ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï

Intellectual Property Management

Intellectual Property Management Plan and Implementation

Intellectual Property Management Policy and Goals

To remain a world-leading technology provider, ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï.,Ltd. (ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï) shall continuously focus on research, development and innovation; formulate an intellectual property (IP) strategy in alignment with its operation and R&D strategies; establish a set of operating model which can effectively utilize the IP rights ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï owns to promote various business interests, so as to not only appropriately protect R&D results and enhance the company's competitiveness, but also to ensure the freedom of operation of ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï and maximize shareholder benefits.

Intellectual Property Management System

To ensure the effective implementation of ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï¡¯s IP policy and goals, the company and its subsidiaries draws up innovative programs in accordance with its business blueprint and prevailing laws and regulations, as well as continuously strengthen its IP management system. ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï¡¯s comprehensive IP management ensures that the company¡¯s R&D efforts and results are well protected and developed into IP rights. The company continues to integrate and utilize its high value IP portfolio to promote various business interests that further improve its competitiveness and strengthen its defense capabilities.

Patent

ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï¡¯s IP management strategy is focused on three equally weighted goals - patent quantity, patent quality and patent value. In addition to early deployment of IP management for critical technologies, ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï continuously examines the quality and valuation of its patents through innovative ways to maintain a strong patent portfolio.These actions enable ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï to maintain high patent standards and maximize R&D investment returns by strengthening the use of value-added patent rights. ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï also actively collaborates with the industry¡¯s technology leaders to jointly develop patents, file patent applications and obtain key licensing agreements. These actions enable ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï to defend its leadership position in technology as well as maintain its overall competitiveness.

Trade Secret

ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï¡¯s trade secrets are based on a strong foundation of corporate competitiveness that include cost advantages, technology leadership, quality manufacturing service, and the establishment of smart factories and customer trust. ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï adopts secrecy policy and management measures in accordance with laws and regulations on trade secret protection, puts in place a system of measures including information security systems, employee education and on-the-job training, and systematic management, and takes management-oriented approaches to continuously implement and improve those measures, effectively protecting ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï¡¯s trade secret. Where it is necessary, ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï will timely enforce applicable laws and regulations on trade secret to prevent improper use, leakage or misappropriation of ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï¡¯s proprietary assets by others in order to ensure that ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï¡¯s investments, rights and interests are duly protected.

Trademark

ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï has registered several trademarks to distinguish the exclusive products and services of ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï from the similar products/services of others. The granted trademarks highlight the quality and uniqueness of ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï¡¯s products and services, and help to effectively market the ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï brand name. ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï may claim its legitimate trademark rights against any other similar marks that are improperly used to cause confusion to customers or consumers, so as to protect ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï¡¯s goodwill and market share.

ASE¡¯s IP management strategy is focused on three equally weighted goals - patent quantity, patent quality and patent value. In addition to early deployment of IP management for critical technologies, ASE continuously examines the quality and valuation of its patents through innovative ways to maintain a strong patent portfolio.These actions enable ASE to maintain high patent standards and maximize R&D investment returns by strengthening the use of value-added patent rights. ASE also actively collaborates with the industry¡¯s technology leaders to jointly develop patents, file patent applications and obtain key licensing agreements. These actions enableASE to defend its leadership position in technology as well as maintain its overall competitiveness.

ASE¡¯s trade secrets are based on a strong foundation of corporate competitiveness that include cost advantages, technology leadership, quality manufacturing service, and the establishment of smart factories and customer trust. ASE adopts secrecy policy and management measures in accordance with laws and regulations on trade secret protection, puts in place a system of measures including information security systems, employee education and on-the-job training, and systematic management, and takes management-oriented approaches to continuously implement and improve those measures, effectively protecting ASE¡¯s trade secret. Where it is necessary,ASE will timely enforce applicable laws and regulations on trade secret to prevent improper use, leakage or misappropriation of ASE¡¯s proprietary assets by others in order to ensure that ASE¡¯s investments, rights and interests are duly protected.

