88 patents currently held
31 more in force are now held by other companies
Held is read from USPTO's recorded assignments; a transfer never recorded there does not appear.
1 more record may belong here and awaits a decision; it is not counted.
The next term ends in Jun 2027. from the record
Of the 31 now held by other companies, 17 name Tata Steel Limited as their current owner, and 14 more name another party. Each row says which.
Free plan: 3 watched companies. Pro: unlimited.
Alerts on its grants, lapses and transfers.
22
Ending by 2030
Jun 2027
Next term end
71
Patent families
When these terms end
Held patents by the year their term ends
notable patents
fee due within 90 days
all others
Updated Nov 14, 2026 · includes USPTO assignment & status data published Nov 14, 2026 and grant & fee data published Nov 10, 2026 (weekly) · how we know
Notable: the highest-ranked patents in this portfolio by citations and family size. Fee due within 90 days: a maintenance fee is due within 90 days of when this page was computed and not yet paid.
Notable patents
Ranked by citations and family size, against patents of the same kind granted the same year. How we rank
Notable
Ends Apr 2030 · High confidence
Also notable
Ends Aug 2034 · High confidence
Also notable
Ends Sep 2027 · High confidence
Planning System for Autonomous Operation
US 9,805,316
Cited by 32 later US patents, top 10% of utility patents granted in 2017 in our data, and renewed at every maintenance window due so far. Protection runs to 2030.
Method of, and a System for, Drilling to a Position Relative to a Geological Boundary
US 10,824,123
Cited by 11 later US patents, top 25% of utility patents granted in 2020 in our data. Protection runs to 2034.
Gravity Gradiometer
US 7,596,876
Cited by 31 later US patents, top 25% of utility patents granted in 2009 in our data, and renewed at 3 of 3 maintenance windows. Protection runs to 2027.
Fee deadlines
Maintenance fees fall due 3.5, 7.5 and 11.5 years after grant. A missed fee ends a patent at the end of the six month grace period that follows, not on the due date.
- 1 fee due Nov 26, 2026The maintenance fee for Mine Operation Monitoring System (US 9,041,801) comes due Nov 26, 2026. Unpaid by May 26, 2027, it lapses early.
- 4 fees due Feb 15 to 22, 2027 · next Feb 15
- 1 fee due Mar 29, 2027The maintenance fee for Control System for Autonomous Operation (US 9,146,553) comes due Mar 29, 2027. Unpaid by Sep 29, 2027, it lapses early.
- 1 fee due May 24, 2027The maintenance fee for Heap Leaching (US 9,194,020) comes due May 24, 2027. Unpaid by Nov 24, 2027, it lapses early.
- 3 fees due Jul 7 to 19, 2027 · next Jul 7
- 4 fees due Aug 2 to 18, 2027 · next Aug 2
- 3 fees due Sep 24 to 30, 2027 · next Sep 24
- 4 fees due Oct 9 to 16, 2027 · next Oct 9
Recent changes
- 2 of the patents on this record were granted since Aug 16, 2026
- 10 terms have ended since Aug 16, 2026
What they patent
The 5 largest of its 71 families, grouped by real patent family and labeled by the earliest filing in each. No technology classification is inferred from titles.
| A method of, and a system for, controlling a drilling operation | 4 in force | to Jan 2035 |
| Production of Iron | 3 in force | to Apr 2039 |
| Hyperspectral Imager Method and Apparatus | 3 in force | to Dec 2036 |
| Method of, and a System for, Drilling to a Position Relative to a Geological Boundary | 3 in force | to Aug 2034 |
| Method of Mining Ore | 3 in force | to Dec 2030 |
Patents held now
Soonest term end first.
| Patent | Title | Status | Expires | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US 7,823,448 | Actuatory and Gravity Gradiometer In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,596,876 | Gravity Gradiometer In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,714,584 | Gravity Gradiometer In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,814,790 | Gravity Gradiometer In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 8,033,170 | Gravity Gradiometer In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,581,327 | Gravity Gradiometer In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,559,149 | Gravity Gradiometer In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,562,460 | Gravity Gradiometer In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 7,637,153 | Gravity Gradiometer In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 8,388,728 | Leaching Ores In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence |
Also on record, not counted in the 88: 31 patents in force now held by others · 75 patents ended · 29 applications pending · 49 applications abandoned. List them
Sources and methods
Compiled from USPTO application file histories, grants and recorded assignments, with the company's own names reviewed by hand. How this record was built
Portfolio grouped automatically from ownership conveyances to the names matched to this company, usually every name that begins with its own, so it counts patents an affiliate holds; each list row names the holder of record. Security interests are excluded and ambiguous records are not reviewed by hand.
Fee due within 90 days marks a patent with a maintenance fee due within 90 days of the date this page was computed and not yet recorded paid, so it can end earlier than the bar shows. A fee left unpaid ends the patent at the close of the six month grace period that follows its due date, not on the due date itself. It is not a prediction that the fee will be missed.
Computed patent terms end on the dates shown. Related patents and pending applications may cover overlapping subject matter.