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#1 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Gaithersburg, MD (D.C. Metro Area)
Posts: 1,970
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Bad News Re LED Lighting: Another Orbitech patent application has been allowed.
Just a heads up. One of Orbitech's three pending patent applications has recently been allowed (April 7). They have not yet paid the issue fee, which they must do in order for the application to be issued/granted as an enforceable patent.
One of the allowed claims is this one: 26. (Previously Presented) A lighting system for marine growth in a marine habitat having an open top, comprising: a housing disposed over the open top ofthe marine habitat; and an LED light source disposed on an inner side ofthe housing facing the open top of the marine habitat, the LED light source comprising at least one light engine having a plurality of individual LEDs, the LED light source is a main source oflighting to the marine habitat. I note that a request for reexamination of one of their two issued patents (the one they sued PFO on) has been filed, but reexamination has not yet been granted. Given the type of request for reexamination that was filed, the requesting party is anonymous. More details to follow as they become available. (Yes, I am a patent attorney.) Last edited by Kengar; 04/15/2010 at 10:25 AM. Reason: clarification |
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#2 |
Registered Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Freeport, NY
Posts: 1,466
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HUH?
They can lay claim to the concept of using LED's on a salt water tank as if no one thought of this but them?
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Occupation: Need one. Will work for salt. Current Tank Info: 180 mixed up reef started April 2005. 4 small tanks on same sump. |
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#3 |
Rat Bastard!
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Sammamish, WA
Posts: 1,487
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Greedy bastards. They've already killed one of the greatest lighting suppliers ever. Now what! I guarantee you it will be a cold day in hell before I buy one of their products.
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#4 |
Moved On
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Jax beach ,FL
Posts: 80
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what a bunch of clowns, lets see what they do now that there is more than just pfo to jump on.
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#5 | ||
Premium Member
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Location: Pcola FL
Posts: 2,504
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Quote:
Quote:
I hope Mr. Crabb, rots in you know where. Hes set LED aquarium tech back 20 years.
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Have you ever tried to hold a monkey still if it is not drunk ~ insteng Current Tank Info: 45gal Rimless mixed reef--SWC 150BMK--2xMP10ESW--Giesemann 150W HQI |
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#6 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,705
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Quote:
I would love to see them market a line of aquarium lighting specifically so I can enjoy the satisfaction of NOT buying it.
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Steve Current Tank Info: 58 Oceanic/20g Sump/250w XM 20k/2x39w T5 True Actinic 03/2010 Reef Octopus NW Cone Skimmer |
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#7 |
Premium Member
![]() Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Wyoming
Posts: 2,152
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Hypotheticaly
I'm developing an LED light that is for...... oh yeah, accent lighting on an interior wall. Strangely enough this light has the perfect spectrum for growing photosynthetic organisms. But I can't by law tell you that. It's great if you want your wall color to have a slight actinic cool lighting scheme. It's about 60% royal blues and 40% high intesity whites. Although it's perfect for growing corals, this is an accent light for an interior wall. Strangely enough, we designed it just under 24" in length. And next week we'll send to production a model that's just 30" in length. Or two units can be placed together to span any particular 48 inch area. Just in case you need to. End of hypothetical rant. The truth is, we've been using off label items in this hobby for a very long time. LEDs are not going away. The process is what is being patented here. But the guy that developed the Metal halide light for parking lots and gymnasiums could not have intended that the lights would be used in the aquarium trade. I wouldn't be too upset about this, fact is, most of these lights are over priced simply because they are used in aquariums. (specialty market). It won't be too long till all these cases of defending that patent becomes too costly for the company, and they'll focus more energy on having an original idea rather than who beat who to the punch line. Just my .02
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"If there's nothing wrong with me... then there must be something wrong with the universe!" Current Tank Info: 10 gallon nano with ATS |
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#8 |
Shimmer Addict
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Maryland
Posts: 619
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What I don't understand is how a patent which claims exclusivity over the use of a technology for a specific purpose is allowed. Isn't this synonymous to patenting the use of computers for say... the specific purpose of .. watching movies, playing games,
or filing a patent for using LEDs in cars etc.. I could go on and on. Maybe I should file a patent for use of LEDs to light my kitchen, or wait, maybe patenting the use of florescents over a marine habitat? -R |
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#9 |
Premium Member
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Location: Pcola FL
Posts: 2,504
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Didnt the patent say something about a controller as well? That was the hit to PFO. I wonder if there could be a fixture without a controller and not violate the patent. Hmm, wheres a good patent attorney when you need one?
