00:00:04.890 - 00:00:19.770

KS: Today is August 26th, 2023. KS: My name is Karen Siu. KS: I'm here today interviewing Donald Siu, my father, on KS: behalf of the As-Houston Asian American Archive at Rice

00:00:19.770 - 00:00:33.340

KS: University. So, KS: can you tell me your full name and when and where you KS: were born, to start? DS: Yeah my name is Donald Siu.

00:00:34.180 - 00:00:50.890

DS: I was born in a small city called Go Cong, Vietnam—South DS: Vietnam in 1956. KS: How many siblings do you have? DS: I have seven siblings.

00:00:50.890 - 00:01:07.000

DS: So, altogether, we are five boys and three girls DS: in the family. KS: Okay. Can you talk about how it was like for you to grow up in Vietnam? KS: Describe your–your childhood and what your family life was like.

00:01:08.110 - 00:01:23.350

DS: Growing up in Vietnam was difficult because when I was DS: younger, I remember, electricity only came on a DS: few hours a day. DS: So, if you have to do homework or something, you have to do it fast.

00:01:23.380 - 00:01:37.150

DS: So, after that, it's maybe after 10 or 11. DS: Sometime—now, later, they move up to 12, midnight. DS: And after 12—midnight or so, the—you have to do oil lamp DS: or candles, right?

00:01:37.270 - 00:01:55.670

DS: And it's very difficult because there was no air conditioner, a DS: nd Vietnam is a tropical country: it's very hot. DS: And–and there was no DS: refrigerator. So–so, no matter has to—have to go to the

00:01:55.670 - 00:02:18.250

DS: market every day and cook and finish the meal on that day. DS: So, yeah, it's—it was difficult life in–in Vietnam. KS: Can you talk about the neighborhood you grew up in and [DS: Yeah.] your childhood? DS: Yeah, in–in–in my neighborhood, the—there was a lot of children, so

00:02:18.250 - 00:02:32.710

DS: we played together a lot after school and y eah. DS: And my hometown is really fun because there was DS: no TV back then. DS: The whole family has only one small radio.

00:02:33.160 - 00:02:52.870

DS: And–and, yeah, DS: the children, we–we play a–a game most sometime DS: we play soccer out in the street and we were chased down by the–the police on DS: bicycle. [Laughs] So, the police knows every face of the

00:02:52.870 - 00:03:08.890

DS: kid. He know his–he know where—what-which family they came from. DS: So the police come to every house and complain the children cannot play DS: soccer on–on the street, yeah. DS: Yeah, because there was no–no very —electronics

00:03:11.760 - 00:03:27.670

DS: not–not there yet. DS: So there was no TV, and the only entertainment is to DS: interact. Unlike now, kids these days DS: spend too much time on—alone on—with the device.

00:03:28.750 - 00:03:49.630

DS: And that's a lot of disconnect with humanity. DS: So, I guess it has good things and–and maybe not DS: good things. Anyway, time will tell if that will have a long lasting effect. KS: So, can you tell me what your parents names were and what were their jobs or

00:03:49.630 - 00:04:02.650

KS: professions? DS: Yeah. DS: My–my parents—my father was named DS: Tieu Quoc Quang. I remember my

00:04:02.650 - 00:04:18.940

DS: mom is Truong Hai and my DS: father ran a workshop. DS: He sell and repair watches, DS: clock on the wall, grandfather clock, and eyeglasses.

00:04:21.670 - 00:04:36.980

DS: And he owned his own shop. DS: And–and my mother is a housekeeper—is our house DS: -housewife. And she managed to–to raise—they together DS: managed to raise eight kids.

00:04:37.550 - 00:04:53.620

DS: And there's a lot of hard work. KS: Were there any values that your parents emphasized when you were growing KS: up? DS: Yeah. So—yeah, so

00:04:53.950 - 00:05:13.540

DS: my family, like, especially my–my mother and my father DS: wants everyone to have a good education because my DS: father only has a high school DS: education and my mother only had a elementary school education.

00:05:13.540 - 00:05:30.450

DS: So, they want all of us to have a higher education. KS: Did you grow up celebrating Vietnamese and or Chinese holidays and KS: traditions? DS: Yeah, so–so the Vietnamese was–was heavily influenced

00:05:31.110 - 00:05:47.850

DS: by–by the Chinese for almost a thousand years. DS: So, most of the Vietnamese holidays and traditions DS: follow the Chinese. DS: And yeah, that was a–a lot of fun, especially the–the New

00:05:47.850 - 00:06:06.810

DS: Year. You get money, you get to—you receive money in the red DS: envelope and you get to–to eat something that the whole year you–you couldn't eat DS: because you couldn't afford it because the allowance is so small and DS: –and–and you don't have enough money to eat stuff that–that

00:06:06.810 - 00:06:18.750

DS: you–that you–you–you want to DS: do. KS: You know, if there were any effects of French colonialism in Vietnam KS: on the family?

00:06:18.930 - 00:06:32.170

DS: Yeah, the French brought good things and bad things to DS: the colonies. DS: They oppress the people. DS: They took resources from the–the country.

00:06:32.950 - 00:06:52.990

DS: But the one good thing the French did for they—while–while they DS: occupied for 100 years was they invented Vietnamese DS: language. The language that used alphabet that you see now DS: invented by the French for the

00:06:52.990 - 00:07:07.220

DS: religious people from France. DS: They saw the religion came first to Vietnam and DS: they initially was opposed by–by the DS: –the king, the emperor of Vietnam.

00:07:07.220 - 00:07:18.620

DS: But later they use force to–to–to–to influence, DS: to bring their troops over. DS: So the Vietnamese language was invented by the French, which is a good DS: thing.

00:07:19.730 - 00:07:35.630

KS: Did you grow up feeling any effects of French colonialism KS: or French? DS: Yeah. So, again, yeah, be-because France recognized that DS: before alphabets, the–the modern

00:07:35.630 - 00:07:52.520

DS: language, the Vietnamese language, the people had to struggle DS: to–to learn, Vietnamese language in DS: Chinese character, which is not–not easy. DS: Chinese is a very difficult language to learn.

00:07:52.730 - 00:08:08.340

DS: So this is—so in a way, France did a lot more DS: influence, helped Vietnam into the modern life DS: as we see now. KS: Do you have a favorite childhood memory?

00:08:09.330 - 00:08:24.390

DS: Yes. DS: Like I mentioned earlier, the–the–the most favorite is the Chinese New DS: Year. That's where we get money. DS: We–we dressed in new clothes and we–we get to have a

00:08:24.390 - 00:08:40.440

DS: lot of money in–in the pocket. DS: And and I save some and spend some and we DS: –we have a chance to travel to capital city in Saigon DS: to watch movie to eat the fancy food.

00:08:40.860 - 00:08:57.900

DS: So that's–that's a good–good childhood memory. KS: That sounds nice. [DS: Yeah.] Can you take me back to your KS: early education in elementary school, middle school? KS: What schools did you attend and were there any teachers or

00:08:57.900 - 00:09:14.640

KS: experiences during early schooling that inspired you, whether KS: academically or non-academic? DS: So, okay. DS: Vietnam was while—by the time I'm growing up, the

00:09:14.640 - 00:09:31.500

DS: Vietnam War was at its full blown Vietnam War DS: and in 1967, 1968, there was DS: over half a million GI in Vietnam. DS: So–so the, the country

00:09:31.710 - 00:09:48.150

DS: implemented mandatory draft for DS: anyone becoming 18. DS: So initially I was starting at the Chinese school, elementary DS: school. But since Chinese school doesn't give you

00:09:48.150 - 00:10:06.500

DS: the–the–the credential to move up, so DS: I—we decided to—I decided—my family decided to–t DS: o help me study in–in a traditional Vietnamese school. DS: So I—so if in Vietnam, if you keep advancing in–i

00:10:08.460 - 00:10:27.480

DS: n education, that's—and then you DS: successfully pass the exam, the DS: high school exam, and then successfully pass the DS: college or university entrance exam, then you are exempted from

00:10:27.480 - 00:10:49.320

DS: military. So that's—that's a was a push for –for DS: the male. Female is not mandatory but for the male it's DS: if someone fail the high school test DS: or drop out then–then he has no choice but to–to get

00:10:49.320 - 00:11:11.710

DS: drafted. And then in the Vietnamese army, the DS: chance of getting injured or killed is–is more likely. KS: Mhm. What–what grade did you attend school until? DS: Okay. So, I finished only 11 grade when

00:11:11.710 - 00:11:28.270

DS: we have to evacuate in 1975. DS: So, I never had a chance to graduate high school. KS: Okay. Were your parents supportive of your– your KS: interest in—early in life and did they ever push you to pursue certain

00:11:28.270 - 00:11:44.770

KS: interests? DS: My family just simply want everyone to DS: go as far as he or she can, but there was no– DS: no push into any particular interest just to get the general

00:11:44.770 - 00:11:57.370

DS: education. KS: Can you describe what it was like to grow up in the middle of the Vietnam KS: War? And can you recall what hardships and struggles you KS: experienced?

