Cambridge Electronics Inc. (CEI) developed proprietary gallium nitride (GaN) technology starting in 2007 at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The material is poised to become the next semiconductor in power electronics, which is used to convert electricity to higher or lower voltages and different currents. The use of GaN technology leads to higher efficiency than silicon. The company also overcame safety drawbacks and expensive manufacturing methods by innovating the parts’ design. The emerging material and its unique application created a number of patent considerations for CEI, which were managed by American Patent Agency.
CEI currently uses the advanced transistors to develop laptop power adaptors that are approximately 1.5 cubic inches in volume—the smallest ever made. With such a dynamic entry into a highly mature market as laptops and personal electronics, it was critical for CEI to protect its intellectual property.
Bin Lu, President & Co-Founder of CEI
"We have worked with four different patent firms, ranging from big patent law firms to smaller patent agencies. By far, our best experience is with American Patent Agency (APA). Working with Dan and his team completely transformed the patent filing experience."
Developing IP
APA’s background in filing patents for high technology products facilitated a much faster timeline. This deep understanding of CEI’s business also allowed APA to file claims with much fewer limitations. Bin Lu, CEO and co-founder, added that, “They try very hard to understand the invention so that the specifications and claims in the patents are crystal clear and have very high coherency.”
Having worked with four other firms of various sizes, Bin found that APA could transform the filing process for CEI. Two key patents were approved by the USPTO in under five months, with a third taking less than six weeks to be issued. Lu added that APA President Dan Hussain, “has a special ability to convince the Patent Office to approve patents.
With the necessary IP secured, the company can continue its goal of adapting the GaN technology to data centers, cars and other related devices.
Issued Patents
| Client | Publication | Industry | Filing to Issuance | Filing Type | Patent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEI | 9502535 | Semiconductors | 7 Months | Normal | Link |