Kurt D. Humphrey
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`Page 1 of 4
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`Semiconductor Fabrication, Processing, and Chemical/Materials Expert
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`After graduating with his B.S. in Ceramic Engineering, Mr. Humphrey accepted a Product Development
`engineering position with General Motors’ AC Spark Plug division where he developed and patented the
`seminal process for physical vapor deposition (PVD) of Pt catalytic coatings on partially-stabilized zirconia
`oxygen sensors for state-of-the art automotive emission control systems. Kurt was subsequently awarded a
`GM Graduate Study Fellowship and continued research in the area of automotive electronics with the
`development of novel methods for fabricating multilayer ceramic capacitors and other piezoelectric
`components through funding by General Motors Research Laboratories. After completing his M.S. degree
`in Ceramic Engineering, Kurt joined Delco Electronics (Delphi) Division of General Motors where he led
`process development and engineering in the areas of Czochralski (Cz) single-crystal silicon growth and
`semiconductor device/IC fabrication for bipolar, MOS, and silicon MEMS (MAP sensor) products.
`
`Mr. Humphrey’s expertise in materials and microelectronics subsequently led to assignments as Thin Films
`Process Development Manager where he developed and transferred to production the PVD tantalum salicide
`(TaSi) process used in AT&T’s and Bell Labs’ DRAM memory products. Kurt subsequently served as
`Submicron Process Integration Manager at N.V. Philips Research Laboratories in Eindhoven, NL including
`development of next-generation wafer cleaning, isolation, contact plug, via metallization and ILD gap-fill
`processes for state-of-the-art semiconductor device production. While at Philips, Kurt collaborated with
`engineers at AMD, Intel, TSMC, Texas Instruments, and Siemens on advanced materials development and
`IC process/fabrication technology through formal technology transfer agreements between the companies.
`
`Mr. Humphrey came to Colorado Springs as Process Integration Manager for United Technologies
`Microelectronics Center (UMTC) developing and patenting state-of-the-art radiation-hardened triple-level
`metal (TLM) CMOS, programmable amorphous silicon anti-fuse, and deep-trench fully-isolated,
`complimentary bipolar silicon-on insulator (SOI) process technologies. Kurt transferred to Rockwell
`Semiconductor Systems/Conexant where he served as Advanced Process Integration Manager for 90nm
`CMOS pilot production. Later, with Rockwell and Conexant, Kurt developed and patented a commercial
`stiction-free wet etching process for releasing bulk micro-machined MEMS resonating structures used in
`state-of-the-art MEMS gyroscopes. During his long tenure in the industry, Mr. Humphrey worked with key
`semiconductor, telecom equipment and materials vendors including Applied Materials, AT&T, ASML,
`Ericsson, Huawei, Nokia, LAM, Novellus, ULVAC, SOITEC, Shin Etsu (SEH), JSR, Samsung, Sumitomo
`and many others to develop next-generation optoelectronic components, designs and fabrication
`technologies.
`
`Kurt has spent the past 20 years as a full-time IP consultant and subject matter expert (SME) in
`microelectronics and wireless telecom technologies. Kurt has served as a consulting and/or testifying expert
`in multiple lawsuits including an ITC patent infringement case between HP and Acer and provided trial
`testimony as the expert for the plaintiff (the Houston Rockets organization) v. iLight Technologies
`in a 2012 product liability case involving LED lighting technology in 2012. The jury found for the
`Plaintiff. Most recently, Kurt has provided expert analyses, reports and declarations in support of wireless
`telecom IPRs instituted by the USPTO’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). Mr. Humphrey has been
`engaged numerous times to provide forensic/reverse engineering services and subject matter expertise
`primarily in the areas of commercial and industrial electronics and high-tech materials, and has analyzed
`literally thousands of patents and countless patent portfolios for clients in the Global High-tech Top 100.
`
`In addition to his consulting work, Mr. Humphrey currently serves as Adjunct Professor of Chemistry in the
`College of Engineering at Colorado Technical University teaching inorganic and organic chemistry.
`PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
`
`3780 Masters Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80907· tel: +1-719-331-9788 · fax: +1-719-260-0580
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`IPR2021-01342
`Ocean Semiconducotr Exhibit 2042
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`______ 2005-Present
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`IP Enginuity LLC.
`Managing Director/Principal Technologist
`• Comprehensive Engineering Services Provider for the Intellectual Property and Patent Asset
`Management, Licensing, Litigation and Technology Transfer Industries.
