Intellectual Property

Prive Products of Dallas has received a newly granted patent for making degradable drinking straws made of ice or other frozen liquids. Invented by Thomas Surgent, the setup uses tubes extending into a reservoir and a connecting bar that directs hot and cold fluid into the tubes to form an ice straw with a hollow cavity for sipping—cooling the drink as it’s used. [Composite image: Sources, USPTO Patent #12484726, Fig. 5a; DI Studio]

[Image: Visual Generation/istockphoto]

Dallas-based Worlds' technology can continuously process massive amounts of video data across different environments, creating an “index of everything” for organizations in real time. The physical AI startup has received a newly granted patent (USPTO #12400442) for a system that automatically identifies and labels objects in video by building a searchable index. The technology—invented by Worlds CTO and co-founder Ross Bates and Sr. Director of Machine Learning Paul Aarseth—can analyze footage from different locations, compare what it sees, and match similar items to streamline monitoring and data labeling. [Image: Worlds video screenshot]

USAA has received a newly granted patent (USPTO #12346421) for a system that uses tattoo detection to verify a person’s identity in video. Invented by Carrollton-based William Daniel Farmer, the method involves a hidden tattoo—made with ink invisible to the human eye—used as a cloaked token. When detected in video footage, the system can authenticate the user and authorize secure access to services or information. [Image souce: USPTO Patent #12346421; DI Studio composite image]