Patents Issued the Week of November 10-14

11.17.25

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. 12,464,970 entitled “Work Vehicle Guidance and/or Automation with Respect to Identified Regions of Interest in a Work Area” issued November 11, 2025 to Deere & Company of Moline, Illinois. Invented by David A. Johnson of Durham, North Carolina; Matthew D. Hansen of Urbandale, Iowa; Ajit K. Thankappan Pillai of West Des Moines, Iowa and Michael A. Torzewski of Waukee, Iowa. Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for automatically conforming guidance of work vehicles to detected conditions in a work area. Upon determining a deviation of a work vehicle’s current movement path from a first planned movement path with respect to the work area, at least a portion of the work area may be identified as a region of interest, along with coverage characteristics associated with the region of interest, based at least in part on the determined deviation. A second planned movement path is generated for the work vehicle and/or another work vehicle subsequently traversing the work area relative to the region of interest, wherein the generated second planned movement path accounts for the coverage characteristics associated with the region of interest. The second planned movement path may be generated to avoid the region, prevent turns within the region, optimize work vehicle operation within the work area generally, etc.

U.S. Patent No. D1,102,044 entitled “Portable Chicken Coop” issued November 11, 2025 to Tractor Supply Co. of Texas, LP of Brentwood, Tennessee. Invented by Jace A. McDill of Nashville, Tennessee and Spencer D. Carpenter of Mount Pleasant, Tennessee. Claims: The ornamental design for a portable chicken coop as shown and described.