`• Prepare strategies and manage engineering services relating to IP asset and patent evaluation;
`reverse/forensic engineering and re-engineering; patent enforcement, assertion and licensing;
`portfolio mining; prior art searches; technology transfer; and IP litigation support.
`• Primary technical contributor on projects relating to MCT/CZT IR focal plan arrays for the United
`Technologies Science Center, semiconductor devices and advanced/engineered materials including
`forensic and patent infringement investigations into LED lighting systems, LED phosphors, and
`solid-state DFB laser devices, organic LEDs (OLEDs) and optical networking components, protocols
`and standard essential patents (SEPs), consumer electronics, photonics and opto-electronic devices;
`MEMS and sensors; flat panel displays (FPDs), and biotech/medical products and systems.
`• Expert witness experience in patent infringement litigation
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`1999 – 2005
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`TAEUS International Corp.
`Director, Engineering Services
`• Managed patent evaluation and reverse engineering projects from the initial proposal through project
`completion and final review.
`• Serve as a primary technical contributor/SME on wireless telecom/networking standards incl. 802.11,
`Bluetooth and 3G/4G cellular and associated SEPs, optical networking and opto-
`electronic/photonics components including collaboration with Dartmouth and HP scientists to
`measure and characterize non-linear optical effects in commercial optical fibers. Also as an SME on a
`variety of compound semiconductor devices, solid state DFB/quantum well lasers, photonics/opto-
`electronics components, FPD technologies, e.g. LCD, plasma and LED/OLED, , MEMS, sensors,)
`etc. and biotech related projects.
`• Specific responsibilities include client interface, project definition, cost, resource and schedule
`planning, technical input, supervision of staff engineers, external consultants and labs, patent
`evaluation, claim chart construction, and technical report writing.
`• Clients included many Global 100 high tech companies and leading U.S. patent law firms.
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` 1995 - 1999
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`Rockwell Semiconductor Systems/Conexant Systems
`Advanced Process Development Manager
`• Assess new business opportunities, perform technical audits and generate comprehensive business
`and financial plans for review and approval by Rockwell CEO and senior staff.
`• Primary focus on state-of-the-art semiconductor products e.g., Power-Trench Diodes and Trench
`IGBTs, CMOS imagers and MEMS gyros.
`• Coordinate design rules, mask/reticle specifications, test chip design/layout, process qualification and
`transfer to production for 90nm CMOS process development in Rockwell’s Advanced Process
`Technology (APT) department in Newport Beach.
`Process Integration Manager
`• Demonstrated first fully-functional Trench IGBTs and silicon MEMS gyro using 125mm substrates.
`• Authored 3 MEMS and 1 SAW filter disclosures; 1 MEMS patent issued, others pending.
`• Successful completion of comprehensive STI and 90nm CMOS process development test chips in
`record time to support an aggressive 90nm qualification schedule.
`United Technologies Corp. (UTMC)
`Process Integration Manager
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`1989 – 1995
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`3780 Masters Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80907· tel: +1-719-331-9788 · fax: +1-719-260-0580
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`IPR2021-01342
`Ocean Semiconducotr Exhibit 2042
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`Page 3 of 4
`• Direct next-generation CMOS and bipolar process technology development. Development projects
`included: ACUTE (advanced dielectrically-isolated, complementary bipolar linear array process on
`SOI), UTERPROG ( radiation-hardened 1.0µ CMOS PAL technology utilizing vertical amorphous Si
`antifuses), and UTERTLM (1.0µ triple-level metal, rad-hard CMOS)
`• Developed advanced amorphous silicon metal-to-metal antifuse technology to support 256k
`RHPROM and RHPAL field programmable products; 2 patents issued.
`• Developed novel trench-isolated, complementary bipolar SOI process, 1 patent issued
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`Philips Research Labs (Eindhoven, The Netherlands)
`Process Integration Manager
`• Direct development of 0.7µ CMOS process from R&D phase through final product qualification as
`part of the Philips/Siemens “Mega” project. Project deliverables included commercial 1M SRAM and
`4M DRAM products.
`• Directed activities of 10 senior technologists.
`• Developed first sub-micron CMOS process utilizing retro-wells, suppressed-BB LOCOS, salicide with
`TiSi2 local interconnect, W plugs and I-line lithography.
`Integration team produced Philip's first fully-functional 1M SRAM using state-of-the-art 0.7µ CMOS
`process (C1DM)
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`1986 – 1989
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`AT&T Technologies
`Process Engineering and Yield Enhancement Manager
`• Coordinate DRAM process transfer from R&D to fab, and direct yield enhancement activities for
`256k DRAM production in new 125mm line (KC-1).
