TeflonTrout
108564
1264
23
#patent #greed #3d_printing
I 3d print a bit and am really excited about this
The dream was to be able to print pieces, buy off the shelf parts, download their software, and set up a giant printer anywhere.
UPDATE: Thanks to @randomlyappointednsaagent for pointing out I should post the link to their gofundme:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/keep-hangprinter-free
If you are able and inclined to help them fight, that's where to do it.
But of course, we couldn't stand to let any good idea go unmonetized or locked away in the good old USA, the land of freedom.
https://www.techdirt.com/2022/06/24/ridiculous-govt-contractor-copies-open-source-3d-printing-concept-and-patents-it/
Bahbus
Yep. Ignore them. Let them sue, and then crush them with a counter suit since their patent is not valid. (And it really isn't)
hellospacemonkey
Getting a patent and executing its use by another party/person, is a long process. It will get invalidated. Patent office is over-worked.
DianNaoChong
There's a few dozen patents for toast laying around, the whole system has been busted forever
OdinYggd
The native americans tried to warn us about the dangers of 'owning' things. Colonists had far more grand visions on their mind.
PenguinNamedWobbles
The real lesson is that you have to patent things and control them to keep them cheap or free. Don't trust corps.
Fauxcused
Doesn't prior art make it invalid
itiswhatitis420
had to be tennessee
Iamnotacreativeman
https://tldrlegal.com/license/commons-clause
Yakofalltrades
Standard capitalist behavior. End it.
mksu
Edison would be proud.
Shaodyn
I hate to say it, but this is the ultimate goal of capitalism. Anything that can possibly be monetized not only will be, but should be.
trasneoir
At it's best, capitalism aligns private greed with the public good. This kind of rent-seeking represents a failure of capitalism.
Shaodyn
"At its best." I think we left capitalism's best behind decades ago.
Illithidbane
I hate living like a Ferengi. I want to live in the Federation.
DarkerSavant
The material consortium provides!
tcc3
Even the Ferengi had rules
popejubal
Star Trek is the future we dreamed of. Warhammer 40K is the future we’re heading for.
yalczero
Minus the psychic powers.
lljkstonefish
I want to live in the culture
Tuidjy
Yes, but who has even heard of them? The only place where the Culture can actually have bite is in Banks's wishful thinking, anyway.
CedricDur
This is how it feels that the cuban millionaire and the medicine will end up. That said it does feel like people should be better advised. I
CedricDur
f someone can come and patent your stuff and then own it then patent it first and then add legal mumbojumbo allowing others to make free use
Grinch01
I would make kickstarter and sue the shit out of them wtf is wrong with them its like taking 800$ /month for insulin
TeflonTrout
Good news! They made a gofundme for that same goal
Grinch01
That is good i go to search it and give a little thisbis some edison shit and it has to stop, there should be a law aginst shit like this
catskhiker
Patent Trolls should be criminalized
FelixG
They have addresses, just saying.
jherazob
Would totally be worth it to fight to invalidate the patent and make them pay for the cost of doing so
Bluefasa
The term "non-profit" doesn't imply any sort of quality of morals, you can be a complete piece of shit company and still classified that way
Bluefasa
The local patent troll hive private college reclassified itself from for-profit to non-profit about a decade ago
Solkanarmy
but that's public domain, how was the patent even issued
Arcanum3000
The USPTO doesn't bother doing serious review of patent applications.
trasneoir
Litigating the validity of a patent is now left to the courts. Which makes it really easy to bully small companies who can't afford court.
AnonOmis1000
Is an open source patent a thing? Like, a patent that guarantees its in public domain?
kojenk
WHy would lobbyists allow their pet politicians to make that?
libaf
Pretty sure you can't just copy a CC licensed thing and patent it.
ArcRay
isnt the point of open source that you cant just steal it and say "its mine now, you owe me money if you want to use it."
Eldibs
If you have a novel idea that you want to gift to the world, patent it so you can protect it from patent trolls.