00:11:58.600 - 00:12:16.810

DS: Growing up in Vietnam is–is very tough. DS: And let–let's talk about—let's DS: –let's look at one event like Tet Offensive in DS: 1968. This is during the Lu-the Chinese New Year, Lunar New

00:12:16.810 - 00:12:36.370

DS: Year. And there was so DS: the–the–the North or the Viet Cong, the northern DS: troops shelling the city with rocket and mortar and DS: there was shell exploded near our house with really none—never heard a

00:12:36.370 - 00:12:49.790

DS: kind of explosion before. DS: Many times more powerful than a firecracker. DS: So, yeah, so all the kids had to crawl under the bed. DS: And we even have some sandbag in front of the–in front of

00:12:49.790 - 00:13:04.400

DS: the–the bed, so, for protection. DS: Yeah, it–it was very difficult. DS: We almost get killed in–in that kind of struggle, DS: especially in 1968, I think.

00:13:04.600 - 00:13:21.890

KS: Did you—did–did anyone pass away? DS: Luckily, everyone survived to–to–to DS: the—to all the—to that many years of fighting. DS: Everyone, yeah. [KS: Okay.]

00:13:22.760 - 00:13:38.450

KS: How did the Vietnam War impact your KS: family, friends, your neighborhood? DS: Yeah. So–so some people has to be drafted. DS: That has no choice but to join in the Viet— in-into

00:13:39.860 - 00:13:55.070

DS: the army. And luckily I was not DS: at that age. DS: So I was not involved in the—in a military. DS: And yeah the neighborhood, yeah the whole community; everyone is

00:13:55.070 - 00:14:13.460

DS: affected by the war. DS: Little or a lot; it depends on the situation. KS: You talk more specifically about effects that you felt like, whether that's like, KS: you know, you had to end your education a little early or there that

00:14:13.460 - 00:14:30.650

KS: and—like, were there any like food shortages, medicine shortages? DS: Yeah. So waking DS: up every day in Vietnam was like, "Oh, yeah, today DS: we–we—we're all alive.

00:14:30.680 - 00:14:46.850

DS: We're still alive. And we didn't get—they didn't drop any DS: shell onto the ci-city and we are alive," so–so that's DS: something good to thankful for. DS: And–and the government, sometimes they help, but

00:14:47.300 - 00:15:05.450

DS: most–most of the time, it's—the priority is to push DS: the Vietcong out of the outskirts of the city. DS: So–so every every activity DS: , either go to school or doing business, is alway—the–the war is

00:15:05.450 - 00:15:17.150

DS: always on the mind of everyone. DS: So it's— KS: How did you learn about the fall of Saigon? DS: So at that time, this is toward the end of April

00:15:18.170 - 00:15:38.330

DS: 1975. And–and before that, we know that there was DS: evacuation in central—in the mid DS: part of the of the country, city by city, the– DS: the South Vietnamese army withdrawing because the US withdrawing their support

00:15:38.660 - 00:15:54.250

DS: no longer and the US gradually pulling DS: out. So toward the end, the last week DS: of Vietnam War, of course, back then there was no DS: telephone, no internet.

00:15:54.260 - 00:16:10.680

DS: So we people passing the news by DS: motorcycle, they travel for any loved one, an-anyone that DS: they have connection with, the people riding on motorbike and DS: passing on the rumor and the news.

00:16:10.680 - 00:16:28.050

DS: So we learned about there was a last ship that ready to DS: depart Newport that's the DS: name of the–of the–of the harbor of Newport, the last DS: merchant ship that's going to leave the port soon.

00:16:29.280 - 00:16:50.480

DS: So we were able to secure like a–like DS: a seat or an entrance into that–that compound. DS: So, that's how I–I got out of Vietnam. KS: Wow. How did you react to the collapse of the Southern Vietnamese government?

00:16:51.980 - 00:17:05.460

DS: Yeah, it was DS: terrible. It was shameful. DS: And it was–many people died for–for the cause. DS: But finally they all fail.

00:17:05.580 - 00:17:24.450

DS: And–and mainly DS: because, DS: there was a lot of corruption in the–in DS: the southern—South Vietnam government, the corruption

00:17:25.170 - 00:17:41.790

DS: all the way up to the top. DS: So they never used the US aid, DS: ammunition, food and–and all that effectively. DS: So it will—it—the collapse is due because of—

00:17:43.320 - 00:18:01.360

DS: mainly because of corruption and also due to the DS: frustration of the–of the public in–in America. DS: They—lots of protest Vietnam war protests on the streets DS: of–of the US and causing Congress to gradually

00:18:05.530 - 00:18:25.300

DS: pull out Vietnam and cut out the–the–the aid. KS: Were there any moments when your own life was threatened during the war? DS: So, the–the most threat that we DS: got was during the Tet Offensive in 1968.

00:18:25.300 - 00:18:40.720

DS: And then on the last day when we at the compound at the—at DS: Newport waiting for the ship—to board the—to–to board the DS: ship. We—they were sailing the–the ship that compound DS: from the other side of the river.

00:18:40.810 - 00:18:59.760

DS: So, that was–that was the big threat, but we escaped. KS: So, we discuss a lot of the hardship that you experienced due to the war. KS: But, you know, Vietnam is just a—not just a war. KS: So, you know, before we move on to more questions, I want to know, what did you

00:18:59.760 - 00:19:18.780

KS: love about living in Vietnam? DS: Vietnamese people, peace-loving people. DS: And they—a lot of DS: festivities. I like the food, I like the tradition.

00:19:19.560 - 00:19:36.090

DS: And–and of course, DS: Vietnamese influenced by–by the Chinese and by the French. DS: So, we–we kind of DS: make our living through that kind of influence.

00:19:39.400 - 00:19:56.140

KS: So, can you tell me a little bit more about leaving Vietnam? KS: Like, what was that journey like? DS: So, we left Vietnam on April 30th, DS: 1975, and–and

00:19:56.140 - 00:20:12.130

DS: the ship, we were on the merchant ship. DS: So they stacked the empty container on both sides of the ship so people would gather DS: in the mid-in the middle because they–they were shouting, they were fighting, DS: trying to stop the ship from leaving.

00:20:13.090 - 00:20:29.620

DS: So, yeah, there was very–very dangerous. DS: And luckily the ship got out to the sea safely. KS: Were there a lot of people? DS: Probably. I would estimate maybe over a thousand people on

00:20:29.620 - 00:20:41.410

DS: that ship. [KS: Wow.] KS: Were you able to bring anything with you? DS: Just the clothes on. DS: Just nothing; just nothing at all.

00:20:41.420 - 00:20:51.050

DS: Not even paper. DS: There's no identification. DS: [KS: Wow.] It was. DS: We left in a hurry, so nothing—there's no luggage.

00:20:53.450 - 00:21:08.330

DS: Some people managed to carry luggage, but we didn't bring any luggage. KS: Were you ever in a refugee camp? KS: And if so, how long did you stay? DS: So, we—the ship got out into the South China Sea

00:21:08.930 - 00:21:23.780

DS: wherethe Seventh Fleet, the US Seventh Fleet, I guess, the USS DS: Midway carrier and all the ship—lots of ships outside in DS: the South China Sea. DS: And we were told to go to

00:21:25.730 - 00:21:38.660

DS: Subic Bay in Philippines. DS: So that's—so we–we were there for, DS: I guess for one night. DS: We were there one day–one day and two, and the next day

00:21:39.670 - 00:21:58.510

DS: we–we got on board another ship, we moved to Guam. DS: So, in that—on–on that night, I—for DS: the first time, I saw a B-52 really, really huge. DS: And we heard a lot about B-52 bombing.