ASE has registered several trademarks to distinguish the exclusive products and services of ASE from the similar products/services of others. The granted trademarks highlight the quality and uniqueness of ASE¡¯s products and services, and help to effectively market the ASE brand name. ASE may claim its legitimate trademark rights against any other similar marks that are improperly used to cause confusion to customers or consumers, so as to protect ASE¡¯s goodwill and market share.

Main Uses of Intellectual Property and Contribution to Operations

ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï's IP management is tightly embedded into the company¡¯s business operation blueprint, forming a continuous innovation cycle that encompasses business opportunities and R&D, to IP management and utilization that includes the following three phases:

  • To maintain ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï¡¯s technology leadership and to better respond to future market needs, the company invests aggressively in research and development, aligns R&D with key future business opportunities and invests heavily in talent development and R&D resources.

  • Our robust IP application system and tools ensure that R&D achievements are transformed accurately, thoroughly and effectively into legally protected intellectual property rights. To ensure comprehensive protection for key technologies and strengthen patent quality, ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï adopts a 3-pronged approach: developing a comprehensive portfolio, re-assessing patents to identify those of value and, revitalization to increase the value. Patents must also provide business value in order to maximize R&D investment returns. ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï puts in place a system of measures to protect the company¡¯s trade secrets and maintain its unique competitive advantage, including information security systems, employee awareness training and education and trade secret registration system management. Where appropriate, ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï will enforce applicable laws and regulations to prevent improper use, leakage or misappropriation of intangible assets of ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï by others to ensure that investments, rights and interests are duly protected. In terms of trademarks, the unique and identifiable trademarks may be registered to manifest the quality and characteristics of products and services. In case of other¡¯s imitation or trade on the recognition of ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï trademark, or causing confusion of customers and consumers, ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï may invoke trademark rights to defend goodwill or secure the market share.

  • High-value IP helps to facilitate business success, obtain customer orders and develop more business opportunities, thereby creating a positive sustainable cycle. Our robust IP management prevents unauthorized use of technologies of ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï., Ltd. by others and helps to defend against any threats from competitors.

IP Risk Management

ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï¡¯s success is driven by its continuous quest for innovation and the strengthening of its IP management. To protect its proprietary technologies, trade secrets and patents from theft, misappropriation or infringement, ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï has strengthened employees¡¯ IP awareness as well as ensured the inclusion of IP protection measures at work. In addition to regular IP related online and classroom courses, various types of exercises are also conducted to enhance employees¡¯ knowledge and skills on IP protection. ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï has established stringent controls in its IT and email systems, and within its facilities, to strengthen security management and mitigate the risk of information leakage. ?In case of any risk exposures in IP misappropriation or infringement, ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï has in place a robust response mechanism and standard operating procedure to promptly investigate and where appropriate, enforce legal actions to prevent IP misappropriation or infringement by others, so as to protect the ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï¡¯s IP rights.

ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï respects the legitimate IP rights of others. However, to the extent that the technology is developed independently by ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï or that ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï does not have prior knowledge, it may be uncertain as to whether there may be any potential conflict with others¡¯ IP. To a certain extent, ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï may consider to rely on third party technology and patent licenses. If the technology license cannot be granted due to unacceptable terms and conditions, ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï may be exposed to third party claims for infringement, damages incurred, or the risk of an injunction order. ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï may also face customer requests and claims for contractual obligations to indemnify for the damages suffered by the customer due to third-party claim for infringement. Therefore, ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï will strategically obtain the necessary licenses for specific technologies, and at the same time, collects high-quality patents that could be utilized for defense against litigation or cross-licensing, so as to ensure the freedom of operation.

Implementation Status

ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï¡¯s patent portfolios comprise a variety of technologies related to semiconductor packaging and testing, and electronics manufacturing. As of January 31, 2025, we held 2,077 Taiwan patents, 2,030 U.S. patents, 2,189 P.R.C., patents, 87 Europe patents and 50 patents in other countries related to various semiconductor packaging technologies and invention utility and design on our EMS. In addition, as of January 31,2025, we also had has a total of 2,351 pending patent applications, of which 296 in Taiwan, 643 in the U.S., 1,353 in P.R.C. , 43 in Europe and 16 in other countries.

ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï has applied and registered several trademarks in Taiwan, the United States, China and the EU. The following trademarks are registered in Taiwan. This is anon-exclusive list of ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï¡¯s trademarks and any name, service mark or logo that has been used for or incorporated into ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï¡¯s services but not specified in the foregoing list shall not constitute a waiver of ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï¡¯s trademark or other intellectual property rights over that name or logo.

ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï will continue to strengthen trademark management, enhance management mechanisms at all stages of trademark acquisition, protection, maintenance, and use, and improve management specifications and processes that effectively secure trademark rights and avoid trademark-related risks, so as to effectively secure company's trademark rights and defend the company's goodwill.

In terms of trade secrets management, ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï is devoted to establishing trade secret registration management system that collocates with the comprehensive secrecy policy, protecting company¡¯s core competitive advantage in all aspects. ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï carries out annual on-line training for all employees, continues to direct them to secure confidential information and foster subject-specific course and propaganda of non-infringement of IP for R&D and engineering departments, enhancing protection of ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï¡¯s trade secret and preventing the risk of infringement. ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï implements an interview mechanism in the employee resignation process for Legal department to interview with employee who will resign and alert such employee to continue to fulfill confidentiality obligations after the resignation and enhance management mechanism to reduce the risks of information leakage. ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï and its subsidiaries collaborate to develop group corporate strategy for protecting critical technologies that effect industry leadership and adopt unified management guidance to enhance the confidentiality control of high value trade secret involved in the process of cooperating with customers and suppliers, continuing to maintain ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï¡¯s competitiveness and protect the best interests of shareholder. In order to improve trade secret management and coordinate government that enhances control of national core technologies, ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï adopts a policy of protection of national core technologies and trade secret that enhances law compliance and effectively protects intellectual property to increase the core competitiveness of ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï and its subsidiaries and protect the best interests of shareholders, customers and other stakeholders. Respective subsidiaries authorize a department responsible to implement management of trade secret grading, enhance the process of disclosure control and confidentiality measures and establish a reward system to encourage employees to innovate, securing company's core competitive advantages.

At least once a year, the foregoing IP management plan and implementation status are reported to the Board of Directors and the improvement measures are proposed in response to the Board¡¯s recommendations. The last reporting date was October 8 , 2024.

Certification

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc., a subsidiary of the company, filed an application for the renewal of Taiwan Intellectual Property Management System (TIPS) AA Class certification in 2024. The renewal of TIPS certification (AA Class) was valid for another 2-year-term until December 31, 2026. Additionally, Siliconware Precision Industries Co., Ltd. and Universal Scientific Industrial Co., Ltd. also obtained the Taiwan Intellectual Property Management System (TIPS) A Class certification, with their certificates valid until December 31, 2025.

The Benefits of IP Rights to The Company¡¯s Sustainable Development

In terms of environmental sustainability, ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï drives innovative research and development under four sustainable development strategies¡ª "low-carbon, circular, inclusive, and collaborative" and adopts a versatile technology strategy to introduce novel packaging designs, optimize mature process parameters, use new materials, enhance automation, etc., while providing customers with innovative and leading-edge packaging services. Therefore, ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï can reduce the use of materials and reduce energy consumption in the packaging process to promote the environmental sustainability.

Innovation is key to ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï's revenue growth and competitiveness. ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï's technology initiatives include SiP Module, 2.5D/3D IC package, fan-out wafer-level package and MEMS and sensor products. When ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï facilitates environmental sustainability and assists customers in launching new generation products with green concepts, it simultaneously strengthens the patent portfolios. In 2024, 114 newly green-related patents were granted globally, and as of the end 2024, totally 1,215 green-related patents were granted.

Innovative Technology

Sustainability Focus

Examples of promoting environmental sustainability

Number of green-related patents granted in 2024

SiP Module

Reduce material usage

  • Reduce material usage and save costs, making the manufacturing process more comprehensive and promoting economic benefits.

  • By changing the design of the packaging base, the effect of reducing material waste by 30%-60% can be achieved.

  • By changing the thickness design of the semiconductor substrate from 100 microns to 50 microns, the substrate material usage rate is reduced by 50%.

38

2.5D/3D IC package

Save energy and reduce carbon

  • Achieve energy saving by lowering the curing temperature.

