PATENTS · Protected system
A patented way to put a screen in the air.
The method Airscreens uses to carry a screen on the end of a telehandler is protected by granted patents in the United States and Europe. The patent holders are partners in the company, and licences are available to other operators.
Three granted patents, one family.
Every number below links to the official record, so you can read the full specification and check the current status for yourself.
| Territory | Patent | Granted | Status | Official record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | US 9,620,040 B2 | 11 April 2017 | In force | USPTO → |
| United States | US 10,174,878 B2 | 8 January 2019 | In force | USPTO → |
| Europe | EP 3 268 300 B1 | 18 September 2024 | In force: UK, Germany, France, Ireland | European Patent Register → |
Title on all three: Aerial Advertising Display Apparatus. Earliest priority 11 March 2015. International application PCT/US2016/022124, published as WO 2016/145376. Status as recorded on the USPTO and the European Patent Register on 18 September 2026.
The coupling between the screen and the machine.
The patents cover an aerial display apparatus: a display frame carried on the raised end of a lift mechanism, such as a telehandler boom, mounted on a base or vehicle. A two-part attachment, one half fixed to the lift and the other to the frame, couples and uncouples so the screen can be put up, moved and taken down without a truss build.
The display frame
The screen and its frame, built to be carried at height rather than stood on the ground.
The lift mechanism
A boom or telehandler on a base or vehicle, raised and angled to put the frame where the shot needs it.
The attachment
Matched forward and rearward components that lock the frame to the lift and release it again in minutes.
Why the coupling matters
A screen on a telehandler is only useful if it can go on and come off quickly, safely and repeatably, on a live set, without rigging crew. That coupling is the heart of all three patents, and it is what a licence gives an operator the right to use.
The US patents run to 2035 and the European patent to 2036, subject to renewal.
Part of the company, not a third party.
The patents belong to partners in Airscreens VFX Solutions, so the protected system and the crew that operates it come from the same place.
Bennett Kaytes
Inventor and registered proprietor of the US and European patents. Partner in Airscreens VFX Solutions.
Gary Garcia
Partner in Airscreens VFX Solutions alongside Bennett Kaytes.
Lexy Michael
Founded Airscreens in 2015 and runs the company from the UK. About Airscreens →
Operate the system under licence.
Licences are available to screen and plant operators who want to use the patented system in the territories above. Tell us where you work and what you run, and we will come back with terms.
Patent information on this page is provided for reference. Nothing here is legal advice. Licensing enquiries are handled by Airscreens VFX Solutions Ltd.