00:21:58.510 - 00:22:17.950

DS: But Subic Bay is where B-52 was–was DS: based. And for the first time, I saw a B-52, really big aircraft. DS: And then the next–the next morning, we moved to Guam DS: where we stayed there for more than—maybe more than

00:22:17.950 - 00:22:30.830

DS: three months in–in Guam. KS: How was it like being there for three months? DS: Guam is very hot. DS: We live in a tent and–and

00:22:30.830 - 00:22:43.670

DS: it was very hot and we were able to manage to live there for DS: –for over three months. DS: And–and, of course, the US supplied food and medicine DS: to help the people there.

00:22:45.710 - 00:23:09.230

KS: Can you tell me the story of hearing the song White Christmas? DS: Okay. So, we DS: —before the US pulled out of Vietnam, the–the—all DS: of the US personnel, military and civilian, were

00:23:10.070 - 00:23:23.610

DS: told that there would be a song White Christmas play DS: on the radio. DS: Whenever they hear this song, whenever they heard this song, it's DS: time to pack up and leave immediately.

00:23:23.610 - 00:23:37.200

DS: And that is the cold–that is the cold song that DS: signal the abandoned. DS: So, yeah, the song was playing on the radio and–and that was—people DS: knew that the end is near.

00:23:37.470 - 00:23:48.870

DS: The end was near. KS: Wow. So, you knew that it was time to go? DS: Yes, it was time to–to evacuate. DS: [KS: Wow.] So any so that was

00:23:49.860 - 00:24:08.130

DS: especially people who hold—who held high ranking DS: office. They were most afraid of—because they–they are the DS: ones—they were the one that had to leave as quickly as possible. DS: I've heard story that they commit suicide by grenade

00:24:09.480 - 00:24:27.870

DS: or–or by handguns or heard story that the whole DS: family commit suicide by–by hand grenade. DS: So, a lot of high-ranking officers killed themselves because they don't want DS: to to be tortured by–by–by the north.

00:24:29.550 - 00:24:49.230

KS: So, when did you move to the US and where did you first migrate to? DS: So, from Guam we were flown–flown to California DS: and we was—they have the DS: US Marine base, Camp Pendleton.

00:24:49.530 - 00:25:05.400

DS: They set up base there for—to house the–the refugee. DS: So, we stayed there for maybe 1 DS: or 2 months. DS: And people while staying, while staying there, we have to

00:25:05.400 - 00:25:20.760

DS: seek sponsorship. DS: So at that time, the US has a policy DS: to–to allow credit for every DS: refugee that the US citizen sponsor—tax–tax credit.

00:25:22.350 - 00:25:37.920

DS: So we was sponsored by–by a Chinese American. DS: They owned a restaurant there. DS: So they sponsor both of us, me and my brother. DS: So, by the way, only two of us left Vietnam, said me and my older

00:25:37.920 - 00:25:59.280

DS: brother. [KS: Oh.] So that's–so that's how we got DS: sponsor out of the Camp Pendleton in California. KS: What were some challenges that you faced when adjusting to life in the US? DS: The most challenge was the language: we not —we—

00:26:00.420 - 00:26:16.390

DS: I studied English in high school, DS: but–but I never have a chance to practice, so DS: –so yeah, so, the most difficult part is the language, DS: the–the weather, right?

00:26:16.410 - 00:26:32.580

DS: So, it get colder during the November, December DS: month. So, it never get used to the cold. DS: And also I never get used to drinking cold milk DS: because in Vietnam we always

00:26:35.100 - 00:26:48.030

DS: drank hot milk, not cold milk. DS: So, cold meal is something milk. KS: Did you face any discrimination when arriving in the US? DS: Oh yes. Yes.

00:26:48.030 - 00:27:02.130

DS: They—we faced that, too. DS: And we try not DS: to–to engage with those people. DS: We try to avoid any–any

00:27:02.130 - 00:27:19.200

DS: discrimination. So, we try to live through that and make adjustment. KS: Was there anything in particular, like—any, like, discrimination that stands out? DS: Not–not really. DS: I–I heard story of other parts of the country, the discrimination

00:27:19.200 - 00:27:31.320

DS: really a–a lot. DS: But in California, far more tolerant. DS: So, I didn't have any difficulty. KS: Did you experience any cultural shock?

00:27:32.880 - 00:27:49.890

DS: So, yeah, so the language is English is the —is–is–is the barrier. DS: So, that's what I realized and I have to quickly DS: get through that. DS: And yeah, so language is the biggest ba-barrier.

00:27:52.560 - 00:28:05.340

KS: Were you able to find a solid Vietnamese-American community when KS: you arrived in the US? DS: Yeah. DS: It's—the community is in Los Angeles, Chinatown,

00:28:06.810 - 00:28:21.960

DS: or the nearby city in like Monterey Park, just outside Los DS: Angeles. So, it's just a small community. DS: And there was no b-because—1975 is DS: when Viet-Vietnamese people just arriving.

00:28:21.960 - 00:28:40.140

DS: So they have not have any solid DS: place to just not–not now like Orange DS: County or San Diego or Houston, Texas, but just DS: people scatter all over the country.

00:28:40.140 - 00:28:51.960

DS: They are not getting together yet in 1975. KS: Okay, great. Go to the next page. DS: Okay. KS: So, was the US everything you expected or not?

00:28:52.560 - 00:29:05.130

KS: How was it any different from media that you saw, like movies, KS: TV or other sources of information portrayed to you prior KS: to your arrival? DS: Yeah–yeah.

00:29:06.420 - 00:29:27.870

DS: So, when we—when I first landed in California DS: and the bus took us from the airport to Camp Pendleton, DS: I was surprised that the US was so modern and the DS: freeway was so big and many big cars

00:29:28.410 - 00:29:47.250

DS: and there was oranges on both sides of the highway and DS: just very neatly grown. DS: And–and the country looks DS: modern. And I really—just

00:29:47.250 - 00:30:06.390

DS: exactly what I saw on–on the movie on the—in the news. KS: Were there any important people that helped you a lot during your early KS: journey in the US as a new immigrant? DS: Yeah, so, my sponsor helped us to

00:30:06.870 - 00:30:26.140

DS: adjust to the daily life. DS: And so, that's–that's really helpful in–in the beginning. KS: What do you love about living in the US? DS: So, the US, of course, this

00:30:26.140 - 00:30:40.450

DS: —there was no–no war, no–no shelling into the city. DS: So, that's–that's a good thing. DS: So yeah, and also U.S. DS: offer opportunity to–to grow in terms of education, in terms of

00:30:40.450 - 00:30:56.770

DS: career. KS: Mhm. Your first job when you were 18 was an electronic KS: assembler. How did you get this position? DS: So I–I was looking for a job and look at—

00:30:58.690 - 00:31:13.490

DS: so at–at that time, there's two ways to look for DS: a job. First is look at the Sunday paper, right? DS: To look for job advertisement. DS: Or to go to the local employment office.

00:31:13.490 - 00:31:23.210

DS: So, that's how I did it. DS: Go to the local employment office to look up the bulletin boards where DS: they posted a job opening. DS: So that's how I got this position.

00:31:25.730 - 00:31:39.890

KS: Had it not been because of the fall of Saigon, would KS: your–would your father or your family have chosen to come KS: to the US? KS: Or would you–would you have chosen to come to the US on your

00:31:39.890 - 00:31:55.040

KS: own? Did you ever imagine what your life would be like if you KS: had not come to the US? DS: So, back in Vietnam, DS: to–to go abroad, like,

00:31:56.120 - 00:32:06.620

DS: Eu-Europe or even America to study—that the dream DS: for most people dream. DS: But it's not easy. DS: It's not easy. And there's a lot of corruption.

00:32:07.310 - 00:32:21.180

DS: You have to not only you are a good student, but you got to have money to buy your way DS: to–to move outside the country. DS: So that's the dream. DS: So, but if I

00:32:21.180 - 00:32:37.970

DS: stay there, then life would take a bad turn. DS: So that's the reason why I only want to– DS: to get–get out of the country. DS: And that's—I–I guess that's the–the same thing goes to–to a lot of people.

00:32:37.980 - 00:32:46.470

DS: Yeah. KS: I asked mom a similar question and she said, maybe I'm not I would not KS: survive. DS: Yeah, that's true. Yeah, I would not survive.

