Jeff Knapp Email & Phone Number

Malvern, Oh, Us

Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Area

Austin, Texas, United States

IP management; and patent searching, preparation, and prosecution.

Omaha, Nebraska

Wrote U.S. patent applications and performed all phases of patent prosecution, including claim drafting. Communicated with foreign associates. Created claim charts for non-infringement opinions. Interfaced with clients regarding patent strategy, application drafting, and patent prosecution. Involved in client development.▪ Drafted over 20 provisional applications and converted over 10 applications to non-provisional filings.▪ Landed and then co-managed multi-faceted client, including providing patent strategy, patent drafting and prosecution, and aid with non-infringement analysis.

Golden, Co & Pella, Ia

Freelance patent drafting & prosecution

Pella, Ia

Manage patent procurement for Vermeer. Oversee work performed by outside counsel, especially drafting of patent applications and responses to Office Actions. Work with business groups to ensure "smart" patent spending. Serve as resource with respect to patent issues for both engineers and management. Worked on protecting such technologies as forage harvesting & processing; horizontal direction drilling (HDD); environmental processing equipment (e.g., wood chippers, stump grinders, etc.); utility tractors; and terrain levelers,

Arvada, Co

Manage patent procurement and clearance issues for GE Energy/PrimeStar with a focus on CdTe-based solar technology. Oversee work performed by outside counsel, especially drafting of patent applications. Perform prior art searching in support of clearance and landscaping activities. Serve as primary resource with respect to patent issues for both engineers and management.* Spearheaded clearance work for planned factory, helping to achieve IP legal sign-off of over 15 factory features.* Championed disclosure submittals, resulting in about 40 inventions being approved for filing in 2011.* Established and maintained an IP dashboard, facilitating tracking of key patent metrics for GE Energy/PrimeStar and competition.* Worked with GE counsel to categorize CdTe inventions/applications, thereby facilitating patent portfolio tracking and management.* Acted as joint inventor on multiple concepts, resulting in nine U.S. patent applications being filed.

Contract IP Engineer at GE Energy in Greenville, SC, working on gas turbine engine technology.

Drafted and prosecuted U.S. patent applications focused in the technology areas of retail packaging and school and office products. Counseled and consulted internal client businesses and inventors, and aided in the management of patent portfolios, ranging from 25 to 100+ cases, of internal clients, primarily in consumer and officeproducts and healthcare packaging. Developed and implemented patent strategies. * Performed U.S. patent prosecution in-house previously performed by outside counsel saving $1000 to $3000 per response.* Added value to company intellectual property through patent and technical advice offered to internal business clients and through the application of business unit goals during patent prosecution - manifested in patent applications which better covered the elements considered by the businesses to be key features.

Reviewed and oversaw patent prosecution work performed by Chinese patent engineers. Trained and mentored at least 30 engineers. Executed patent prosecution quality control and concentrated on consumer electronics and carbon nanotechnology applications. * Brought a focus to patent quality that had been lacking within the department resulting in a higher allowance rate of patent applications which better described and protected company inventions. * Spearheaded a movement to use electronic filing and employ a deposit account for payment of fees, streamlining the procedures for filing U.S. patent applications and responses and saved money previously spent on mailing. * Led 2 one week classroom training sessions in China and 15+ one hour sessions via teleconference helping the engineers to better understand U.S. patent law and its applications to generate more effective applications and responses.

Performed patent prosecution and prior searching and analysis as a free-lance patent agent.

Served as a patent agent at two different boutique IP law firms in the time frame mentioned. Wrote U.S. patent applications and converted foreign-filed applications for U.S. filing. Performed all phases of patent prosecution including drafting claims. Communicated with foreign associates regarding U.S. and foreign prosecution. Worked in a variety of technology areas ranging from materials science to general electrical, and mechanical. * Drafted over 50 original U.S. applications and worked on the prosecution of over 250 applications, assisting client companies to move from the idea stage toward obtaining patent protection. * Trained 3 junior associates in patent prosecution generating improved responses to office actions.* Wrote patentability opinions / reports and executed prior art searching and analysis allowing clients to understand what degree of patent protection might be available and helping determine whether to proceed with a patent application. * Acknowledged at both firms for a high rate of allowance of prosecuted U.S. cases.

Made and articulated patentability decisions with respect to patent applications, including prior art searching. Worked primarily in metal bonding, including brazing, soldering, friction welding, ultrasonic bonding, semiconductor component mounting/assembly, and assembly/repair of heat exchangers, gas turbines, and other articles; and in production of electrical lamps, space discharge devices, and electronic display devices. Received training in all phases of patent examining procedures. Finished in Top 10% of Patent Academy class.

Performed and presented research for thesis topic “Silicate Brazing of Alumina Ceramics” and taught 2 laboratory classes.

M.S., Ceramic Engineering

Activities and Societies: Ohio Drake Union Activities BoardM.S. thesis topic, “Silicate Brazing of Alumina Ceramics.”

B.S., Ceramic Engineering

Top 10% of graduating class; named Top Junior in Ceramic Engineering.