 Poster: A snowHead
|
 Armada have issued cease and desist letters to a number of ski manufacturers claiming an infringement of a patent they hold on ski design. Rossignol have responded with a counter-claim based upon an earlier patent that they 'don't normally pursue'...... In a scene reminiscent of the birth of the carving ski, hardware manufacturers are pursuing each other in the courts over the intricacies of ski design.
Armada have started a bit of a fight by sending cease and desist letters to a large number of manufacturers insisting they halt manufacture of certain designs and account for those sold already.
However, Rossignol have fired back by claiming against Armada under an earlier patent which technically appears to give them rights over much of modern ski design. They apparently don't normally assert the rights of this patent but held it for protection in case something like Armada's letter turned up 
We understand, of the UK manufacturers, Storm have received a letter while Whitedot have not.
(Lots) More detail at:
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=203634
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
I've always said that snowsports could do with a good ol' fashioned Intellectual Property brawl.
OPEN THE CAN! RELEASE THE WORMS!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
Well, going by the comments on Teton Gravity, Armada have shot their own feet off and are now working their way up their legs!
Never p*ss off the customers!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Just makes you feel dirty owing some of their skis, Come on Armada, you are hardly the inovators here. I want to pay for skis not laywers, but then hopefully we will be picking up cheap ARV's in the bankrupcy sale soon.
Time for DG!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Madness - there always was a chance that rocker and hybrid shapes would lead to some wiseguy lawyers at some point spotting the chance but from what I see on TGR, it looks like the C&D orders have backfired on Armada and they're now trying to backpedal with some corporate responsibility BS.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Sad times. We'll watch this one with interest.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
the email that armada sent out was just an laughable attempt at sounding all innocent. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Rossi patent is interesting. Seems to cover pretty much anything with tip rocker and camber underfoot. Goodness alone knows what proportion of skis sold it covers. Based on that I would hypothesise either:
1) Armada were aware of this patent and think that Rossi won't be able to get this to stick in a court for some reason
2) Armada were aware of this and didn't anticipate a Rossi counter suit
3) Armada weren't aware of it and are now worrying about the mess.
4) I'm full of cr@p and have missed something important
I'm not sure which of these best fits. I'm suspecting that their legal advice has been poor, especially given that the link on TGR reports a geometrical impossibility in their own patent. That slightly inclines me to 2/3. I hope they fail. This kind of thing is bad for everyone concerned.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
|
it'll be like all the oracle v microsoft v sun v apple v hp suits that happen all the time, a patent swap some money changing hands some joint stuff and then its all quiet till the next flex
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
And, as usual, the winners are...
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| Quote: |
I'm suspecting that their legal advice has been poor,
|
I expect they just asked "how do we enforce our patent" and got the correct advice to the wrong question!
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
papasmurf,
| Quote: |
it'll be like all the oracle v microsoft v sun v apple v hp suits that happen all the time, a patent swap some money changing hands some joint stuff and then its all quiet till the next flex
|
Maybe it was a fumbled attempt to get bought out by Rossi 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What a bunch of doucheb@gs
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
I hope everyone they go after counter-sues and they go under in legal fees.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
The whole patent system - particularly american, is a mess.
Great in theory 200 years ago when an idea could be realy good and not obvious, but I trawled through a patent library a few years back, and the junk that people thought they could patent and sit back to earn millions off was astonishing!
Only winners are the lawers...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
lampbus, agreed, 100%. I waste so much time arguing with clients' legal departments, who'd have us liable for millions in the event that some crackpot alleges, never mind proves, we infringe some stupid patent of the bleedin' obvious in software that they've asked us to write.
The patent system was meant to encourage innovation; I believe it now hinders it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
Patents aren't even appreciated by inventors any more. The system is so complex that, on average, it will take about 18 months for an application to be filed and registered and the patent issued. In this day-and-age, technology lasts 18 days, not 18 months. Therefore you'll rarely see a product boasting about it having a "patent" and rather "patent pending" appears glued to everything. By the time the 18 month registration window is up, it's almost guaranteed that something will have made it to market and be in competition with the original product.
As lampbus alluded to, it is an outdated system which, even if it is reinvented, probably has little relevance in today's world where IP rights are the most valuable resource available.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Astraeus, I agree with you, but patents are a form of IP right, along with copyright and trademarks and maybe other things.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
laundryman, they are. Sorry, I mistyped that - I meant to say "where other types of IP rights are the most valuable resource available". What I mean by that is that IP rights should not exist in the form of patents but rather design rights attached to a style or design or technology and not an underlying function or theoretical blueprint.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Astraeus, ah, thanks, I can see how I misinterpreted you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
does anyone know how this is getting on???
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Wildsmith wrote: |
| Quote: |
I'm suspecting that their legal advice has been poor,
|
I expect they just asked "how do we enforce our patent" and got the correct advice to the wrong question! |
Maybe Armada asked for advice on various forums and sadly took the advice of some mystery poster / newbie!!!!!!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
anyone know the latest with this sorry tale?
just being nosey, that's all 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