00:32:46.470 - 00:33:07.100

DS: And yeah, the chance of DS: not making it through to live. DS: Yeah, the chance of getting killed very high. KS: Okay. So what colleges did you attend and what years?

00:33:07.110 - 00:33:27.620

DS: So I graduated from DS: two year college in 1980, I think. DS: And then I–I went to DS: university and studied for several more years to

00:33:27.620 - 00:33:44.060

DS: get a BS and a MS degree. DS: And at the same time, I also held a job my–my DS: first job. So I–I spent about 15–15 DS: years on the first job.

00:33:46.740 - 00:33:58.890

DS: Throughout this year. DS: So that's–so that's how my education DS: go alongside with working. DS: So I work full time and go to—went to school part-time

00:34:00.480 - 00:34:13.560

DS: to study. KS: Was it difficult for you navigating college as a im-as an immigrant? DS: In the early years, yeah, there was difficulty, but later I–I learned the DS: language better.

00:34:13.890 - 00:34:31.550

DS: I was able to–to fit in DS: to the environment and it get easier as the years went DS: by. KS: You—so you pursue electrical engineering in –in

00:34:32.150 - 00:34:51.590

KS: college, when you first entered college, how sure of you were you—w KS: ere you of your future career path? DS: So, yeah, I have interest DS: in engineering partly because I like music.

00:34:51.590 - 00:35:07.400

DS: And I like listen to music because that's where the electrical equipment DS: came in. So that's—so I en-entered college because I–I DS: li—I like to work with the equipment so–so that DS: my interest.

00:35:09.620 - 00:35:26.440

KS: Were there any defining moments for you in college? KS: Any, like, notable moments? DS: So, DS: the most signific-significant part was that in

00:35:28.240 - 00:35:47.470

DS: –in the later years in college, I–I had—I went DS: through three straight semesters of DS: straight A's. So that's how I got my name on the dean's list. DS: So–so that's the most significant, just –just—and then at the end of that, I

00:35:47.470 - 00:35:53.820

DS: get my master's. KS: I've seen those Dean's list— DS: Yeah–yeah–yeah. DS: Yeah. [KS: In the glass—] Yeah.

00:35:53.820 - 00:36:03.940

DS: [KS: —of the house—] Yes. Yeah. DS: So–so that's the accomplishment. DS: So it looked like I–I am on the way to DS: solve some problem.

00:36:06.600 - 00:36:20.610

KS: Did you participate in any clubs, extracurricular or activities during KS: college? DS: I play–play tennis on— DS: yeah, mostly tennis in college.

00:36:20.610 - 00:36:37.020

DS: And, yes, DS: and the school have some activity we participate in and DS: –and–and not a whole lot. DS: I spend most–most of the time at–at home during the

00:36:37.020 - 00:36:50.910

DS: weekend doing hobby work. KS: Okay. Was there anyone you met in school? KS: College? Like a friend, mentor, professor, t hat left KS: an impact on you?

00:36:53.000 - 00:37:10.580

DS: Yes. I–I met this one DS: college student, he's from India. DS: And he told me—later I learned that he DS: has two master's degree, one in mechanical engineering,

00:37:11.360 - 00:37:25.430

DS: one in electrical engineering. DS: So, I asked him, "You can only have one job, but you—why do you have that?" DS: He said he'd like to know both worlds of mechanical and elec-electrical. DS: So, that's—so, that person was impressive.

00:37:25.670 - 00:37:41.470

DS: So, I still remember him. KS: So, you worked, you know, long hours while being a college KS: student in vari-various positions, you know. KS: You worked at an bakery at one point; I know you worked as a

00:37:42.040 - 00:37:55.630

KS: product support engineer. KS: Can you describe how difficult it was for you to balance KS: working and then going to college? DS: Yeah. So–so this is back in

00:37:55.630 - 00:38:13.480

DS: the—in the mid-80s, just DS: right–right about the DS: time of the LA Olympics, 1984, I think. DS: And we had a bakery there in–in–in Los Angeles.

00:38:15.010 - 00:38:33.980

DS: So I worked full time in Anaheim DS: and after work I went straight DS: to university Cal State, LA. DS: I–I took 12 units, which is full time, so I was working full-time

00:38:35.420 - 00:38:51.410

DS: on the job as production support engineer. DS: And I study full-time. DS: And then after the–the school, I went straight to DS: the bakery. I spent several hours there until like 11 or 12

00:38:51.410 - 00:39:10.160

DS: midnight. So that's a lot of work for—that lasted for several DS: years. So—until I get married, so we continue DS: on with that schedule and then that's gets you continue DS: on until I–I receive my master's degree that when we

00:39:10.160 - 00:39:22.550

DS: finally sold the bakery and finally DS: much less work and much less responsibility. DS: [KS: Yeah. That's a lot.] Yeah, that's a lot of work. DS: [KS: Yeah.]

00:39:23.480 - 00:39:39.260

KS: So you've had a long, impressive career as an engineer. KS: Can you provide a brief timeline of your professional experiences KS: and tell me how your professional interests have evolved KS: over time? If they have.

00:39:39.720 - 00:39:58.160

DS: Yeah. So– DS: so when I worked at this company 15 years, my first DS: job is—so my–my job DS: is to solve problems out in the

00:39:58.160 - 00:40:11.780

DS: production, if they run into any production issue where DS: they cannot make it work. DS: So I try to troubleshoot. DS: And also my other–other responsibility is to build

00:40:12.140 - 00:40:27.680

DS: and test equipment to design, build test equipment that test DS: the circuit board used in production. DS: And yes, there's a lot of work. DS: And also we also receive complaints from customer.

00:40:28.790 - 00:40:47.200

DS: So I was also—sometime they send me out in the field like Austin, DS: Texas. One time I went to DS: –to this oil drilling company called Sch-Schlumberger DS: in, I believe, in Austin, Texas,

00:40:47.440 - 00:41:04.390

DS: to try to gather the–the complaint, the things DS: that they claim that didn't work. DS: So I took the information back home to try to solve the problem. DS: So, yeah, that's was a lot of work during those times.

00:41:07.870 - 00:41:21.820

KS: So what are your roles and responsibilities at your current KS: workplace? DS: So, my job right now in DS: this company in Torrance, California—my job is

00:41:22.330 - 00:41:41.710

DS: to analyze and solve–s DS: olve, find a root cause problem of a flight recorder DS: for F-15 jet fighter and F-18 DS: jet fighter. And so–so my job is

00:41:41.710 - 00:42:01.310

DS: to find the root cause and—and–and–and–and to write a report DS: to–to solve that problem. DS: So o-one of the thing I found that DS: —the solution sometime come by n

00:42:02.780 - 00:42:20.690

DS: ot an-not only analyzing the schematic, the document, DS: find out what–what–what did—what did the previous engineer DS: did wrong. But also I found that using statistical DS: information also helps solve the problem.

00:42:20.690 - 00:42:35.840

DS: There was one case when the unit sent DS: out to the Air Force and the unit, of course, passed DS: all the tests. That's how they got sent out. DS: So, when they come back and have multiple units

00:42:37.850 - 00:42:51.560

DS: with the same complaint, say Ethernet, DS: one of the Ethernet they call ground support Ethernet. DS: So, after the mission, they took the flight recorder out, which is right DS: under the pilot seat.

00:42:52.010 - 00:43:08.190

DS: They–they took the flight recorder out and they download the data to DS: analyze the mission, how the pilots can DS: they evaluate the mission. DS: And they complained that the Ethernet is not–not working.

00:43:09.150 - 00:43:25.740

DS: And at–at that time, I also do what they call it a DS: environmental testing and I–I also experienced the same thing DS: when the unit going to go into vibration, it failed that DS: same exact same place, that–that same Ethernet.

00:43:26.550 - 00:43:46.740

DS: So I have to look at the assembly drawing and I found that DS: the connector one, the connector where the Ethernet is connecting DS: it on some unit, it touched one of the transformer, they DS: call it the–the common mode transformer that they reject

00:43:46.740 - 00:44:06.090

DS: the–the common mode signal to allow only the differential signal because Ethernet DS: ran on differential and that connector—the vibration DS: from the test transfer the vibration onto the transformer and DS: then it—through many cycles of vibration, it –it broke the the

00:44:06.090 - 00:44:22.500

DS: wire on the transformer, the wire very thin, thinner than a human DS: hair. So I discovered that and I wrote a report. DS: And from that point on, they during the assembly, they have to keep a gap of DS: at least two millimeter gap.

