About me

Registered U.S. Patent Agent | Former USPTO Patent Examiner

Professional Summary

Registered U.S. Patent Agent
Former USPTO Patent Examiner (4+ years)
450+ Office Actions issued
In-house Patent Experience
B.S. Mechanical Engineering — University of Maryland
Experience with U.S. patent prosecution, software patents, mechanical inventions, robotics, AI, and PCT matters

I help inventors, startups, and technology companies secure stronger U.S. patents through strategic patent drafting, prosecution, and prior art analysis.

Before becoming a registered U.S. Patent Agent, I spent more than four years as a Patent Examiner at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), where I examined patent applications involving robotics, autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, machine learning, sensors, computer vision, and mechanical technologies.

During my time at the USPTO, I issued more than 450 Office Actions, giving me firsthand insight into how patent applications are evaluated, why claims are rejected, and what distinguishes applications that ultimately proceed to allowance.

Today, I use that examiner perspective to help inventors prepare stronger patent applications from the outset while navigating prosecution with a practical understanding of the examination process.

Professional Experience

After earning my Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Maryland, I joined the USPTO as a Patent Examiner within the mechanical engineering technology center. My examination work focused primarily on robotics, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, sensor systems, machine learning, computer vision, and advanced mechanical systems.

As an examiner, I reviewed patent applications for compliance with U.S. patent law, conducted prior art searches, analyzed claim scope, prepared Office Actions, and made patentability determinations. This experience provided a detailed understanding of how patent applications are evaluated throughout examination.

I later became a registered U.S. Patent Agent and now represent inventors and businesses before the USPTO. In my current in-house role, I assist with U.S. patent prosecution, software-related inventions, and international patent matters, including Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications.

Whether preparing a new application, evaluating prior art, or responding to an Office Action, I focus on producing clear, technically accurate patent work designed to maximize both patent quality and long-term enforceability.

Career: Eventually, this all culminated in being hired as a patent examiner for the United States Patent and Trademark Office. . It is a challenging role for most engineers, as the USPTO has an approximately 30% retention rate for first year examiners - but I personally loved the work. I spent 4+ years working there with a full time career in this fully remote, high-responsibility federal role with strict deadlines. I worked in the mechanical engineering department which mostly consisted of autonomous driving and machine learning technologies. Furthermore, it was almost entirely independent work with very little supervision. I never met any of my co-workers or superiors in person - even all of my computer equipment was shipped to me. This gave me real world experience to productively work in a remote environment where everything was my responsibility. I excelled at this position, and was promoted. This career gave me insider information on how patent applications are exactly allowed or denied. I know this, because I was the one doing the allowing and denying. Eventually, I knew that I wanted more, and so I decided to take and ultimately pass the USPTO Patent Bar. This leads me to today, where I am now a registered patent agent and ready to represent inventors to help them towards getting their innovative ideas patented. Especially based on my insider experience, I know exactly how to accomplish this.

Education

University of Maryland

Bachelor of Science — Mechanical Engineering

While studying mechanical engineering, I developed a strong technical foundation in robotics, automation, control systems, CAD, manufacturing, and product design. I also designed and programmed a competitive autonomous robot that won first place in a university robotics competition, further strengthening my interest in robotics and artificial intelligence.

Technical Areas of Expertise

Robotics
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Machine Learning
Autonomous Vehicles
Computer Vision
Sensor Fusion
Mechanical Systems
CAD & Product Design
Software Technologies
Consumer Products
Medical Devices
Manufacturing Technologies

Patent Services

I assist inventors, startups, and established companies with:

Patentability & Novelty Searches
Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) Analysis
Provisional Patent Applications
Non-Provisional Patent Applications
Patent Claim Drafting
USPTO Patent Filing
Office Action Responses
Patent Prosecution
Prior Art Analysis
Claim Construction
Patent Strategy & Portfolio Development

Tools & Databases

Professional patent searches are conducted using resources including:

USPTO Patent Center
USPTO Public Search
Google Patents
Espacenet (EPO)
The Lens
CPC Classification System

International Clients

I also speak conversational Korean (approximately TOPIK Level 3), allowing me to communicate more effectively with Korean inventors and companies seeking U.S. patent protection.

My Philosophy

Every invention deserves a patent strategy—not simply a patent application.

My goal is to combine technical engineering knowledge with practical USPTO experience to help clients obtain patent protection that is clear, strategically drafted, and built to withstand examination.

You can also see more about my more relevant prior patent work here.

Get in touch

Contact

If you'd like to connect for work queries or representation, please do get in touch.

Contact

If you'd like to connect for work queries or representation, please do get in touch.