The World Through the Eyes of an Inventor

Tue, Apr 18 2006, 7:00 pm              The World Through the Eyes of an Inventor 1


For the inventor and entrepreneur, government-sponsored Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grants provide an excellent way to reduce the risks of technology development, particularly because the recipient does not lose any equity. In this talk, Peter Salmon will cover the process of applying for and winning an SBIR grant.

Patents protect an inventor’s valuable Intellectual Property (IP). However, use of a patent attorney to file a patent application can cost $10K and up. After Peter learned how to write a patent application by working closely with a senior patent attorney, he is now able to do most of the work himself. Peter will discuss what he has learned about this process.

Peter has 12 issued patents, and has 22 outstanding patent applications for technologies including semiconductor interconnect systems, test and assembly methods, and electrostatic motors. One of the issued patents covers Pillar in Well, a unique type of flip chip connector. Peter will discuss this invention’s cost and thermal advantages, as well as how he is marketing this and another patent for sale or license.


The World Through the Eyes of an Inventor 2About the speaker,  Peter C. Salmon, Sysflex, Inc. / 650.814.1076

Peter Salmon has broad operating experience at semiconductor companies like Fairchild and Intel, defense companies like TRW and GTE, and several startup companies in the non-impact printing arena. Many of his earlier patents involve high-speed printing. His two most recent patents are Component Connections Using Bumps and Wells, US 6,881,609 B2, and Electronic System Modules and Method of Fabrication, US 6,927,471 B2.

One of his outstanding patent applications is for an electrostatic motor that works by attraction and repulsion of charge. Torque is proportional to operating voltage rather than current, and this can lead to more efficient motors for industry, automobiles and other advanced applications such as UAVs and waterborne vehicles. Since there are no windings, there are no winding losses. High starting torque is an additional benefit for robotic applications. Peter’s company Sysflex won an SBIR grant to pursue this motor technology. The research is sponsored by the Navy, and is targeted at restricted access drilling machines.

In November 2005, Peter won the Best of conference Award at the 2nd International Wafer Level Packaging conference in San Jose, CA, for his flip chip connector paper titled Repairable 3D Semiconductor Subsystems.


Location: KeyPoint Credit Union


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