Inventors and Patents From the City of Sunnyvale

The City of Sunnyvale has a rich history of fostering innovation. The city is home to many technology companies, including Fisker Automotive, Novellus Systems, Hewlett-Packard Development, and Microfabrica. If you are an inventor, you can join the local community by submitting a patent application.

Fisker Automotive

Fisker Automotive was founded in 2007 by Henrik Fisker and his partner Bernhard Koehler. The pair had previously been involved in the design of coachbuilt cars. These vehicles were based on Mercedes-Benz SL and BMW 6 Series chassis. In 2007, Fisker secured an investment from Italian businessman Gianfranco Pizzuto for U$5.2 million.

David Morgenstern, a resident of Palo Alto, Calif., and his team have patented the technology underlying the automaker’s electric-vehicle concept. Their original patent application was filed on May 1, 2006. Fisker Automotive’s first patent was issued on Jan. 9, 2009.

Fisker Automotive has been involved in a series of lawsuits since the company’s founding. In 2011, a jury awarded the company a patent for a new type of fuel-efficient vehicle. The lawsuit is ongoing and could affect Fisker Automotive’s patent portfolio. Nonetheless, the case is a rare example of how Silicon Valley can help a small company.

Fisker Automotive’s patents are not the only innovations. The company’s employees are also credited with inventions by others. For example, one of its co-inventors, Paulo Kang, a Burbank, Calif. resident, was responsible for the development of an innovative system for measuring the energy output of cars. Another co-inventor, Eric Stoddard, was responsible for developing a new technique for detecting mycobacteriums. The company has since received a patent for a process of DNA amplification and detection.

The City of Sunnyvale has also contributed to the success of Fisker Automotive. In addition to recognizing Fisker’s work, the City of Sunnyvale has also awarded Fisker a patent for a new fuel cell technology. The company has also received patents from Philips Electronics NV, based in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

Novellus Systems

Novellus Systems has filed a patent application for its innovative technology in the storage field, and has named several of its inventors as co-inventors. These include Steven E. Molnar of Sunnyvale, Calif., and two Japanese citizens – Hiroyuki Kunimaru and Kazuya Yanagi – as co-inventors. The patent application, filed on Oct. 30, 2007, is titled “Optical Autodiscovery.” The other co-inventors are Daniel P. Bui and Roger Keith Stager of Sunnyvale. Besides the inventors, the company also claims the names of several city residents who are involved in its development.

Another notable patent holder is KLA-tencor Technologies. The patent covers a method of manufacturing a product that uses a layered approach to identify proteins in cells. This technology is based on a technology developed by David Morgenstern and Michael C. DeVincentis. The company was granted a patent for this technology on Sept. 29, 2009. Moreover, the City of Sunnyvale has a history of supporting innovative companies.

Novellus Systems has also received patents for a magnetic pulsing system. This invention has been assigned to the company by Intel. The company has offices in Sunnyvale, Mountain View, and Chicago. The company has also been awarded a patent for a magnetic pulsing system by Robert E. Fischell and John S. Shen. It has received more than a dozen patents.

The company has also been awarded a patent by the National Semiconductor. The patent covers compositions for silicon-containing films and structures made with these films. The patent application was filed on Sept. 25, 2007, with the other three inventors residing in Sunnyvale.

Hewlett-Packard Development

A recent grant awarded to the City of Sunnyvale by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission will help fund a shuttle service from the City of Sunnyvale to the Perry Park business complex. The program will use a new bus to ferry passengers to and from the new business complex. The Sunnyvale Transit Authority and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority will receive $1.2 million in grant money for the program.

Microfabrica

Microfabrica is an advanced additive manufacturing company that creates complex, three-dimensional, micron-precision metal structures. The company has developed a system that integrates 3D printing with precision semiconductor manufacturing processes to create complex devices and micro-composites at scale. In addition to building micro-composites, Microfabrica provides access to advanced precision micro equipment. The Sunnyvale-based company is listed in the PitchBook platform.

Newport News Shipbuilding

This article will discuss a couple of recent patents issued from Sunnyvale, California. One of these patents, number 7,882,086, is assigned to Network Appliance. The product is a shock simulation generator. The inventors include Clifford J. Conklin, a resident of Durham, N.C., and Fang Wang. They filed for the patent on Oct. 14, 2006. The other patent, number 7,878,505, was assigned to Nevada Heat Treating, which is located in Newark, Calif.

Another patent issued in Sunnyvale is for an invention by David Morgenstern, a resident of Palo Alto. This is a device that allows people to see the location of an object without having to look at it. The device can be positioned on the wall or floor. Its main component is made from carbon fiber. This type of material is reusable and can be easily disposed of.

Sunnyvale is home to a number of patent offices and a patent office that will allow startups to get a faster start in the patent process. This will boost job creation and accelerate the development of new products. The patent office will complement the long-running Patent and Trademark Resource Center at the Sunnyvale Library. The PTC provides access to information and programs related to intellectual property, including extensive copies of patents.

A new patent application has been assigned to an innovative device that helps people store, transport, and manage data. The device is called Luxim. The patent application was filed Oct. 30, 2007, by five other inventors. The patent was assigned to the company Exclara.