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Patents Issued the Week of January 27-31
1.30.25
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. 12,209,384 entitled “Laser Reference Tracking and Target Corrections for Work Machines” issued January 28, 2025 to Deere & Company of Moline, Illinois. Invented by Michael G. Kean of Maquoketa, Iowa and Bryan J. Rausch of Durango, Iowa. Abstract: A system and method are provided for operating a work machine comprising a laser receiver and an implement for working a terrain. Responsive to movement of the laser receiver, a laser reference is received at a plurality of positions relative to a transmitting laser source, wherein the laser reference corresponds in slope and direction at a defined elevation offset with respect to a target surface profile of the terrain being worked. A plane of the laser reference is determined from data points corresponding to the plurality of positions at which the laser reference is received, and movement of at least the implement is controlled with respect to at least the determined plane of the laser reference and the defined elevation offset.
U.S. Patent No. 12,209,389 entitled “Work Vehicle Having a Work Implement and Sensors for Maintaining a View of an Area of Interest Throughout Movement of the Work Implement” issued January 28, 2025 of Deere & Company of Moline, Illinois. Invented by Giovanni A. Wuisan of Epworth, Iowa; Rachel Bruflodt of Dubuque, Iowa and Brett S. Graham also of Dubuque, Iowa. Abstract: A work vehicle is provided with a first portion having a frame supported by ground engaging units, and an operator cab with a first (forward) side and opposing second and third sides having respective (i.e., left and right) fields of view. At least a first portion of terrain proximate to the frame (i.e., an area of interest) is obscured from view of an operator in the operator cab during at least a portion of a trajectory of movement of a second portion of the work vehicle (e.g., a boom assembly). At least one imaging device is mounted on the work vehicle and has a field of view including the area of interest throughout the trajectory of movement of the second portion.