Steven Yates

Steven Yates is a registered patent attorney with more than twenty years of experience specializing in patent preparation and prosecution for computer software and hardware technologies. His practice focuses on innovations where artificial intelligence is integrated into practical applications across diverse technical domains.

Patent Law Experience

With extensive experience in patent law, Steven has prepared hundreds of patent applications and prosecuted thousands of office actions across a wide range of technologies, including cloud computing architectures, containerization technologies, microservices, serverless computing, distributed storage systems, multi-tenant isolation, application development frameworks (RESTful APIs, GraphQL, SOA), client-server architectures, and networking protocols across the OSI model (TCP/IP, HTTP/HTTPS, WebSocket, gRPC).

Steven has also worked extensively with IoT device architectures, embedded systems, IoT communication protocols, edge computing, and augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) systems including spatial computing and immersive frameworks. His experience includes autonomous systems and robotics (coordinated autonomous driving, self-directing nodes, intelligent sensor integration), location-based services, and location-dependent security systems.

Steven is familiar with artificial intelligence technologies including neural networks, deep learning architectures (CNNs, RNNs, transformers), natural language processing, computer vision, and machine learning algorithms. This familiarity, gained through patent prosecution work and staying current with technological developments, enables him to understand how AI is applied across diverse technical contexts including cloud infrastructure optimization, autonomous systems, and data analytics platforms. He focuses on prosecuting patents integrating AI capabilities into practical applications.

Additional technical areas include big data processing frameworks (MapReduce, Spark, Hadoop), distributed and NoSQL databases, database query optimization, real-time analytics systems, compiler technologies, operating systems, virtualization, software security (encryption, authentication, vulnerability mitigation), cryptographic protocols, and privacy-enhancing technologies. Although his experience is primarily in software, his prosecution background includes processor architectures and hardware-software interfaces.

Steven’s experience also includes strategic patent portfolio management and budget oversight, patent acquisition analysis and due diligence, competitive intelligence and freedom-to-operate assessments, patent training and engineer education programs, and representation in standards-setting organizations.

Legal and Technical Background

Steven’s legal career includes serving as a Patent Examiner at the USPTO in Art Unit 3634, where he gained valuable insight into the patent examination process. He spent over 15 years as Senior Manager and Patent Counsel at a Fortune 50 corporation, where he strategically developed global patent portfolios, advised senior management, managed teams, drove strategic IP initiatives, and analyzed targeted acquisitions. Over his career, he has worked with clients ranging from startups to Fortune 50 companies, managing worldwide patent portfolios and outside counsel relationships.

Education and Academic Achievements

Steven earned his Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, and Master of Arts in computer science from Boston University. His graduate-level coursework included compiler design, distributed systems, computer architecture, database systems, logic programming, complexity theory, and artificial intelligence.

Steven received his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School.

Additional Credentials

Steven is admitted to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Massachusetts State Bar.