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Have you ever tried to hold a monkey still if it is not drunk ~ insteng Current Tank Info: 45gal Rimless mixed reef--SWC 150BMK--2xMP10ESW--Giesemann 150W HQI |
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#10 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Gaithersburg, MD (D.C. Metro Area)
Posts: 1,970
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#11 |
Premium Member
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Location: Pcola FL
Posts: 2,504
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So what about the guy a couple post up? Can you do that, just name it something else? And what about no controller, controller thing? Any ideas?
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Have you ever tried to hold a monkey still if it is not drunk ~ insteng Current Tank Info: 45gal Rimless mixed reef--SWC 150BMK--2xMP10ESW--Giesemann 150W HQI |
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#12 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Ulster County, NY
Posts: 2,521
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I don't see this as a big deal either tbh. The fixtures were over priced when PFO was selling them, and they will stay that way for a while simply because it's a niche market product.
This patent wouldn't stop all of the DIY that's going on right now with LED's. Those DIY'ing the fixtures just wouldn't be able to sell them for a profit.
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30 Gallon FOWLR 2004-2006 90 Gallon LPS Reef 2006-2008 180 Gallon SPS Reef 2008-20012 100 Gallon Custom Rimless Mixed Reef 2012-2014 29 Gallon Biocube Reef! Current Current Tank Info: 29 Gallon Biocube, StevesLED Upgrade, Neptune Apex |
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#13 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Cambridge, Ontario Canada
Posts: 1,092
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How do i get in on this action? I could get a few patents and wait for someone to manufacturer it. Then Sue CHA CHING $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Look like we been here before |
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#14 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Canada
Posts: 227
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American patent? Global Economy?
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#15 | |
Registered Member.
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 245
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Quote:
As for the cost, it's got nothing really to do with the fact that this is a niche market. The basic materials that you need is still expensive. Granted, DIY is cheaper, but the extra cost goes into a lot of tooling, engineering, and materials. If you think that LED fixtures are the only aquarium lights that are over priced, look at the basic material costs of a metal halide system. $50 in raw materials (bulb, ballast, reflector, socket, sheet metal) quickly becomes a $300 pendant. |
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#16 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: SF Bay Area, CA
Posts: 9,474
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Thanks for Chiming in evilC66
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Gresham _______________________________ Feeding your reef...one polyp at a time |
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#17 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Fairfield / Vallejo, CA
Posts: 69
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Trying to wrap my mind around this. Does this essentially mean that Marineland, Pac Sun and a couple other companies won't be able to sell their units, or units similar to their patent ?
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#18 |
skimmer freak
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: peekskill, ny
Posts: 1,209
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patent owt affect diy, as long as your not producing and selling
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custom 45g cube all in one, ai hydra 26, 2 mp10w, ac jr. ,bubble magnus triple doser, bm nac5 hob skimmer My dad always said the only stupid questions are the ones not asked Current Tank Info: custom 45g cube AIO |
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#19 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Visalia,CA
Posts: 189
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I think maxspect (chinese company I believe) will tell them put their patent where the sun don't shine
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#20 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Virginia
Posts: 272
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I know this subject way to well. My brother is a patent attorney and is one of the head guys at the patent office. I was speaking to him a while ago about the patent that Orbitech had received and after doing a ton of research I found a lot of information for them to perform a patent review dated back two years before the submission of the patent application. So I submitted to a well know editor and for what I know he is one of the people that paid the thousand dollar fee in order to have the patent reexamined. I hope it's beat, but who knows. The reason this patent got undermine skin was because I wanted to do a DIY LED setup, but you will be effected by this even doing a DIY. They even have a patent on the controller.
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#21 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Virginia
Posts: 272
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Forgot to subscribe.
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#22 |
Sialkot
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Manchester England UK
Posts: 684
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I think the whole fuss is all about the use of controller along with LEDs. I hope my touch screen controller is beyond their patent rights since we are based in the UK
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Tahir Iqbal Manchester UK Current Tank Info: 56cm x 56cm x 56cm |
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#23 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Fairfield / Vallejo, CA
Posts: 69
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Touch Screen ?
Do tell sir. Do tell. |
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#24 |
Registered Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Spokane, WA
Posts: 3,852
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The specific patent, that ended up putting PFO out of business, was NOT just about using LEDs for aquariums. It was about using LEDs, along with a specific type of Controller, for aquariums.
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#25 | ||||
Registered Member.
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 245
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