Lexmark was granted a patent for selectively disabling printer components.

{
  "signal_id": "6b693c26-915e-5714-a393-64990cd87d35",
  "signal_type": "patents-company",
  "signal_subtype": "patentGrant",
  "detected_at": "2026-10-30T00:35:01+00:00",
  "company": {
    "name": "Lexmark",
    "domain": "lexmark.com"
  },
  "data": {
    "cpc": [
      {
        "code": "G06K 15/4095"
      },
      {
        "code": "G06K 15/407"
      }
    ],
    "tags": [
      "Intellectual Property",
      "Research & Development",
      "Product Security",
      "Office Hardware"
    ],
    "detail": "In October 2026 Lexmark patented firmware-based controls for protecting imaging equipment by blocking print-head operation when required security conditions are not met.",
    "summary": "Lexmark was granted a patent for selectively disabling printer components.",
    "event_at": "2026-10-27",
    "inventors": [
      {
        "name": "Stephen Porter Bush",
        "status": "unresolved",
        "is_primary": true
      },
      {
        "name": "Timothy John Rademacher",
        "status": "unresolved",
        "is_primary": false
      }
    ],
    "event_kind": "grant_date",
    "grant_date": "2026-10-27",
    "source_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US12775816",
    "cpc_primary": {
      "code": "G06K 15/4095"
    },
    "patent_title": "Methods and systems for selectively preventing operation of a component",
    "patent_number": "US12775816",
    "uspto_assignee": "LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.",
    "patent_abstract": "An imaging system comprising: a system control component having host firmware stored thereon, the system control component comprising a print head operation module actuatable by the host firmware to transmit signals to a print head of the imaging system, the signals configured to cause the print head to operate; and a monitor-enforce module, the monitor-enforce module comprising: a monitor interface configured to receive security information from a security device of the imaging system, and an enforce module, the enforce module being configured to selectively interrupt said signals transmitted by the print head operation module, based on the security information.",
    "precision_class": "structural",
    "invention_explanation": "A printer safeguard that checks information from a security device and can stop firmware from sending commands to the print head.",
    "technologies_mentioned": [
      "printer firmware",
      "print-head control",
      "device security"
    ]
  }
}

curl https://signals.autobound.ai/v1/signals/6b693c26-915e-5714-a393-64990cd87d35 \
  -H "X-API-KEY: $AUTOBOUND_API_KEY"

curl -X POST https://signals.autobound.ai/v1/companies/enrich \
  -H "X-API-KEY: $AUTOBOUND_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"domain":"lexmark.com","limit":20}'