottleneck period of technological development is presented for leading countries and enterprises in the technological development of blockchain-based 5G network, highlighting relative advantages and disadvantages. Specifically, to extract the core international patent classification (IPC) key technologies and their mutual interrelatedness, we use network topology analysis to establish an IPC network topology diagram through node global and local topology characteristics, thus revealing hotspots of IPC technology research and the characteristics of the technology relationship system. The findings provide a very useful reference for the formulation of government strategy to assist in the implementation and development of blockchain-based 5G network technologies for future smart cities.

Keywords: 5G; blockchain; patent analysis; IPC key technology; network analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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