Patents Issued the Week of August 24-28

8.27.26

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. 12,715,445 entitled “Method and System for the Recognition of the Irregularities of a Road Pavement” issued August 25, 2026 to Bridgestone Europe NV/SA [BE/BE] of Zaventem, Belgium. Invented by Alessandro Boldrini, Lorenzo Alleva, Alessandra Magliozzi, Vittorio Nicolosi all of Roma, Italy. Abstract: The invention concerns a method and a system for recognizing the presence of any irregularities of any road pavement.

U.S. Patent No. 12,715,882 entitled “Adduct Comprising at Least a Metal Selected from Gold, Silver and Copper and an Adduct of a Carbon Allotrop and a Pyrrolic Compound” issued August 25, 2026 to Politecnico Di Milano of Milano, Italy. Invented by Maurizio Stefano Galimberti and Gabriele Candiani both of Milano, Italy and Vincenzina Barbera of Biancavilla, Italy. Abstract: The present invention relates to an adduct comprising metal particles and an adduct between an sp2 carbon allotrope and a pyrrole compound. In particular, the invention relates to an adduct comprising metal nanoparticles (NPs) and hydrophylic adducts between a sp2 carbon allotrope and a pyrrole compound. The metal preferentially copper, silver or gold. Such adduct is preferentially used for anti-bacterial activity.

U.S. Patent No. 12,715,252 entitled “Tire Changing Machine and Method for Operating Tire Changing Machine” issued August 25, 2026 to Hennessy Industries, Inc. of LaVergne, Tennessee. Invented by Steven Davis of Woodbury, Tennessee. Abstract: A tire changing machine of the present disclosure may comprises a chassis base, a rotatable wheel holder, a tower, and an arm. A linear actuator is attached to the tower via a pivoting arm assembly. The linear actuator includes an implement on a lower end of the linear actuator. The arm includes an elongate portion, a coupler, first and second ends, first and second halves, and first and second claws. The coupler is located at a central portion of the elongate portion and is operable to couple the arm to the implement of the linear actuator. The first and second claw are operable to engage a tread portion of a tire.

U.S. Patent No. 12,716,675 entitled “Firearm Training System and Method Utilizing Distributed Stimulus Projection” issued August 25, 2026 to Innovative Services and Solutions, LLC of Silver Point, Tennessee. Invented by Dustin Salomon also of Silver Point, Tennessee. Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein to improve efficiency and effectiveness in firearms and tactical training, at least in part by selectively generating images onto external target elements. One or more portable devices are selectively mounted with respect to selected ones of the external target elements, which may be fixed in position or mobile as the application demands. Each device includes a housing accommodating and configured for optical projection of light from an array of laser sources and diffractive optical elements. A device controller directs the projection of light from one or more of the laser sources according to a programmed dynamic target stimulus arrangement. The device controller may be individually and manually programmed or commanded in some embodiments, but alternatively a master controller may be implemented to coordinate light projections from an array of devices to provide any number of desired scenarios for neurological and/or physiological stimulation of users.

U.S. Patent No. 12,717,044 entitled “Position Determining System and Method for Determining the Position of a Reference Point on a Self-Propelled Construction Machine as well as Method for Initializing a Reference Station Set Up in the Periphery of a Self-Propelled Construction Machine” issued August 25, 2026 to Wirtgen GmbH of Windhagen, Germany. Invented by Matthias Fritz of Hennef, Germany. Abstract: A position determination system and a method are provided for determining the position of a reference point on a self-propelled construction machine in a coordinate system independent of the machine, and a method for initializing a reference station set up in the periphery of a self-propelled construction machine for sending correction signals. The position determination system comprises a DGPS rover unit for receiving satellite signals from a global navigation satellite system and correction signals from a reference station. For initializing the reference station, a position dataset describing the predetermined positions of a reference station is read out from a memory unit, wherein the actual reference station position is determined on the basis of a comparison of the predetermined positions of the reference station with the reference station position determined by the reference station.

U.S. Patent No. 12,718,659 entitled “Telematics System and Method for Monitoring and Coordinating Management of Distributed Gaming Machines” issued August 25, 2026 to Procon Analytics, LLC of Irvine, California. Invented by David Meyer of Knoxville, Tennessee and William Essex Cheney of San Diego, California. Abstract: An anti-tampering system and/or method are provided for use with a virtual gaming machine network. Various distributed gaming machines reside in respective physical locations and have respective unique identifiers, each machine including: sensors which generate output signals corresponding to input power, current position, and/or current orientation thereof; cellular modems; and resident controllers which conditionally generate event based messages in real time responsive to events identified via the sensor outputs. A remote processor independently interfaces with each resident controller via the cellular modems to define a secure wireless network. In response to receiving an event based message comprising an identifier, the respective gaming machine is identified by retrieving an associated unique identifier from data storage, and an alert or response message is conditionally generated based on a comparison of the event based message and a stored operating state for the respective gaming machine.

U.S. Patent No. 12,714,195 entitled “Heel Stabilizer Apparatus” issued August 25, 2026 to Jacob Worrell-Leniger of Nashville, Tennessee. Also invented by Jacob Worrell-Leniger. Abstract: A heel stabilizer apparatus for a shoe comprises a shell with a base, at least one slot in a sidewall, a rod movably arranged relative to the shell, and a leg movably coupled to the rod. Movement of the shell relative to the rod from a first to second position moves the leg to protrude through the slot. A leg resilient element biases the leg to protrude through the slot. A compression post couples to the shell, with a spring positioned between the leg and compression post. The shell has a shell bore with interior surface, and the leg has an exterior contact surface contacting the shell bore in the first position. A resilient element between rod and shell biases them to the first position. The shell comprises a foot pad, and the leg comprises a leg foot pad.