00:44:22.500 - 00:44:36.420

DS: So this way the vibration doesn't transfer. DS: And of course, we went back to the units that the Air Force returning. DS: We found the exact same thing: it's a broken transformer. DS: So–so that's what—so by using statistic

00:44:38.610 - 00:44:52.380

DS: I was able to–to basically solve the problem because DS: it point to the same–same area of failure. DS: So that's how I did it. KS: Okay. Wow. I didn't know you worked for—in relation to the Air Force.

00:44:52.380 - 00:45:09.570

DS: Yeah. So this is, yeah, this is the Air Force electronics for—yeah, DS: for F-15. KS: Can you just tell me briefly—because I know you worked in a lot of different KS: companies right before you arrived at this– this current

00:45:09.690 - 00:45:25.650

KS: company, job. KS: Can you tell me, like what some–some of the other positions and KS: –and–and other companies that you had previously worked for? DS: So I worked for several companies like

00:45:27.000 - 00:45:43.560

DS: a Company in Anaheim where they make audio video DS: interface to a video projector. DS: And later I went on to work for this company in DS: Lake Forest, California, where they build in-flight entertainment.

00:45:43.560 - 00:46:04.920

DS: So I–I–I–I led the team in designing the–the next DS: generation of backseat display DS: Android–Android-based computer-based DS: that use on the backseat and also–also the back seat

00:46:04.920 - 00:46:19.270

DS: of the first class or business class pass-passenger. DS: So yeah, a lot of–a lot of interesting project went on during those DS: time. KS: You also work for Panasonic for—

00:46:19.380 - 00:46:34.580

DS: For–for–for about eight years, yeah, they built in-flight DS: entertainment. They was—at that time was the number one supplier DS: for for most international flights DS: .

00:46:34.850 - 00:46:55.010

KS: Okay. So what makes you most passionate about your KS: career, your position as a hardware engineer or electrical engineer? DS: Yeah, So–so–so my DS: job is to–to take the

00:46:56.570 - 00:47:14.330

DS: marketing paper DS: which the, the cu-customer signed the contract to buy something. DS: So the–the marketing paper basically has to assess the DS: specification. So my job is to translate those specifications

00:47:14.330 - 00:47:28.310

DS: into a product that matching DS: what–what the customer wants at the right price point DS: that they are willing to pay. DS: And that's a lot of my job.

00:47:28.310 - 00:47:46.290

DS: That's a lot of responsibility, a lot of things to cover, many DS: technology going into the–the hardware like Ethernet, DS: HDMI, Displayport, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth. DS: So many technology went into one single ball, which is

00:47:46.860 - 00:48:01.070

DS: they use in in-flight entertainment. KS: Okay. To jump down a little bit. KS: What is the most challenging or–or frustrating KS: part of—about being a hardware engineer?

00:48:01.370 - 00:48:20.450

DS: So, this is—so, the job is you have to communicate DS: with different departments like project management DS: and software people. DS: They have to write software to run–to run the hardware, they—we need software.

00:48:20.450 - 00:48:39.860

DS: So, we have to communicate what you need to them and–and DS: especially the project management when they—so every DS: week we receive a list of tasks to do on that week and they DS: seem not to know exactly how long it takes to

00:48:40.010 - 00:48:55.790

DS: complete a task. Just like one of the tasks was DS: DVP design verifica–verification procedure. DS: DVP is a very long document and we were only given four DS: weeks to finish it.

00:48:55.790 - 00:49:13.880

DS: But actually my experience, it takes at least DS: 12 weeks to write up on one person. DS: So I–I always complain about not given enough DS: time to do that task because they end up to be, like, a few hundred pages you have to

00:49:13.880 - 00:49:33.470

DS: write. So sometime you spend the whole day just to finish one page DS: because you have to–to perform the test, set up the equipment to DS: verify that part of the technology actually pass the test, DS: comply with the–with the standard, whether it's Wi-Fi,

00:49:33.500 - 00:49:54.230

DS: Bluetooth, Ethernet or something else or ePOD. DS: So yeah, it's a lot of–a lot of technology we have to cover and DS: we have to communicate with different departments, try to get your message across. KS: Okay. So, you've received a number of patents.

00:49:55.280 - 00:50:10.700

KS: Can you talk a little bit about them and perhaps which—if KS: you have particular patents that are your proudest KS: achievements? DS: So, in–in

00:50:10.700 - 00:50:25.760

DS: the–the year was DS: 1998. After I received my master's, I decided to DS: change my career path. DS: So I took a job at a company called DirectTV.

00:50:28.160 - 00:50:43.400

DS: So I worked there in 1998 and until DS: the year 2000 I was DS: asked to—so my manager asked me to DS: attend a meeting.

00:50:43.910 - 00:50:57.840

DS: They have a problem. DS: They have a number of problems. DS: So I—but listen to the one problem that they're going to give you DS: —give you like a task. So–so I went to the meeting, so

00:51:01.470 - 00:51:19.470

DS: the operation people, they have a long list of problems where the DS: facility facing many problems DS: and–and the problem on top of the list is how do you DS: control, let's say, 500 receiver—at that time they

00:51:19.470 - 00:51:35.190

DS: broadcast 500 channel. DS: So to broadcast 500 channel that means they need DS: 500 receiver plus 500 backups or 1000 receiver. DS: How do you control 500 receiver by using only one remote

00:51:35.190 - 00:51:47.640

DS: control? DS: And the receiver outside they not—so this is infrared DS: receiver and–and they are outside, they are in different room DS: so how do you do that?

00:51:47.970 - 00:52:00.830

DS: So they said that they try this—try to find a solution for DS: —solution for a long time. DS: So let's go back to the beginning. DS: In 1993 when they received a license.

00:52:01.400 - 00:52:19.880

DS: Okay, before 1993, there are only two kinds of DS: TV: Off the air TV and cable TV. DS: And FCC decided to auction off KU band DS: on—in—so satellite communication

00:52:19.880 - 00:52:39.050

DS: for direct to home satellite TV. DS: So immediately DirectTV facing a problem with DS: how do you control what the people watching at home using the DS: same receiver, the same remote control to find

00:52:39.410 - 00:52:59.300

DS: out what are they watching? DS: If the content—is the quality, the signal is good enough DS: ? So–so, right–right away, they don't know how to do that because receiver DS: outside and how do you control when the receiver not in front of the operator?

00:52:59.390 - 00:53:14.000

DS: So they keep looking for this solution. DS: They finally ask me to—they—so they explained DS: to me exactly what what I just said. DS: And so they asked me if I want to take

00:53:14.000 - 00:53:26.330

DS: up the task of solving that problem. I said, yes, I want to–to–to give it a try. So they gave me four weeks. And the charge number on your, on–on the time sheet.

00:53:26.420 - 00:53:43.070

So they said in the next four weeks, do nothing but concentrate on finding the solution to this problem. So I–I went, so I took this problem, I think, very hard. And if you look

00:53:43.190 - 00:54:02.220

into infrared technology textbook, the first line in the textbook said infra red technology is a line -of -sight communication, meaning that if you don't have the direct line of sight to receiver, you cannot control it, which is—that-that's a

00:54:02.220 - 00:54:15.870

correct statement. So the receiver in this case out of sight, they not in front of the–of the user. So how do you control it? So at some point I thought they was asking for the moon

00:54:15.870 - 00:54:29.550

because it's not that simple. So I spent three weeks I—I was driving home to from work to home, from–from home to work every day. And there was no solution.

00:54:29.550 - 00:54:39.840

How–how do you control it? That's why a lot of engineers gave up on this. So they spent from 1993 until the year 2000. There was no seven years looking for the solution.

00:54:40.530 - 00:54:54.860

They spent seven years. So–so how do you control when receiver out of sight? But they only use one remote because all the receivers are the same brand , which some control room use.

00:54:54.890 - 00:55:10.760

So many rec-receiver some control room use RCA receiver some use Samsung receiver but they all the same brand but they only allow one remote to control 500 channels. How do you do that, right?

