Experience

Before joining Stoel Rives LLP, Rob gained about five years’ engineering experience specializing in real-time embedded system design, wireless communications, and machine automation, which he brought to bear in developing software for emulating wireless datalink hardware and associated interfaces, high-density video data recorders, high-speed electrical test and measurement equipment, and Northrop Grumman’s AN/AQS-24 oceanic minehunting system.

While obtaining an MBA, Rob received a fellowship with the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute for New Venture Development through which he formulated pre-launch business plans for emerging companies commercializing the University of Utah’s patented technologies.

And as an attorney, Rob has the following experiences:

• Handled IP aspects for sale of privately held technology company to Japanese multinational conglomerate company.
• IP specialist for $100 million acquisition of company and its patent portfolio of over 100 properties.
• Representation of a large private company in negotiating and drafting long-term SaaS and associated software implementation service contracts in connection with re-platforming its direct-to-consumer ecommerce website.
• Representation of a private company in negotiating agreements in connection with obtaining an inventor assignment and exclusive long-term supply commitments of products relating to patent-pending technologies.
• Representation of a company in developing a key patent portfolio for soft-switching circuitry forming the basis of an angel-backed spinoff.
• Representation of a large private company subject to an aggressive patent licensing program that included a patent infringement suit. Rob analyzed the patent portfolio and prior art while preparing a petition as lead counsel for inter partes review (IPR). Result: favorable settlement avoiding costly litigation.
• Prepared and successfully procured domestic and foreign patents across a broad field of electrical arts encompassing electronic circuitry, electro-optical and laser systems, medical devices, visual pattern recognition, video processing, computer networks and software, processor architectures, USB host controller design, cloud-based and Internet-centric business methods, data mining, 3GPP LTE and various WWAN/WLAN wireless communications standards and related datalink technologies, machine-to-machine (M2M) and machine-type communications (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, lighting devices, semiconductor wafer processing, liquid crystal devices and display systems, robotic equipment, and data readers. Representative U.S. procurement successes:
  • U.S. Patent No. 10,367,413, “Resonant System Controller and Cycle-By-Cycle Predictive Soft Switching”
  • U.S. Patent No. 9,813,077, “Asynchronous Electrical Circuitry Techniques for Producing Stationary Carrier Signal to Encode Input Signal Amplitude Into Output Signal Time-Sequence Information”
  • U.S. Patent No. 9,607,609, “Method and Apparatus to Synthesize Voice Based on Facial Structures”
  • U.S. Patent No. 9,573,313, “Extruder Screw Shaft Alignment Apparatus and Method”
  • U.S. Patent No. 9,544,964, “Lighting Devices Employing Class-E Power Amplifier for Inductive Power and Data Transfer in High-Moisture Operating Environments”
  • U.S. Patent No. 9,519,810, “Calibration and Self-Test in Automated Data Reading Systems”
  • U.S. Patent No. 9,495,571, “Two-Dimensional Representation of Linear Barcode Derived From Laser Barcode Scanner Scanline Data”
  • U.S. Patent No. 9,482,488, “Illuminated Reticle System for a Riflescope or Other Aimed Optical Device”
  • U.S. Patent No. 9,424,480, “Object Identification Using Optical Code Reading and Object Recognition”
  • U.S. Patent No. 9,025,445, “Machine Type Communication Monitoring Framework for 3GPP Systems”
  • U.S. Patent No. 8,752,768, “Systems and Methods for Reading Color Optical Codes”
  • U.S. Patent No. 8,521,934, “Multi-Port Context-Based Host Controller”

Honors & Activities

Professional Honors and Activities

• Listed among Rising Stars (Intellectual Property, Intellectual Property Litigation), Oregon Super Lawyers^®, 2020
• Listed in the IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners, 2020–2023
• Selected by the Portland Business Journal as a Forty Under 40 honoree, 2019
• Treasurer, OSA, Columbia Section
• Member, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
• Member, Oregon State Bar, Intellectual Property Section
• Member, Oregon Patent Law Association

Civic Activities

• Mentor, TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) Young Entrepreneurs, 2018
• Technology Association of Oregon Advocacy Committee
• Intellectual Property Committee (IPC) of the IEEE
• Industry Advisory Board, Oregon State University School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
• OSA, Columbia Section Inc. Board of Directors
• Ford Scholars Alumni Association Board of Directors, 2012–2014
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah, 2004–2007

Insights & Presentations

• “IP Law Primer for Engineers,” Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Senior Design Seminar, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 2011–2014
• “Patent Law,” Society of Plastic Engineers, Columbia River Section Technical Meeting, Portland, Oregon, 2012

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