  • By designing cooling fixtures, the temperature of the sputtering process is reduced, and energy consumption is also reduced.

  • Through the "secondary ball stacking" technology and by fixing the heat treatment temperature in the process, the line shift time is reduced and the production efficiency of the machine is improved. In addition, because the temperature of the packaging equipment is fixed, energy consumption is reduced, achieving energy saving and carbon reduction.

3

Fan-out wafer level package

Increase production capacity

  • Through the new jig design, the cutting width is reduced, the utilization rate of typesetting is increased, and the production efficiency is improved.

  • Reuse new fixtures to reduce the cost of purchasing new fixtures and reduce waste generation.

  • Reduce the waiting time of packaging production and improve the production efficiency of the machine by sharing the furnace temperature.

36

MEMS and Sensor Package

Automation

  • Cooperate with equipment manufacturers to develop new programs and functions to solve the problem of die attachment of different sizes, avoid the risk of misjudgment of die attachment during manual operations, and improve machine production efficiency.

  • Develop a low-temperature wire bonding process, which not only saves the power consumption of the wire bonding process, but also saves the substrate supplier's process and power consumption.

37

Innovative Technology: SiP Module

Sustainability Focus: Reduce material usage

Examples of promoting environmental sustainability:

  • Reduce material usage and save costs, making the manufacturing process more comprehensive and promoting economic benefits.

  • By changing the design of the packaging base, the effect of reducing material waste by 30%-60% can be achieved.

  • By changing the thickness design of the semiconductor substrate from 100 microns to 50 microns, the substrate material usage rate is reduced by 50%.

37 green-related patents granted in 2023

Innovative Technology: 2.5D/3D IC package

Sustainability Focus: Save energy and reduce carbon

Examples of promoting environmental sustainability:

  • Achieve energy saving by lowering the curing temperature.

  • By designing cooling fixtures, the temperature of the sputtering process is reduced, and energy consumption is also reduced.

  • Through the "secondary ball stacking" technology and by fixing the heat treatment temperature in the process, the line shift time is reduced and the production efficiency of the machine is improved. In addition, because the temperature of the packaging equipment is fixed, energy consumption is reduced, achieving energy saving and carbon reduction.

8 green-related patents granted in 2023

Innovative Technology: Fan-out wafer level package

Sustainability Focus: Increase production capacity

Examples of promoting environmental sustainability:

  • Through the new jig design, the cutting width is reduced, the utilization rate of typesetting is increased, and the production efficiency is improved.

  • Reuse new fixtures to reduce the cost of purchasing new fixtures and reduce waste generation.

  • Reduce the waiting time of packaging production and improve the production efficiency of the machine by sharing the furnace temperature.

52 green-related patents granted in 2023

Innovative Technology: MEMS and Sensor Package

Sustainability Focus: Automation

Examples of promoting environmental sustainability:

  • Cooperate with equipment manufacturers to develop new programs and functions to solve the problem of die attachment of different sizes, avoid the risk of misjudgment of die attachment during manual operations, and improve machine production efficiency.

  • Develop a low-temperature wire bonding process, which not only saves the power consumption of the wire bonding process, but also saves the substrate supplier's process and power consumption.

38 green-related patents granted in 2023

In terms of social sustainability, ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï applies the green-related patents and technologies to the semiconductor packaging process to drive novel business models, lead the emergence of green supply chains, create high value-added job opportunities, and thereby enhance social welfare. At the same time, green-related patents and technologies also improve the quality of life, reduce pollution, and achieve more balanced development of the economy, society, and environment. Intellectual property rights play a key role in sustainable development in encouraging innovation, promoting technology transfer, protecting the environment and improving social and economic welfares.

In terms of business sustainability, ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï continues to invest in innovative research and development, and is committed to high-value, low-carbon, waste-reducing, and AI-assisted semiconductor packaging services. At the same time, ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï will transform innovation achievements into intellectual property rights and build an intellectual property protection wall to prevent others from plagiarizing ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï technologies and defend against competitors' intellectual property threats. ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï's intellectual property management system forms a continuous innovation cycle to support sustainable business development, protect innovation achievements and sustain ºìÁì½í³Ô¹Ï competitive advantages.

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