00:55:10.760 - 00:55:24.110

So it's already the end of the third week, so I had to use up three of their four week allowance. I couldn't find a solution. Finally on–on the

00:55:24.110 - 00:55:42.200

–the last day of the third week when I driving to work and the traffic stopped near LAX—the company, it's right across from LAX—so before LAX I at the traffic stop and the idea just flashing through my–my head.

00:55:43.940 - 00:55:58.140

Yes, infrared: it's a line-of-sight technology, yeah–yeah. You cannot control it when they are outside. So what if—so I ask myself the question, "What if I convert it to a different format?

00:55:58.470 - 00:56:18.120

Will it work?" Immediately the answer was yes, it's will work. Because if you—if I convert it from –from light, which is infrared—infrared is—there's a kind of light with a long wavelength. If I convert light into electrical impulses now in

00:56:18.120 - 00:56:35.040

a–in a different format, electrical signal, then I can use a wire to route the wire into the receiver room where the signal arrive. When the signal arrive at the receiver of–of interest, then I convert back

00:56:35.040 - 00:56:51.900

to infrared. So that will complete the loop. And that was the–that was the big discovery. So I imme—so, when I arrived at the office, I immediately —before went into the meeting, I–I wrote down the note immediately because I'm afraid I'm

00:56:51.900 - 00:57:04.080

going to forget it. So–so the solution came. So–so–so I drew–I drew a schematic diagram, a–a–a–a plan, how to solve the problem.

00:57:04.470 - 00:57:12.750

I submit my plan. They approve–they approve the plan. So they approve the plan. They hire a contractor to build the prototype.

00:57:14.370 - 00:57:31.950

So a month later, they came back with a prototype, they installed it. The whole system worked the first time they turn it on: exactly what I anticipated on the design and the problem solved. So–so immediately—so basically the patents all

00:57:32.490 - 00:57:45.210

simultaneously solve four problem. Number one: all receiver out of sight. And number two: all receiver are the same m ake . And number three: all the receiver are same type.

00:57:45.810 - 00:58:02.580

And number four: you can only use one remote control, original remote. The remote control cannot be modified in any way. It has to use a native format, which is –which is infrared format. So I can accomplish all four solution in one–

00:58:02.950 - 00:58:20.790

in one idea. And so, I—so, I decided to write it up because I know that this solution is not available because they–they spend many years to to look for the solution. They even hire a remote control company

00:58:20.790 - 00:58:35.130

in as a consultant to solve the problem. They–they also gave up. So–so I wrote a–a paper called Patent Disclosure. I disclosed exactly in detail how it works and we

00:58:35.160 - 00:58:54.690

submitted. That's how I got my first patent in–in 2007. Back then, it took seven years to qualify for patent because there was a long backlog in patent application. They–they didn't have enough examiners, patent examiners to examine the

00:58:54.690 - 00:59:08.440

–the application. So it took took seven years to get the first patent. So when I discovered the solution, I discovered two ways of solving the same problem. One is electromechanical, which is —it's good to

00:59:08.440 - 00:59:22.150

control 20 receiver or less. The second solution is much bigger. It can control hundreds of the receivers, it can control a thousand receivers. So the only limitation is the—a device

00:59:22.720 - 00:59:34.270

called demultiplexer. Demultiplexer is different from multiplexer. It's the opposite of multiplexer. Multiplexer is—it's basically data selector, which

00:59:34.690 - 00:59:49.030

is one inp—multiple input and one output. You select which one of the input you want by the selection bits on the–on the control line. So demultiplexer is the opposite.

00:59:49.030 - 01:00:02.020

So the input, there's only one input, but you have multiple output, in this case hundreds of output. So, it control—let's say if you have eight outputs, it require three bits to control eight–eight output.

01:00:02.110 - 01:00:20.620

So the one input in this case is the infrared signal that I control. So the infrared convert to electrical, the electrical signal feed into the–the Demultiplexer, and then the demultiplexer will route the signal to the –to the correct receiver on the rack to control that receiver.

01:00:20.620 - 01:00:37.630

So–so when I solve the problem, I found two different way of solving the problem, so I was awarded two patents for the same idea—so 2007 and 2009 and that's the two patents. And the next one was Panasonic.

01:00:38.080 - 01:00:53.710

Panasonic very tough because there's a–a multiple milestone in the product development. Each milestone is one test we have to pass. So the one milestone we have to pass was called electronic

01:00:54.280 - 01:01:06.430

—electrostatic discharge, so ESD. ESD is a very tough problem. So–so they—this problem actually the responsibility of another engineer.

01:01:06.430 - 01:01:24.400

So he spent three months trying to solve it, but he couldn't find it. So he tried everything and still didn't work. So when—basically when they did check, they using electrostatic gun, they –they did check on the–on the–on the Android screen.

01:01:26.770 - 01:01:45.370

It–it failed–it failed if it—if the system freezes and reboot —whenever the system reboot, the airline considered that as a failure. It can be momentarily frozen and then recover on its own that's—that is the past. But this is a reboot, it's a failure.

01:01:45.370 - 01:02:03.970

So–so–so he finally, after three months, he finally quit . So, I was asked to take over his job. So I spent the first three days studying his solution. And he did exactly what's in the textbook that he did–he did the right

01:02:03.970 - 01:02:18.340

thing. He–he used the–the–the transient voltage suppressor on all of the connector, on all of the places that he suspect wrong. So he did the right thing but still didn't work.

01:02:18.640 - 01:02:32.740

And I tested his solution. Yes, it–it does—it doesn't work. So at that time, I said I have to try out something new because nothing–nothing works, conventional solution

01:02:33.250 - 01:02:46.780

didn't work. So, it looked like this one require proprietary knowledge. So I need to develop a new technique. So I went back in history. I found that Michael Faraday, which is in the

01:02:47.530 - 01:03:04.970

1800s, he discovered a technique called the Faraday cage. So Faraday cage is basically when the unit charge high voltage to the cage, the–the electricity simply travel around the cage but never enter the cage.

01:03:05.690 - 01:03:21.680

So all of the things inside the cage never ex-experience any–any high voltage. So I use that and translate that into a printed circuit board layout. So–so the layout is mimic the Faraday cage and

01:03:22.130 - 01:03:40.220

also added the voltage source—voltage attractor. So, by doing that—so, the prototype has the test and we went to pr-printed circuit board layout and it also passed.

01:03:41.630 - 01:03:53.640

So I–I received a patent for that. So that's–that's the first pattern. It's third patent, first for Panasonic, and then a few years later—[coughs].

01:04:00.630 - 01:04:13.680

KS: Okay, please continue. DS: So, the first patent for Panasonic was 2018, and DS: two years later I received an–a second patent. DS: This time it is–is ESD and EMI

01:04:13.680 - 01:04:29.670

DS: solution for the connector because every electronic DS: device will have at least one connector and sometime the DS: system pass on its own. DS: But as soon as you connect the system to a long cable,

01:04:30.420 - 01:04:47.880

DS: in this case is the airline, they use a three DS: -meter cable, three meters, basically about fifteen ft. DS: Three meter, yeah, three ya—th-three meter cables, a long cable. DS: And as soon as it connect to the cable, it fail the test.

01:04:47.880 - 01:05:01.150

DS: So–so I–I discovered that they fail right at the connector. DS: So I decided to come up with a solution for –for the connector. DS: So that's the second patent. DS: So let me mo-move–move faster here.

01:05:02.140 - 01:05:15.700

DS: And the—and so that's DS: in the year 2020. DS: I received a patent for that. DS: That's when Covid pandemic hit.

01:05:16.330 - 01:05:35.620

DS: So the airlines stopped—start stop the payment. DS: So what–what is it—so the airlines stop payment, the company was panic. DS: They didn't have the money to pay for the people, so they de-decided a–a massive DS: layoff. So I was one of the person on–on the list who got laid off.

01:05:36.820 - 01:05:53.170

DS: So–so I got receive severance pay DS: and a lot of–a lot of unused vacation. DS: So I got a lot of money for that. DS: So–so in the old day in

01:05:53.620 - 01:06:12.480

DS: —there was an old saying that in a crisis DS: one can find an opportunity. DS: So–so losing a job was a crisis. DS: But I found the opportunity because I was sitting at a computer.

01:06:13.710 - 01:06:28.710

DS: I saw a lot of protests because at that time, the massive layoff, DS: store looting and people riot on the street. DS: I saw a lot of video and the video was portrait video, right? DS: So that's how people hold the phone.