`• Section Leader for Thin Films/Ion Implantation Engineering
`• Key contributor in successful start-up of new 125 mm high volume memory fab (KC-1);
`• Representative on corporate committee for thin film metallization processes and invited speaker at
`SEMI/ASTM meeting on PVD target specifications.
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`1983 – 1986
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`DELCO Electronics Div. General Motors
`Process Development Engineer (Silicon Crystal Growing, Bipolar and MOS Fabs)
`• Provide production engineering support, initially for Si crystal growing area, and later for MOS
`diffusion and LPCVD areas
`• Evaluated external silicon wafer suppliers and introduced intrinsic-gettered substrates into MOS fab
`resulting in an average 7% increase in die yield across all devices
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`1980 – 1983
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`AC Spark Plug Div., General Motors
`Associate Process Development Engineer
`• Developed process for depositing Pt catalytic thin films onto partially-stabilized zirconia oxygen
`sensors
`• Key investigator and inventor on U.S. patent: “Electrode Sputtering Process for Exhaust Gas Oxygen
`Sensor”
`• 1979 GM Graduate Study Fellowship Award
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`1978 – 1980
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`EDUCATION and ACADEMIA
`M.S. Ceramic Engineering, University of Missouri - Rolla
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`3780 Masters Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80907· tel: +1-719-331-9788 · fax: +1-719-260-0580
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`IPR2021-01342
`Ocean Semiconducotr Exhibit 2042
`
`

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`Page 4 of 4
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`B.S. Cum Laude, Ceramic Engineering, University of Missouri – Rolla
`Adjunct Professor of Chemistry in the College of Engineering at Colorado Technical University-Colorado
`Springs - Current
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`U.S. PATENTS:
`6,337,027 Microelectromechanical device manufacturing process
`5,759,876 Method of making an antifuse structure using a metal cap layer
`5,658,819 Antifuse structure and process for manufacturing the same
`5,344,785 Method of forming high speed, high voltage fully isolated bipolar transistors on a SOI
`substrate
`4,253,931 Electrode sputtering process for exhaust gas oxygen sensor
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`HONORS
`General Motors Graduate Study Fellowship – 1979
`United Technologies Silver Quill Award – 1994
`Rockwell Outstanding Achievement Award – 1998
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`PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
`Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) / Electron Devices Society
`Colorado Photonics Industry Association
`Licensing Executive Society (LES)
`Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO)
`Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE)
`Intellectual Asset Management (IAM)
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`Expert Litigation Case History (Partial)
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`2007 – ITC Case No. 337-TA-606, Hewlett Packard (Plaintiff) v. Acer International:
`Provided expert reverse engineering services, expert report and deposition for the Plaintiff
`
`
`2012 – District Court 157th Judicial District Harris County Texas Cause No.2009-76645, Clutch City
`Sports and Entertainment a.k.a. Houston Rockets (Plaintiff) v. iLight Technologies:
`Provided expert failure analysis services, expert report, deposition and trial testimony for the
`Plaintiff. Jury chose in favor of the Plaintiff.
`
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`2018 – IPR Case IPR2017-001889 before the USPTO PTAB, Sprint Spectrum v. General Access
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`Solutions (Patent Owner):
`
`Provided expert declaration and was deposed on behalf of the Patent Owner
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`2020 - IPR Case IPR2019-01668 before the USPTO PTAB, Samsung Display (Petitioner) v. Solas
`OLED (PO): Provided expert declaration in support of the Patent Owner
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`2021 – Western District of Texas Civil Action No.: 6:20-cv-879 (ADA), Proxense LLC (Plaintiff) v.
`Target Corp.: Provided expert declaration and deposed on behalf of the Plaintiff
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`2021 - Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division, Case No. 8:20-cv-02274, Rebotix Repair LLC
`(Plaintiff) v. Intuitive Surgical, Inc.:
`Provided expert report and expert deposition on behalf of Plaintiff
`
`2021 – Southern District of Iowa Central Division, Case No. 4:19-cv-00330-RGE-CFB, Neogen Corp. v.
` Innovative Reproductive Technology LLC: Provided expert report, scheduled for trial testimony in June
`
`2022 - IPR Case IPR2021-00929 before the USPTO PTAB, Western Digital Technologies (Petitioner) v. Ocean
` Semiconductor (PO): Provided expert declaration and deposition in support of the Patent Owner
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`3780 Masters Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80907· tel: +1-719-331-9788 · fax: +1-719-260-0580
`
`IPR2021-01342
`Ocean Semiconducotr Exhibit 2042
`
`