ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 21 -- United States Patent no. 12,440,997, issued on Oct. 14, was assigned to Eastman Performance Films LLC (St. Louis, R.I.).

"Systems and methods for assembling patterns and cutting and applying window films and paint protection films" was invented by James Yancy Farrow (St. Louis), Catherine Delphine Williams (St. Louis), Aaron Leslie Reeves (Hampshire, Great Britain), Richard Anthony Dill (Penhook, Va.), Darrell Lynn Reed (Chesterfield, Mo.), Bill Reimer (Clayton, Mo.), Jake Herberlie (Clayton, Mo.), James VanDernoot (Clayton, Mo.), Nick Mikulec (Clayton, Mo.), Jason Butler (Clayton, Mo.) and Becky Gandillon (Clayton, Mo.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A method, soft...