Convergence indicator: the case of cloud computing

Convergence is a term that is often used to explain changes in contemporary society, and technological convergence has been an important source of technological innovation in industry. For this paper we adopted a microscopic approach to the question of measuring the level of technological convergence using patent-citation analysis. We developed a convergence indicator that shows the relative convergence degree of a patent. This indicator, which is based on backward and forward patent citations, can assess the extent of the level of convergence or universality. Finally, we conducted an empirical analysis of the cloud computing area using patent-citation analysis from a microscopic perspective.