Re: Someone owns the patent on putting SMT LED's on a flexible PCB? How can it be?
- From: Benj <bjacoby@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2007 02:49:22 -0700
David L. Jones wrote:
A lot of the time they won't have the money and will simply be
bluffing.
But if it's just some lawyers, that "bluff" can be VERY expensive. The
lawyers who doubtless were at least in part behind this patent, can
file crap by the TON for relatively low filing fees just on the HOPE
that you'll crumble and pay up from the pressure. They know unless you
are GM or something, fighting them will cost you a fortune. It's the
VERY idea behind the bogus lawsuits by cities on gun manufacturers
attempting to put them all out of business. Only that scam has the
advantage of paying the lawyers using public money.
If you really are that concerned, get some real patent advice about
*your* design and if it even comes close to the published patent. Much
better to spend your money on that than trying to get the patent
overturned. There are countless products out there with SMD led's on a
flex circuit, and the patent in question is very specific. They are
*not* trying to patent "an SMD on a flex circuit", rather it is fairly
clear they are patenting their very specific application of it. That's
what the vast majority of patents are for, it is for a very specific
implementation of something. There are very few patents out there that
cover a very generic field.
It may well be for a specific application, but the way it's worded is
rather generic. In fact it's SO generic it's invalid. This device, has
LONG been used on the Side of Alembic guitar necks to mark the fret
positions. They are available for sale right now. I'll bet you could
Easily find examples as prior art in a ton of other products out
there. But that isn't the point is it? If you are a lawyer with a
bunch of time on your hands, your costs are nearly free and you can
use that fact to intimidate people fighting your scam. Somehow the
courts always seem accept just about ANY wild scam as possibly valid
until it comes right down to the end. Remember the Million Dollar
pants? The bottom line is it's a huge pressure machine.
Don't be frightened by a patent, if everyone else did the same no one
would be in business making anything.
Hey, who is? I got to hand it to the Chinese, though. They regularly
scan American patent files for cool stuff that the patents have run
out on and nobody makes any more. No lawyer hassle. But it's not the
patent you need to be afraid of, it's the lawyers! Of course the
Lawyer didn't win the pants thing either, but what did he have to
loose except some free time he wasn't using anyway?
.
- References:
- Someone owns the patent on putting SMT LED's on a flexible PCB? How can it be?
- From: ferrari . secret . santa
- Re: Someone owns the patent on putting SMT LED's on a flexible PCB? How can it be?
- From: David L. Jones
- Re: Someone owns the patent on putting SMT LED's on a flexible PCB? How can it be?
- From: The Real Andy
- Re: Someone owns the patent on putting SMT LED's on a flexible PCB? How can it be?
- From: ferrari . secret . santa
- Re: Someone owns the patent on putting SMT LED's on a flexible PCB? How can it be?
- From: David L. Jones
- Someone owns the patent on putting SMT LED's on a flexible PCB? How can it be?
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