HiViz Lighting, Inc. recently secured a major technological breakthrough with the issuance of U.S. Patent No. US12768512B2. This patent, titled ‘High conspicuity multi-axis lighting for emergency and utility vehicles’, introduces an advanced warning light system designed to enhance visibility from multiple angles. Inventors Samuel T. Massa, Britain Heaphy, and Jesse Whitaker McRae developed a design where a point source emits a front light while specialized side firing light sources emit light at angles substantially perpendicular to the front, creating a comprehensive field of illumination.
NORTH CAROLINA PATENT OF THE MONTH – NOVEMBER 2026
The innovation focuses on a multi-axis lighting configuration that significantly improves the conspicuity of emergency and utility vehicles. This system uses a combination of front emitting and side emitting light sources integrated into a cohesive unit. A specialized communicative coupling mechanism allows multiple warning lights to operate in a coordinated manner across the vehicle. This setup allows for improved safety by ensuring the vehicle is highly visible to surrounding traffic from various approach angles. Swanson Reed granted this invention the North Carolina Patent of the Month for November 2026 because it effectively solves persistent technical uncertainties regarding optimal light dispersion and coordinated signaling in emergency vehicle lighting systems.
Practical Applications and R&D Tax Credit Eligibility
The practical applications of this patent present strong opportunities for Research and Development tax credits in the United States. Companies developing advanced lighting systems for emergency vehicles often engage in iterative testing to overcome engineering challenges related to multi-axis visibility, power management, and integration with vehicle communication buses. The process of designing, prototyping, and validating the performance of multi-directional warning systems requires dedicated experimentation. These activities directly align with the requirements of IRS Section 41 for qualified research. By documenting the systematic elimination of technical uncertainties in their design phases, manufacturers can leverage these experimental efforts to claim substantial R&D tax incentives.
