Shunpei Yamazaki
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shunpei Yamazaki is a Japanese inventor in the field of computer science and solid-state physicist. He holds over 1,700 U.S. patents – more than any other person [1][2].
Yamazaki is the president and majority shareholder of research company Semiconductor Energy Laboratory (SEL) in Tokyo. Most of the patents he holds are in relation to computer display technology and held by SEL, with Yamazaki named either individually or jointly as inventor.
SEL is named in a 2000 Federal Circuit case against Samsung, Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co. v. Samsung Electronics Co., 204 F.3d 1368, 1374, 54 USPQ2d 1001, 1005 (Fed. Cir. 2000)[3], which held, in part, that "[a] withheld reference may be highly material when it discloses a more complete combination of relevant features, even if those features are before the patent examiner in other references." Based in part on the SEL v. Samsung case, the Patent Office suggests that patent applicants "evaluate the materiality of prior art or other information from the viewpoint of whether it is the closest prior art or other information" [4] and "that an attorney or agent make sure that foreign clients, including foreign applicants, attorneys, and agents understand the requirements of the duty of disclosure, and that the U.S. attorney or agent review any information disclosure statements or citations to ensure that compliance with 37 CFR 1.56 is present" [5]