01:06:28.710 - 01:06:42.900

DS: They fold the—their cell phone in vertical position, which is a DS: portrait position and record video. DS: So that's a natural way of holding the video. DS: Very few people were holding–holding the phone in horizontal position, which is a

01:06:42.900 - 01:06:53.130

DS: landscape. So I say, wait a minute, there should be a better way of taking video. So I want to solve this problem.

01:06:53.130 - 01:07:07.110

So no matter–no matter how you hold your phone, you always have landscape. So that's my–my end solution. I want to look for. So–so I–I said, "Let's say if I want landscape

01:07:07.990 - 01:07:25.930

in either portrait position or landscape position, how can I do that, right?" So–so I found that one of the camera has to be turned in landscape mode in when–when the phone is in portrait position.

01:07:26.320 - 01:07:40.420

So the solution was to require two camera: one is mounted 90 degrees with respect to the second one. So that's how the solution came. And I–I immediately write up a paper to submit

01:07:41.350 - 01:07:52.990

to get a patent. So–so that was—so losing a job was a crisis. But I found an opportunity to solve a problem because I had the time to write it up and make drawings.

01:07:53.560 - 01:08:12.580

And so, in the year—let's see, that 2020. So in the year 2022, I received a patent for a landscape technique to capturing landscape video. Regardless of how you hold your phone, either you hold your phone in portrait

01:08:12.580 - 01:08:29.260

or landscape, it automatically maintain a landscape video. So switching back and forth from one camera to the other. And then a year later I received a second patent for the same solution, but this time for the for the selfie side of the phone.

01:08:30.850 - 01:08:47.410

And yeah, so that's my– my fifth and my sixth patent. So I currently I have–I have seven patent pending . After this six, I have seven more patent pending.

01:08:48.730 - 01:09:06.760

Now the first one is a continuation of the landscape patent. The second one is for a unified image sensor. So instead of using two cameras this time, only one is–is used . It capture—so one click will capture both landscape and portrait

01:09:07.330 - 01:09:26.520

or one click capture of both landscape and portrait video using only one camera. So it's called Unified Image Sensor. It has both landscape and image—landscape and portrait image on it. And so that's the second patent pending.

01:09:26.520 - 01:09:44.700

The third patent pending was for a smart battery pack. So you—battery was invented in 1800 by a man named–named A-A-Alessandro Volta. So the unit voltage was named after him,

01:09:45.180 - 01:10:03.920

the unit Voltage, Vol-his name was Volta, the units of voltage were—is were named after him. So from–from that point on, over 200 years, the user has to observe polarity when –when he or she insert the battery into the battery pack.

01:10:03.920 - 01:10:22.960

For this invention, allow the user to insert a battery and in any way he wants, it's own way, give the exact polarity, the exact voltage, regardless of how the battery is inserted. So it is possible now for a soldier in the field

01:10:23.230 - 01:10:38.920

to insert a battery in the dark because –because up to this point, if the soldier at dark at night and he need to look for polarity, he need to turn on the flashlight. And if you're in the battlefield, you turn on the flashlight, you're giving away your

01:10:38.920 - 01:10:54.640

position. So, yeah, you—so this is called a smart battery pack. It's not only allow the user—because if you have one battery, there's two possibility. If you have two battery, there are four possibility of locking the battery. If you have three, that's eight poss- possibility.

01:10:56.080 - 01:11:10.590

If you have four batteries, that's sixteen possibility, but only one in sixteen is correct, right? But with this new–new invention, sixteen combination all correct. No matter how they–they–they're insert.

01:11:11.520 - 01:11:27.540

So yeah, so, that's one feature. Another feature is we'll be able to identify—let's say if you have four batteries in–in a device, it will pinpoint which one needs to be replaced because sometimes people just empty all four batteries

01:11:27.550 - 01:11:48.000

and–and use the fresh new four battery in there, even though it's only one battery actually low the other three are still–still good enough. So yeah, this will—so it allows the user then to identify which one needs to re-re- replaced. So that's—that would be an environmental friendly, so

01:11:48.240 - 01:12:09.300

le-less waste. And the third—a third feature was– was allow for batteries to be reconfigured on the fly. Let's say that's for instance, a–a computer mouse.

01:12:09.510 - 01:12:28.630

Usually when you open the computer mouse, you have only one battery. So what that one, when that one battery one was new, it's 1.5V. So when they dropped down to 1.2V, which is 25, 20% reduction in voltage, the–the mouse stopped working because 1.2V only

01:12:28.770 - 01:12:47.040

doesn't work. So you only use 20% of the battery. You throw away 80% remaining voltage in the trash. So my solution is instead of one battery, the mouse will have two batteries. So initially when you plug the battery into the mouse, you

01:12:47.040 - 01:13:03.840

have two batteries. Initial config-configuration is in parallel. So you have 1.5V on both sides, on both battery. So parallel configuration gives you 1. 5V. So when the combination of two parallel battery dropped

01:13:03.840 - 01:13:20.770

down to 1.2V, it immediately switch to a series configuration. So now you have 1.2V in series with 1.2V, while the–the mouse, the device is still working.

01:13:21.100 - 01:13:33.760

This one is done on the fly, meaning that without user intervention the system will–will switch the configuration without interrupting the operation. So that's the third feature.

01:13:33.760 - 01:13:49.480

So that's a—that's the third patent pending. And the fourth patent pending is the Eur-European patent for the cell phone. And then–and then the Chinese patent, the Indian

01:13:49.900 - 01:14:01.300

patent and the Korean patent. So I have seven patent pending. So that–that remains to be seen. [KS: Wow.] So that's–that's–that's all my–my accomplishment

01:14:02.350 - 01:14:20.980

so far. [KS: That's amazing.] Yeah, so—but I'm still working on new solutions. So, yeah, so–so–so I told people that that all things–all things under the sun except for living things:

01:14:20.980 - 01:14:35.530

I invented everything. We are surrounded by invention because all things except for naturally grown things like plants, human animal, everything is invented

01:14:36.610 - 01:14:52.630

and–and you know, the most– the most widely used patent is not the cell phone. The most widely used patent is not the flat screen TV, is not the Internet.

01:14:52.660 - 01:15:10.330

The most widely used patent is the zipper everyone is wearing. And yet the zipper was invented in the year 1893 by a man—by American mechanical engineer. He invented a lot of things for the railroad at the time.

01:15:11.310 - 01:15:27.780

So he invented—so he—his bo-his bother him that every morning he had to spend like 15 minutes to tie his– his boots, he wearing boots. So at that time you have to use–you have to use shoelace for–for long boots.

01:15:27.780 - 01:15:47.640

You take a long time to–to–to tie your shoe with shoelaces, right? So he decided to come up with a way to faster to–to put on the boots. So he come up with zipper but nobody knows how to use it. So for the next 50 years, the patent

01:15:47.640 - 01:16:06.870

already expired. He didn't make any money, they were—and then it was a–a fashion designer put out an ad in the—in New York that –that they–they have a new jacket without buttons. And without any picture people was surprised see what a– jacket without buttons.

01:16:06.960 - 01:16:18.520

Said, "How can you put a jacket on without buttons" because at that time everything required buttons. There was no zipper. So it was the first article of clothing.

01:16:18.530 - 01:16:35.690

It was the fashion that popularized—make the zipper more popular. So, yeah, so the most popular patent use—and yet, no—very few people are aware of it is a zipper, right? Zipper is everywhere.

01:16:35.690 - 01:16:52.280

Is on the—is on you, it's on the purse, it's on the luggage it's everywhere. So imagine if this day, if he can collect one penny for every person, it's 8 billion people. So 8 billion cent is $80 million a years for the next 20 years.

01:16:52.280 - 01:17:06.230

So that's a lot of money. So anyway—so yeah, all things under the sun except for living things are invented. We are all—we live by invention. So yeah, so–so my goal is to solve as many prob-problems

01:17:07.730 - 01:17:20.270

as possible before I retire. [KS: That's great.] Yeah, so— [KS: That's great.] KS: Okay, so why don't we move to the next set of questions? KS: Can you tell me about your family?

01:17:20.270 - 01:17:36.950

KS: How did you meet your wife? DS: So at that time we was having a bakery and we were DS: selling fresh baked bread at–at–at a market. DS: And my–my mom knows one—

01:17:37.250 - 01:17:54.530

DS: I–I–I–I met one person there, and DS: –and they happened to be my future wife friends. DS: So she introduced me to this the DS: —this, his—her–her friend in Costa Mesa.

