Patents Issued the Week of March 9-13

U.S. Patent No. 12,571,909 entitled “Systems and Methods for Controlling the Operation of a Vehicular Radar System” issued March 10, 2026 to Deere & Company of Moline, Illinois. Invented by William John Rudnisky of Harbor City, California, Mark Jeffrey Kuckelman of Long Beach, California, Maritsa Negrete of Las Angeles, California and Ali Mohamoud Gaildon of Cypress, California. Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling a vehicular radar system. The radar scan patters used by the radar system when detecting objects in the environment around the vehicle can be controlled to gather additional information about the objects in the environment. The radar system can generate parameters about objects in the environment detected by the radar system. The parameters can then be evaluated to determine if the collection of additional information about the detected object in the environment is desirable. If additional information about the detected object in the environment is to be collected, a different radar scan pattern having different waveforms can be used to gather specific information about the object.

U.S. Patent No. 12,571,171 entitled “Self-Propelled Earth Working Machine having a Coolant Discharge Tank” issued March 10, 2026 to Wirtgen GmbH of Windhagen, Germany. Invented by Dieter Bungarten of Neustadt, Germany and Sebastian Winkels of Windeck, Germany. Abstract: The present invention relates to a self-propelled earth working machine (10), comprising: a machine frame (16), a traveling gear (12) supporting the machine frame (16), a power source (24) for supplying the earth working machine (10) with mechanical and/or electrical and/or hydraulic power, a working unit (32) having a housing enclosure (30) for providing an earth working zone (E), a working apparatus (28) accommodated in the working unit (32), which is designed for earth working operation, and a liquid cooling apparatus (50), which is designed to conduct liquid coolant (C) into the working unit (32). According to the invention, the earth working machine (10) comprises a discharge tank (58) and a discharge line system (56), the discharge line system (56) connecting the working unit to the discharge tank (58) and being designed to conduct liquid coolant (C) from the working unit (32) into the discharge tank (58).

U.S. Patent No. 12,571,902 entitled “Systems and Methods for Communication with Vehicles Using Radar” issued March 10, 2026 to Deere & Company of Moline, Illinois. Invented by Scott Bergen New Canaan, Connecticut. Abstract: A radar-based system for communicating information to a vehicle uses spatially-encoded markers that are positioned proximate to a roadway traveled by the vehicle. The markers are designed to convey a unique radar signature that distinguishes the markers from other objects. The unique radar signature or marker characteristics are further interpreted by at least one controller on the vehicle as encoded messages. Marker distinguishing characteristics, such as size, shape, orientation and movement, provide distinct information to the controller. The controller may use the conveyed information to make control decisions for the vehicle or to display the conveyed information to occupants of the vehicle. In some cased, the controller may use the conveyed information to determine a location of the vehicle, such as a position of the vehicle within a lane.

U.S. Patent No. 12,571,170 entitled “Differential Milling and Pavin” issued March 10, 2026 to Wirtgen GmbH of Windhagen, Germany. Invented by Matthias Fritz of Hennef, Germany, René Müller of Vettelschoß, Germany and Manuel Rossa of Aachen, Germany. Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling a vehicular radar system. The radar scan patters used by the radar system when detecting objects in the environment around the vehicle can be controlled to gather additional information about the objects in the environment. The radar system can generate parameters about objects in the environment detected by the radar system. The parameters can then be evaluated to determine if the collection of additional information about the detected object in the environment is desirable. If additional information about the detected object in the environment is to be collected, a different radar scan pattern having different waveforms can be used to gather specific information about the object.”