Arctos flexing euro patent muscles

[norty303]

So, I read on Facebook that Arctos (or rather their legal reps) are sending letters to European companies reselling Eightonlight/Lightspace projectors.

As I understand it, their patents for beam combining are Europe wide so they can't go after the manufacturers directly in China, but they are going after the resellers/rebranders by the sounds of it.

Wonder if they've got the muscle/money/desire to see it all the way through? I wonder if any of the resellers are prepared to test the water?

[buffo]

The use of dichros is patented in Europe? There is prior art going all the way back to the 1970's. Surely any patent would either be invalidated by said prior art or, if it was patented back then, would be expired by now?

Adam

[norty303]

Dunno, I'll postvthe links to the patents later if you like, or it's an ongoing thread on the laserist FB group I think (or one of the FB laser groups)

[andy_con]

All their patents are pending, so they can't actually do anything until they have been approved.

They cold take someone to court and win but can't get a penny until the patent is approved.

I'm sure all their patents have been pending for many many years

[norty303]

Andy, I'm not sure if I'm reading this right but aren't these granted?

http://www.google.com.na/patents/EP1953881B1?cl=en

http://www.google.ca/patents/EP2043211B1?cl=en

This was also mentioned:
European Patent for Laser Diode Combining Pattern: 1 953 881
Industrial Design for Laser Diode Combining Pattern: 20 2007 018 257.0
Industrial Design for Laser Diode Combining Pattern: 20 2005 003 856.3
Industrial Design for Laser Diode Combining Pattern: 20 2005 009 294.0
Industrial Design for Laser Diode Combining Pattern: 20 2004 021 111.4

[andy_con]

Am on my phone, but they always used to be pending not granted

[PeterB]

Yep, I got a letter from a lawyer on this matter. It refers to Patent Nr http://www.google.ca/patents/EP2043211B1?cl=en.

Not sure how to continue on this. If anyone else has received such a letter, please let me know via PM.

[andy_con]

norty got a link to this facebook conversation?

peterb what did you do wrong?

all you have to do is change one single element of your design and you no longer have patent issues

[PeterB]

The patent they got is so damn generic that it can apply to ANYONE who EVER combines 2 or more diodes to form 1 beam. Just read the patent...then read it again...and again...after a few times you will see this is the most dangerous patent out there for everyone and it needs to be stopped in it's tracks as soon as possible.

BTW, I did not do anything wrong, I imported a system into the EU and Arctos has patents here, but these patents do not apply in China, so they can only go after those that import...sadly now they do and together with (some other company who's name shall remain in shrouds) they try to kill all competition this way.

[planters]

Yep, I got a letter from a lawyer on this matter. It refers to Patent Nr http://www.google.ca/patents/EP2043211B1?cl=en.

This is both ridiculous and wasteful. Please post the letter and let us ridicule them. This is often the most powerful weapon to use against bullies. One approach would be to send back every single system that is even slightly out of spec during the warranty period (even those that you did not cause to be out of spec ) and demand immediate repair. I read this patent and it applies so broadly to such an obvious methodology, I am surprised there is no section covering permission to properly focus the collimators. I could come up with 5 patents like this over the last month; the last while on the crapper! Screw them! Order from China and don't call it a laser projector. A little like the US kit-plane industry, you can get around the regs by redefining the product. During price controls under the Carter administration, butchers were not allowed to change the price on a particular cut of meat...so they invented new cuts of meat. Order two, non-projector things that snap together once they arrive. I'm sure the CN manufacturers will be happy to work with you on this.

Consider dropping your ILDA membership as well...loudly.