Phostech LLC is a Chicago area limited liability company connected to a network of IP law firms, electrical engineers, and optical component and system suppliers. Founded in 2003 by Dr. Zane Coleman, Phostech has a history of providing patent-related services and innovative optical prototype, testing, and design services to large and small companies. Phostech leverages its network to provide increased value and opportunities to clients around the world.

Dr. Zane Coleman has a long history of innovation leading to numerous patents. From initial patents originating from his doctoral work in physics to pending applications derived from his work with an optical component and system start-up company, he has consistently demonstrated the ability to create and develop new products and innovations. He is a patent agent registered to practice before the U.S. Patent Office and has drafted, filed, and prosecuted patent applications on his inventions in the areas of:

• LED lighting systems (optics, materials, smart-lighting systems, LED bulbs, and others)
• Illumination systems (edge-lit, direct-lit, fluorescent, LED, quantum dot, OLED)
• Display systems (microprojectors, projection screens, LED displays, electrophoretic and bistable displays, LED and CCFL backlights, dual-view displays)
• Biometric systems
• Optical films (multi-functional, collimation films, high-efficiency, holographic, diffractive, polarizing)
• Methods of manufacturing optical components (film extrusion, injection molding, embossing)

Dr. Coleman has directed or participated in many brainstorming sessions that have resulted in numerous patents. He has refined his applied experience in patent strategy gained from his work in large companies, start-up companies, and accredited patent strategy courses.

NOTE: While Dr. Zane Coleman is a registered patent agent, he is not an attorney. References or comments related to legal documents, including contracts, assignments, trademarks, legal opinions, patentability opinions, patent validity, and other legal topics are only provided for information purposes and should not be construed as legal advice. For questions or concerns related to legal topics, it is strongly recommended to consult with an attorney.

LED Lighting, Display, and Optical Consultant

PROFILE    

• Expertise in LED Lighting, backlights, displays, lightguides, and optical technology
• Inventor on 107 issued patents
• Expertise and analytical skills for optical and physical product analysis
• USPTO Registered Patent Agent

EMPLOYMENT

Phostech                              President                                                    2009 – Present

• Optical consulting, Patent prosecution services
• Expert reports, depositions, and court testimony on validity and infringement for defendant, SVV Tech. Innov. Inc. v ACER INC.
• Expert reports (5) on infringement and validity rebuttal, depositions (3), Ultravision v. Holophane Europe LTD, Yaham Optoelectronics, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. relating to area lighting fixtures
• Expert declarations (3) and deposition for Petitioners Technical Consumer Products, Inc., Nicor Inc., Amax Lighting, Inc. in IPR petitions for LSG Corp. LED light fixture patents
• Expert declarations related to LED light fixtures in Ultravision Technologies, LLC v. Lamar Advertising Co.
• Submitted declarations for 12 USPTO Inter partes reviews related to backlights and light fixtures
• Expert declaration, deposition in Morgan Solar, Inc. v. Banyan Energy Inc., USPTO PTAB Interfer No. 105,972
• Invented backlights, flexible lightguide technology, waveguides, LED bulbs based on waveguides, LED light fixture configurations, concentrating solar collection systems, other illumination devices

Fusion Optix Inc.                  VP Technology & Dir. of Technology         2006-2009

• Led the research strategy and transfer of technology to product engineering in a fast paced small company providing innovation in the display and LED lighting industries
• Developed technology roadmaps, intellectual property strategy, & competitive benchmarking
• Invented more than 35 unique, patentable products and drafted & prosecuted 60+ patent applications
• Managed and researched optical films, display backlights, LED light fixture, and LED light bulb projects
• Co-developed the optical system of a Lightfair 2009 Innovation Award-winning light fixture

                                            Manager, Optical Engineering                   2005-2006

• Developed and prototyped micro-replicated, multi-functional optical films for displays and light fixtures through optical modeling, prototyping, analysis, and specification
• Designed and managed optical film, LED backlight, and light fixture optical and thermal characterization lab
• Led polymer based optical film research including production and optical characterization

Phostech                              President                                                   2003-2005

• Optical design and analysis of diffusing films, refractive-TIR films, displays, LCD backlights, lightguides, illuminated signs, head-up displays, and light fixtures
• Invented new optical films, light fixtures, projection screens, backlights and displays

Motorola Labs                      Senior Physicist                                        1997-2002

