Patents Issued the Week of July 14-18

7.16.25

Patent Protection & Registration

Patents grant property rights on new and useful inventions, allowing the patent holder to prevent others from using, making, or selling that invention without permission for a limited time. U.S. patents are permitted by the U.S. Constitution and are designed to promote scientific progress and invention. By allowing inventors to profit from licensing or selling their patent rights, inventors can recoup their research and development costs and benefit financially from their inventing efforts. There are three main types of patents utility, plant, and design. Utility and plant patents can last up to 20 years, while design patents can last up to 15 years. When a patent expires, the patented material enters the public domain, making it free to use by anyone without a license. U.S. patents are issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

U.S. Patent No. 12,361,825 entitled “Traffic Signal Systems for Communicating with Vehicle Sensors” issued July 15, 2025, to Deere & Company of Moline, Illinois, invented by Scott Bergen of New Cannan, Connecticut. Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a traffic signal apparatus communication system and methods of communicating traffic information to vehicles using same. The traffic signal apparatus communication system includes a traffic signal apparatus for providing a message to a vehicle. The apparatus includes at least one spatially encoded marker, and the vehicle is configured to receive returns of a radar signal from the spatially-encoded marker. At least one controller of the vehicle is configured to determine the message encoded by the spatially-encoded marker based on the returns and to control the vehicle based on the message. The message may include a value indicating a time to a transition of a new state of the traffic signal apparatus, where the new state includes emission of light from one of a first light source, a second light source, or a third light source of the traffic signal apparatus.

U.S. Patent No. D1083,373 entitled “Storage Box” issued July 15, 2025, to Tractor Supply Co. of Texas, LP of Brentwood, Tennessee, Invented by Christian Fogg of Colombia, Tennessee, Jace McDill of Nashville, Tennessee and Jeffery L. Stiles of Gallatin, Tennessee. Claim: The ornamental design for a storage box as shown and described.