Abstract: The researchers collaboration network not only indicates the features and schema of technological innovation, but also reflects the technology development trend. It is quite meaningful and useful for the policy-makers to draw up development strategies. Based on the technology life cycle theory, this paper uses complex network analysis methods to study the topology features and the evolution of collaboration network in different phases. A dataset from the electronic whiteboard patents is used to demonstrate the analysis. The result shows that the researchers' collaboration behaviors is strongly related to the technology development. It means that the collaboration networks of different phases have different topology features, whose evolution may lead to the technology changes.

Key words: technology life cycle, patent inventors, collaboration network, network evolution, electronic whiteboard