• Optically designed and constructed world’s first personal micro-projector (US Patent 6,637,896)
• Designed reflection and transmission micro-structured optical films for LCDs
• Designed and developed 3 new optical film products with suppliers, including an optical film with 3M which was shipped in over 100 million cellular phones
• Analyzed thermal and optical properties of products including developing new measurement techniques

ImEdge Technology Inc.       Optical Engineer                                      1993-1997

• Co-invented new methods for recording edge-lit holograms and edge-lit devices for display and biometric applications (7 issued patents)
• Modeled, recorded, and performed optical and thermal analysis of optical components and systems

EDUCATION

• Ph.D. in Physics, Loughborough University (UK) 1997
• Applied rigorous coupled wave diffraction theory to model and analyze recorded edge-lit holograms
• Thesis: Modern Holographic Recording and Analysis Techniques Applied to Edge-Lit Holograms and their Applications
• BSc. in Applied Physics, Certificate in Optics, Georgia Institute of Technology (1992)

1. “Challenges and opportunities for light management optics in LED lighting systems,” LEDs 2008 Conference, San Diego, CA, (2008)
2. “Optically efficient displays and solid-state lighting systems using anisotropic polymer films,” SID, New England Chapter, Dec. (2006)
3. “Novel high brightness LED backlight design and optimization,” Mark Chu, Zane Coleman, Kurt Henrickson, Terry Yeo, Americas Display Engineering and Applications Conference, Atlanta, GA (2006)
4. “Head-mounted displays for visual communication,” Zane Coleman, George Valliath, Motorola Hermes, internal conference (2000)
5. “LCD glare avoidance using a surface relief diffractive optical element,” Zane Coleman, George Valliath, Motorola Publication via www.IP.com <Download PDF>
6. “Display optical enhancement films,” Zane Coleman, George Valliath, Robert Akins, Kevin Jelley” Motorola Hermes, internal conference (1999)
7. “Design of hologram for brightness enhancement in color LCDs,” G.T. Valliath, Z.A. Coleman, J.L. Schindler, R. Polak, R.B. Akins, K.W. Jelley, Society for Information Display ’98, Conference Proceedings Vol. 29, p. 1139, Anaheim, CA (1998) <Download PDF>
8. “Modern holographic recording and analysis techniques applied to edge-lit holograms and their applications,” Ph.D. in Physics Thesis, Loughborough University, Loughborough, England (1997) <Download PDF>
9. “Holographic optical element for compact fingerprint imaging system”, M.H. Metz, N. J. Phillips, Z. A. Coleman, C. Flatow, Optical Security and Counterfeit Deterrence Techniques, SPIE Proceedings vol. 2660, San Jose, CA (1996) <Download PDF>
10. “Holograms in the extreme edge illumination geometry”, Zane A. Coleman, Michael H. Metz, Nicholas J. Phillips, Holographic Materials II, SPIE Proceedings vol. 2688, San Jose, CA (1996) <Download PDF>
11. “Binary amplitude and holographic recording of light patterns in Du Pont’s photopolymers-some comparisons”, N.J. Phillips, C. Wang, C.A. Barnett, Z. A. Coleman, Holographic Materials, SPIE Proceedings Vol. 2405, San Jose, CA, (1995)
12. “The use of edge-lit holograms for compact fingerprint capture”, M. Metz, C. Flatow, Z. Coleman, N.J. Phillips, CardTec SecureTec, April 10th, (1995)
13. “Links between holography and lithography,” Phillips, Nicholas J.; Barnett, Christopher A.; Wang, Ce; Coleman, Zane A., Proc. SPIE Vol. 2333, p. 206-214, Fifth International Symposium on Display Holography, Tung H. Jeong; Ed. (1995) <Download PDF>
14. “Dichromated gelatin--some heretical comments”, N.J. Phillips, R. D. Rallison, C. A. Barnett, S. R. Schicker, Z. A. Coleman, Practical Holography VII:Imaging Materials, SPIE vol. 1914, pp 101-114 (1993) <Download PDF>
15. “Novel methods for the creation of silver-free images in holography, using conventional silver halide emulsion”, N.J. Phillips, Z.A. Coleman, C. Wang, Holographic Systems, Components, and Applications, IEE Conf. Publication No 379, Neuchatel, Switzerland (1993) <Download PDF> 
16. “Holograms in the edge-illuminated geometry-new materials developments”, N.J. Phillips, C. Wang, Z. Coleman, Practical Holography VII:Imaging Materials, SPIE vol. 1914, pp 75-81 (1993) <Download PDF>

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