Recently Issued Patents

7.29.22

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 14 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. 11,398,115 entitled “Wireless Communication Devices” issued July 26, 2022 to Bridgestone Mobility Solutions B.V. of Amsterdam, Netherlands. Invented by Ulf Meyer and David Zimmerman also of Amsterdam, Netherlands. Abstract: A wireless communication device for collecting vehicle on-board diagnostics (OBD) data is disclosed, together with associated methods of handling OBD data in such wireless communication devices. The device comprises a connector for connecting the device to an OBD port of a vehicle to receive OBD data; a processor configured to continually aggregate the OBD data and/or acceleration data from an acceleration sensor into risk profile data during a journey made by the vehicle; a memory for storing the latest risk profile data for the journey; and a wireless transceiver for transmitting the stored risk profile data to an external mobile device during the journey. The processor is further configured to determine an engine state of the vehicle and to detect when the vehicle begins and ends a journey based on said determined engine state and OBD data relating to vehicle speed and/or engine revolutions, and to cause the stored risk profile data to be deleted from the memory upon detection that the vehicle has begun a new journey.

U.S. Patent No. 11,396,324 entitled “Self-Propelled Construction Machine” Issued July 26, 2022 to Writgen GmbH of Windhagen, Germany. Invented by Burkhard Frank of Vettelscho, Germany. Abstract: In the event of a malfunction in the supply of hydraulic fluid to the a braking device actuating device a hydraulic system has a manually actuated emergency-operation valve arrangement which is formed in such a way that, after the manual actuation thereof, a fluid connection is created between a steering device actuating device and the a pressure chamber of the braking device actuating device. The emergency-operation valve arrangement has a valve block in which flow paths are formed which can be shut off by means of shut-off screws.

U.S. Patent No. 11,396,213 entitled “Bracket Assembly for a Multi-Link Suspension System” issued July 26, 2022 to Hammer Concepts and Designs, LLC of Clarksville, Tennessee. Invented by Brian Hamm of Clarksville, Tennessee. Abstract: A bracket assembly for a multi-link suspension system is provided, said bracket assembly mounted to a housing of an automotive vehicle, as opposed to a chassis of the automotive vehicle, enabling modularity and ease of replacement of the housing and adjustability of suspensions system components. The bracket assembly may have a body, wherein the body includes: an axle tube hole; one or more cross tube support holes; at least one trailing arm attachment portion having a first plurality of adjustment holes and a second plurality of adjustment holes; an anti-roll bar attachment portion having one or more attachment holes; and a shock attachment portion having a plurality of attachment holes. Further, the bracket assembly may include one or more engagement points, configured to support a number of said suspension system components, such as at least one trailing arm, an anti-roll bar, a shock absorber coupler, and a shock absorber.