01:17:54.950 - 01:18:08.990

DS: So she arranged for a time to meet. DS: So at that time I was working like in the bakery. DS: So I decided, yeah, I look at the map. DS: At that time there was no GPS, so you have to look at the map to find out how far

01:18:08.990 - 01:18:22.070

DS: she is. So she live in Costa Mesa. DS: I was in L.A. DS: So that's more than 40 miles, so at least 40 minutes DS: to get there. So I decided to go anyway, so yeah.

01:18:22.070 - 01:18:39.590

DS: So that's how we started. DS: So we—I met my wife in Costa Mesa, yeah, in 19 DS: -1988. 1988. KS: What–what are your children doing now?

01:18:40.310 - 01:18:54.620

DS: So I have three, three daughters. DS: The first one, she's now working for the government with the DS: IRS. And the second one is DS: Karen. She interview me.

01:18:54.650 - 01:19:09.500

DS: She's attending Rice University. DS: So—and then the third one is still going DS: to college. KS: What–what sort of values, principles

01:19:10.930 - 01:19:25.180

KS: are you instilling in your children or did you instill in your children KS: growing up? DS: So–so I want I usually DS: don't sit down with my kids to talk about values.

01:19:26.590 - 01:19:44.320

DS: I let them observe on their own because they smart enough to know. DS: So, yeah—so the value is to do DS: —study hard in school and try to be your DS: best of what you would want to do.

01:19:45.000 - 01:20:03.280

DS: I'm not forcing kids to go to medical school like DS: most Vietnamese family does, forcing kids to go to medical DS: school because if they try to get into the field where DS: they not passionate, then they're not going to be successful.

01:20:03.280 - 01:20:21.020

DS: So–so I–I let them grow up on their own. KS: Jumping down a bit, can you tell me when you returned to KS: Vietnam and what it was like to be back? DS: So I returned to Vietnam in 2017,

01:20:21.020 - 01:20:36.920

DS: which is probably over 40 DS: years—yeah, 42 years. DS: Yeah, i-it look completely different. DS: It's–it's more modern and a lot

01:20:36.920 - 01:20:52.190

DS: more crowded, a–a lot of motorcycles. DS: It just—is chaotic traffic, unbelievable. DS: Pollution, very high pollution. DS: Because there was no–no EPA, no smog control at

01:20:52.580 - 01:21:08.570

DS: all. So yeah, most Vietnamese area, very exciting DS: city, a lot of people and a lot of changes. DS: And then my hometown look completely different. DS: I don't recognize—I don't remember the street I was on.

01:21:08.840 - 01:21:28.410

DS: [KS: Wow.] Yeah, so it changed a lot. KS: Wow. How was it like seeing family members in Vietnam? DS: Yeah, it was—yeah, it was emotional and DS: yeah, so—to see we all got older and

01:21:28.770 - 01:21:43.680

DS: some have family and some still not–not DS: –not married. DS: But it was emotional to see friends that they still there and DS: they still live in–in–in the communist country.

01:21:46.200 - 01:22:05.010

KS: Do you ever miss living in Vietnam? DS: Yeah, I miss–miss a lot of friends, DS: but I'm glad I'm out of Vietnam because this —here is DS: much better. It's more freedom and better– better

01:22:06.270 - 01:22:23.170

DS: environment, clean air and clean water. DS: In Vietnam, the–the water has to be boiled to be—you–you cannot just drink out the DS: taps, it's—here you can drink water out of the faucet. DS: So i-it's—yeah, many things better here.

01:22:26.120 - 01:22:42.020

KS: How do you identify yourself ethnically, whether that's, you know—our KS: family's Vietnamese and Chinese? KS: So, can you identify yourself as, you know, Vietnamese, Chinese-Vietnamese? DS: Yeah, I identify mostly

01:22:42.020 - 01:22:55.970

DS: Vietnamese, but the–the heritage is from China. DS: So both sides of the family, father and mother from China-from China. DS: And yeah, so—yeah, I first DS: identify Vietnamese.

01:22:55.970 - 01:23:18.210

DS: And second is also important in Chinese tradition. KS: Have you ever struggled with being both Vietnamese and Chinese? DS: No, I found it—no, I don't have any trouble. KS: So immigrating to the US, what have you appreciated most about your

01:23:18.210 - 01:23:33.570

KS: life in this country? KS: And have you—or have you had any disappointments living in this country as KS: well? DS: Yeah. This country offers a lot of opportunity and–a

01:23:34.290 - 01:23:51.240

DS: nd you can grow here. DS: But–but the difficult thing DS: is lately, right, so, there's a lot of relax on DS: crime. So–so crime is now on the

01:23:51.240 - 01:24:13.110

DS: rise, so something has to be done. KS: What do you feel most proud of in your life? DS: So, I found satisfaction when I–when I DS: –when I see that the three–three kids that I have

01:24:13.650 - 01:24:31.490

DS: grow up and be successful and DS: –and they can be on their own. DS: And second that I–I found that s DS: atisfaction when I actually solved something that nobody

01:24:31.490 - 01:24:44.420

DS: ever solve—problem, right? DS: So a patent means you are the first in the world that solve that DS: particular problem. DS: So you can use—you saw value that no other people saw.

01:24:44.660 - 01:25:01.480

DS: You saw a pathway to a DS: better solution that nobody saw. DS: So that's a—that's something I–I like to do. KS: When and–and why did you move to Santa Ana, California?

01:25:03.460 - 01:25:19.600

DS: So in DS: 1998, my sist-my wife's DS: younger sister decided to move–move to Huntington Beach, DS: and the house she lived in was available.

01:25:19.630 - 01:25:39.290

DS: She was willing to sell and so we decided to –to buy DS: her house. So that's how we got to move to Santa Ana. KS: How–how would you describe the Vietnamese American KS: community in Little Saigon of Westminster, California?

01:25:42.320 - 01:25:59.660

DS: Yeah. So, most DS: people conduct their lives as if they were still in Vietnam. DS: So when you're in Little Saigon, you remind —you—it reminds me DS: of the–the life I have back in–in South Vietnam.

01:26:00.290 - 01:26:18.380

DS: So yeah, people conduct business and which is DS: good in a way that you–you feel more, more at DS: home in that community. KS: Do you have any hopes for the future of Asian-American

01:26:19.490 - 01:26:36.620

KS: communities within the US? DS: Yeah, I think it's—yeah, the DS: people assimilate better into the DS: society. So I think the future looks good for–for Asian

01:26:36.620 - 01:26:51.110

DS: community. KS: Do you have any message you want to give to me KS: for the other daughters, Janet and Annie, when they KS: —whenever they watch this interview?

01:26:51.200 - 01:27:09.050

DS: So–so when they watch this interview, it's– it's DS: to find out, because—the society has DS: many problems, right? DS: And my career is mostly technical.

01:27:10.340 - 01:27:27.710

DS: But if problems DS: —all–all types of problems, social problem and DS: people behavior problems and technology, influence the–the—to the young DS: children—so I want my kids to really

01:27:29.270 - 01:27:47.000

DS: see that and try to balance their life DS: and not just spend too much time with the technology. DS: But just like my—when I was younger, there was no Internet, there was no DS: TV—so we interact more with friends and we —so I

01:27:47.000 - 01:28:02.110

DS: see that, yeah, my kids to be—learn how to solve DS: problem, how to conduct their lives in a balanced way. DS: Not to s-so much of—think that DS: influenced by technology.

01:28:04.050 - 01:28:19.460

KS: That's great dad. [DS: Okay.] Okay. KS: And last question. Is there anything you would like to add that KS: we have not covered yet in this interview? DS: I–I think you–you ask probably a lot of detailed questions.

01:28:19.470 - 01:28:32.880

DS: I think this is a very good interview to– DS: to reflect life in the past over 40 DS: years in this–in this country. KS: Thank you, dad.

01:28:33.360 - 01:28:40.620

DS: Thank you. KS: Okay. So, this concludes our interview. KS: Thank you so much for speaking with me. DS: Okay.

01:28:40.830 - 01:28:46.680

KS: It is a pleasure as your daughter to hear your story. DS: Yeah. Okay. Thank you.