Patents

Fort Worth–based Paragon Energy Solutions has received a newly granted utility patent for a modular nuclear reactor protection system. Designed to increase safety and resilience, the system uses functionally independent modules to process multiple safety inputs and determine appropriate reactor actions. Inventors include Gregory Wayne Clarkson, Jason Pottorf, and Rufino Ayala. [Image: bsd studio/istockphoto]

Toyota has received a newly granted patent (USPTO #12337686) for a system that ties NFTs to real-world vehicles. The tech lets users “own” and interact with physical cars using AR or VR headsets—linking digital tokens to specific vehicles and enabling features like choreographed shows of moving vehicles triggered by NFT access. Invented by a Texas- and California-based team—Charan S. Lota (Frisco), David Tsai (Irvine), and Will Hargis (Celina)—the patent is assigned to Toyota Connected North America, based in Plano. [Composite illustration: Sources, USPTO Patent #12337686, Fig. 4; Anna Musatova/istockphoto; Quincy Preston/DI]

Jake LaCombe has worked on patent applications covering everything from oilfield exploration equipment to building automation systems during his more than 13 years at MWM. [Image: Source photo, MWM; DI Studio]

T-Mobile USA has received a newly granted patent for "Autonomous Delivery to a Dynamic Location," invented by Prosper-based Sathyaraj Kolandasamy. The patent describes a system that enables an autonomous vehicle to update its delivery destination in real time by tracking the changing location of a user's wireless device—allowing items to be delivered even as the recipient moves. [Source image: USPTO Patent #12282888, Fig. 1; background by DI Studio]