Patrick William Duncan

Patent Agent (Singapore and USA)

B.Sc. (Electrical Engineering), cum laude, San Jose State University, USA
J.D. (Law), Hastings College of the Law - University of California, USA
Registered Singapore Patent Agent (2025)
USPTO Patent Attorney (1998)
Attorney-at-Law: CA (1994), DC (2004), NY (2006)
E: patrick.duncan@drewnapier.com

Patrick is a registered Singapore patent agent and USPTO patent attorney with a technical background in electrical engineering and computer science. Patrick moved to Singapore in August 2016, from his former home base in Silicon Valley, California. Over his career, Patrick has worked within the legal specialties of patent prosecution, patent litigation, and patent development. Before joining Drew & Napier, Patrick worked in various patent law firms and in-house at National Semiconductor (an analog and wireless semiconductor chip manufacturer, now a division of Texas Instruments), Nichia Chemical (the world’s top solid state lighting and blue laser diode manufacturer), and Western Digital (the world’s top data storage company). At Drew & Napier, Patrick primarily works on patent application drafting, patent office responses, and freedom-to-operate reports.

Patrick has extensive experience in the preparation of patent specifications. Selected works include:

• WO2017048194: “Improved Flexible Robotic Endoscopy System”
• WO2019164458: “Composition Applicable for Enhancing Wound Healing Having Polysaccharide Peptides of Rice Particle, a First Extract of Rice Bran and a Second Extract of Sesamin”
• SG10201908409R: “Method of Optimizing AI/ML Predictions from a Classical Data Feed with a Hybrid Simulator Generated from Classical and Quantum Model Structures”
• WO2021118461: “Method and Apparatus for Detecting Yaw-To-Wind Abnormality and Device and Storage Medium Thereof”
• WO2021242183: “System and Method for Tracking Goods in a Supply Chain Via Blockchain Token Exchanges and Transfers”
• WO2022066107: “System and Method for Vehicle-Side Control of a Multi-Pile Charging Session”
• WO2022132025: “Autonomous Drone Inventory of Palleted Collections Placed within Pallet Bays of an Indoor Warehouse”
• WO2022197238: “System and Method for Optimizing Composition of Ensemble Member Outputs to Generate a Series of Short Period Local Wind Speed Forecasts”
• WO2022260587: “Wealth Management Platform and Method for Minimizing Reserves Required for Potential Bucket Shortfalls”

Dr. Hong Lei

Patent Agent

PhD (Electrical & Electronic Engineering), Nanyang Technological University
B.Eng. (Hons) (Electrical & Electronic Engineering), Nanyang Technological University
Master of IP and Innovation Management, Singapore University of Social Science
Registered Singapore Patent Agent (2022)
E: lei.hong@drewnapier.com

Hong Lei is a registered Singapore patent agent with a technical background in information and communication technology (ICT). Hong Lei possesses extensive proficiency in the technical domains of wireless communication, artificial intelligence, data encryption, blockchain, and computer-implemented methods.

Previously serving as a senior patent examiner at the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), Hong Lei has a deep understanding of patent search and examination processes. At IPOS, Hong Lei led projects developing search handbooks in areas such as data encryption, machine learning, audio coding, and blockchain technology, contributing to the enhancement of examination practices.

While pursuing his PhD, Hong Lei published 14 high-quality journal papers and presented 9 conference papers as the first author. His research work was honoured with many awards, including the World Future Foundation PhD Prize in Environmental and Sustainability Research and the National Outstanding Self-Financed Overseas Student’s Scholarship awarded by the Chinese Embassy in 2015, the “Best Poster Award” at the PV Asia Pacific Conference in 2012, the Systems on Silicon Manufacturing Company Book Prize, and the NRF (clean energy) scholarship.

Selected publications include:

• “Light Trapping in Hybrid Nanopyramid and Nanohole Structure Silicon Solar Cell Beyond the Lambertian Limit”, Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 116, 2014.
• “Optical Absorption Enhancement in a Si Nanohole Structure with Hexagonal Unit Cell for Solar Cell Application”, Nanotechnology, vol. 25 2014.
• “Simulated Optical Absorption Enhancement in Random Silicon Nanohole Structure for Solar Cell Application”, Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 116, 2014.
• “High Efficiency Silicon Nanohole/Organic Heterojunction Hybrid Solar Cell”, Applied Physics Letters, vol. 104, 2014.
• “Femtosecond Laser Fabrication of Large-Area Periodic Surface Ripple Structure on Si Substrate”, Applied Surface Science, 2014.

Koh Jiawei

Patent Agent

B.Eng. (Mechanical and Aerospace), Nanyang Technological University
Graduate Certificate of Intellectual Property Law, National University of Singapore
Registered Singapore Patent Agent (2019)
E: jiawei.koh@drewnapier.com

Jiawei is a registered Singapore patent agent with a technical background in mechanical engineering, specialising in aerospace engineering. After switching from a profession in aerospace engineering, Jiawei began his career with patents in 2008.

Besides patent prosecution work, Jiawei is also involved in IP due diligence, freedom-to-operate opinions, patent portfolio management, drafting patent specifications and preparing substantive responses to office actions. Jiawei also assists the litigation team in infringement matters.

Jiawei has also worked as an in-house IP counsel in a semiconductor multinational corporation which has filed more than 1,400 patents worldwide.

Jiawei is also a member of the Examination Committee for the Patent Agents Qualifying Examination.
 

Yun Tong (Melanie)

Patent Agent

M.Sc. (Life Sciences), National University of Singapore
B.Sc. (Hons) (Life Sciences), National University of Singapore
J.D., Indiana University Bloomington Maurer School of Law, USA
Graduate Certificate of Intellectual Property Law, National University of Singapore
Registered Singapore Patent Agent (2021)
Attorney-at-Law: NY (2013)
E: melanie.yun@drewnapier.com

Melanie is a registered Singapore patent agent with a technical background in life sciences. With over ten years of experience, Melanie has drafted more than 40 patent specifications for local universities, research institutes, and Fortune 500 corporations in a wide variety of biotechnology areas including immunology, cell and molecular biology, biochemistry and pharmacology. Specific examples include antibodies and antibody engineering, vaccines, recombinant nucleic acids and proteins, CAR-T immunotherapies, antisense therapeutics, methods of treating human and animal diseases, cell-free DNA analysis, gene therapies, stem cells, screening and diagnostic assays, transgenic animals, biomarkers, pharmaceuticals, diagnostic agents, sequencing techniques, food processing techniques and compositions, biofuel and green technologies. Melanie has also prosecuted thousands of patent applications in both mature and emerging jurisdictions.

Her keen interest in the developments of patent laws in major jurisdictions worldwide, in particular the US, Europe, China, and Japan, allows Melanie to develop competitive patent strategies and establish solid patent portfolios that her clients rely on to maximise market exclusivity. Melanie routinely advises clients on identifying third-party patent risks, freedom-to-operate opinions, patentability analysis, and patent rights ownership and assignment. Melanie also assists the litigation team in patent infringement matters.

Prior to joining Drew & Napier, Melanie worked at a top IP firm and as an in-house patent counsel at a Fortune 500 company in Singapore.