Lookee, guess who else has patents on electronic markers???

[Amea]

Alright... I was searching on the patent site, and discovered that ZAP had a patent on electronic markers... They have two different patents for the same thing, except one was filed in January 2001, and one was filed in May 2001... Like... I mean, the ENTIRE MARKER... Why they don't step in and do something about SP's BS, I don't know.... Seems like they would take out SP... Just thought I'd share them with you... here are the links:

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/search-bool.html&r=6&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=ptxt&s1='smart+parts'&s2=paintball&OS=

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/search-bool.html&r=5&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=ptxt&s1='smart+parts'&s2=paintball&OS=

[Kevmaster]

patents are based on date of filing. SP filed for theirs in hte early 90s....ZAP in the early 2000s.... SP still holds the trump card there..

[Crimson_Turkey]

The Navy has a patent on a feed system, ACE's and electronic triggers. 1971

[barberjohn]

hmm, well, thats good. now smart parts cant say they had vision first too!

[fallout11]

Most patents expire in 17 years.
The Navy one is obsolete, perhaps?

[Crimson_Turkey]

IN that patent is all the previous art you need. You can't patent something that has already been patented even if it has expired.

[member#10,261]

Originally posted by Crimson_Turkey
The Navy has a patent on a feed system, ACE's and electronic triggers. 1971

GO NAVY!

[Chojin Man]

If the Navy patent is vaild. Then why is everyone that SP has gone after giving in to them?

[Amea]

I dunno, maybe they don't know about them... I say we send out mass e-mails to every company that makes e-markers. :p

[Gadget]

Originally posted by Chojin Man
If the Navy patent is vaild. Then why is everyone that SP has gone after giving in to them?

Because each company weighs up the cost of cutting a deal with SP vs the cost of going to court with no guarantee of winning (just because you're innocent is no guarantee these days).

SP have got the balls to intimidate a lot of companies into giving into their demands. It's not nice, it's not right, but it's happening.

[Chojin Man]

Originally posted by Gadget


Because each company weighs up the cost of cutting a deal with SP vs the cost of going to court with no guarantee of winning (just because you're innocent is no guarantee these days).

SP have got the balls to intimidate a lot of companies into giving into their demands. It's not nice, it's not right, but it's happening.

I just seems like it would be an easy win for who ever is defending themselves, if they used the Navy Patent.

[BeaverEater]

Smart Parts is just doing what every company has ever done. They are trying to control their competetion so that they will come out the only one left. They aren't trying to hurt paintball or anything, they are just trying to make as much money as possible. It was bound to happen someday and people need to realize that. It was the same thing that Standard Oil did with monopolizing oil production almost a century ago.

[fallout11]

It costs money just to go to court, even if you are totally in the right, and its an open and shut case.

Filing papers costs money. Motions (of discovery, etc.) cost money. Legal reseach costs money. Attorneys cost money.
Transcriptions cost money. Every day you have something going on related to the case means a day out of work.

It may simply be a question of which is the cheaper alternative.....settle, or fight.


Smart Parts is taking the time honored methods of extortionists, the mafia, and the yakuza.
Pay us, or we will bully you. Pay us "protection" money. And you may continue to do what you do as normal. Otherwise, we make life "hard" for you, capeche'?