Arguments for the Invalidation of U.S. Patent 10,643,200
Our team combed through hundreds of patents to find prior art sources to invalidate the U.S. Patent 10,643,200. My main contribution was finding the prior art source U.S. Patent No. 10,269,000. I argued that the ‘000 patent anticipates the independent claims of the ‘200 patent, which means that the claims of the ‘200 patent had already been detailed in the ‘000 at the time of filing. I constructed the claim chart, which pinpoints the direct quotes from the ‘000 patent that correspond with the claims of the ‘200 patent. Additionally, I collaborated with my teammates to delegate tasks, decipher legal jargon, and present our project at the New Jersey Governor’s School of Engineering and Technology Research Symposium. We were granted approval and funding from a panel of patent attorneys from Volpe and Koenig to submit our paper as an ex parte reexamination to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Reflection
With theoretical physics classes, insightful alumni presentations, and a taste of the college experience, the Governor’s School of Engineering and Technology (GSET) was my utopia… except for one thing: patent engineering. My group seemed dysfunctional—we couldn’t even send an email without arguing. We pored over complicated legal jargon, searching for the perfect source to adfff
invalidate the patent. Meanwhile, my roommates’ projects involved innovative robotics and machine learning. Sleep-deprived and struggling, I choked back tears, explaining my frustrations to my mentors: “Isn’t law considered humanities? I’m here for engineering—I don’t know anything about patents!” In that moment, I realized the issue wasn’t my lack of knowledge, but my mindset: this was an opportunity to learn. Deciphering the convoluted “patent-ese” strengthened my close reading skills. Learning to collaborate helped evolve our group dynamic: we delegated tasks, cracked inside jokes, and elicited each other’s strengths. It was fitting that the team was initially contentious; of course natural debaters excelled at forming legal arguments. Our tight-knit group became the first in GSET history to get the patent lawyers’ approval (and funding) to submit an ex parte reexamination to the US Patent and Trademark Office. I formed lasting connections and learned far beyond US Patent 10643200B2. Although I still have no intention of becoming a patent lawyer, I do have a lifelong dream of becoming an inventor — and inventors file patents.