5NoteHalf
IANAL but if there's an open-source version of it pre-dating the copy, I'd go ahead and manufacture the tech and cite mine was based on OS
RandomNameGeneratorOutput
Engineer here. Read the patent claims. It is narrowly claiming a particular enhancement on the Hangprinter. Much less bad than it looks. 1/2
RandomNameGeneratorOutput
What’s novel in the patent is mainly a tension control winch used to preload the cables. Other Hangprinters aren’t affected. Still lame! 2/2
TeflonTrout
Thank you so much! I always love having people with real world expertise share their knowledge. It's one of the best things about imgur
TeflonTrout
Almost forgot! @EvilCatCreations , maybe you hadn't heard of this printing type, if so I'm sorry for not mentioning it earlier
EvilCatCreations
Whaaaaat this is neat as heck!
EvilCatCreations
But also what the f to the patent thing that is so frustrating to read
PDXDragon
1) I was once involved in a project that involved sending medical information between computers in remote locations.
PDXDragon
2) The project was canceled because somebody patented sending medical information between computers.
PDXDragon
3) I don't mind if someone patents a clever way of encrypting or compressing information sent between computers.
PDXDragon
4) Patents are supposed to be for ideas that aren't obvious.
Iamnotacreativeman
Without doing much research and read just the screenshots, did they not put any open source license in their project? ...
Iamnotacreativeman
Like apache or GPL v2?
PolitiCat
It doesn't matter. It is publicized prior work, which by definition prevents patentability. You can compare this with now patenting a wheel
Iamnotacreativeman
AFAIK, it's no longer prior work rule, it's first to patent.
PolitiCat
No. If it is public information it cannot be patented anymore. Depending on jurisdiction even own publications can result in this.
Iamnotacreativeman
That's trademark and copyrights, not patents.
RunanD
Are you saying I can go patent the wheel? Holy shit brb
vanillarogue
you have no idea what you are talking about
InTheBeginningWasTheNerd
That very much is _not_ trademarks OR copyrights.
skraldespand3000
Just challenge the patent in a review, then it will be nullified.
iCurse
Surely even if they didn't, any court case based on that patent would be moot because the patent is invalid at its core
popejubal
“Just” -as if that’s easy and cheap.
PicassoCT
No don't, wait till maximum invested then challenge and collapse it. Do some damage. Make stealing from the public a toxic asset.
CuddlyCuttlefish
That's not how that works. Patent law also doesn't care anymore whether you have prior art. Whomever files first - gets the patent.
CuddlyCuttlefish
Tons of sources out there but here's one https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/first-to-file-rule.asp#:~:text=The%20first%20to%20file%20rule%
BiscuitAndBeans
That's not how it works. The patent review process is meant to whittle out situations like this. This can be challenged.
QuintinParry
I'm going to need some sauce on that, my course have covered at length when a patent is void due to prior art.
CuddlyCuttlefish
Attached a source below my initial comment. Prior art used to matter, but made enforcement a nightmare. US Patent law is based on file date.
CuddlyCuttlefish
The US adopted the first to file system in 2013. Since then - prior art is essentially useless - in most scenarios anyway.
CuddlyCuttlefish
There are also exceptions if the invention is from prior to 2013 due to the overlap in the first to invent and first to file systems
TeflonTrout
That's what they are raising money to try
arthurvanhoudt
IMHO thry should also sue the patent officer/lawyer that OK-ed the patent, as the design already existed (patent free) a patent should not h
arthurvanhoudt
ave been given. It’s sloppy work by patent officer!!
W92Baj
Indeed. Part of the quite large costs of patenting a product are the patent lawyer checking it is legit
Waxilliam
The lesson here is to patent your stuff and then you control it.
IrrationalNumber
Patenting something in every jurisdiction on the planet is quite expensive.
Waxilliam
Well, you can take your chances. I can think of any examples where someone patented someone else's idea.
Waxilliam
You only need the US, it's the biggest market.
IrrationalNumber
EU has 50% more consumers, and 75% of the GDP.
ThePriestOfHiroshima
And a quarter of the consumption level.
arthurvanhoudt
Yup that’s why there are a ‘tiny’ bit more obese people in US than in EU!
PolitiCat
Open Source doesn't need to be patented. By definition publicized prior work (e.g. by open source) prevents patentability
Waxilliam
That contradicts this article. Are you saying this post is inaccurate?
JanglesPrime
He's probably saying the patent shouldn't have gone through but it slipped through and now had to be challenged.
Waxilliam
Well they are contradictory so one of them is wrong. I'm more inclined to believe the inventions are different enough to be patentable.
Waxilliam
ah, a quick search proves open source can be patented. https://www.upcounsel.com/open-source-patents